Replies

1. 
   aimless | Jul 22, 2004 04:57pm | #1

   I don't have them in my kitchen. However my understanding is that marble is prone to staining, so you either have to be willing to put up with stained countertops or a combination of extremely vigilant about wiping everything up and good with a poultice to get the stains out. There may be some sort of sealant you could use to minimize this problem.

2. 
   WayneL5 | Jul 23, 2004 12:03am | #2

   I have a six foot long counter of green marble in which the cooktop is set.  Mine doesn't show any stains, but I clean up after cooking, and don't cook often.  I imagine the dark color has something to do with no stains showing.  I like the material and would use it again.  I set hot pots and pans on it all the time.

   Stone can be loud and hard.  So, I would not like it around the sink, where I would be setting dishes and glassware every day.

   They say lighter marble is prone to staining, but I have no personal experience.  I can tell you that marble and limestone (but not other stones, like granite), being made of calcium carbonate, are attacked by acids.  In the kitchen, that means acidic foods will take the shine off the surface by etching.  If strong enough and left in place long enough, an acid will leave visible marks into the depth of the stone.  I suspect that acidic foods that also have deep colors, like tomato sauce, might leave quite a mark quickly, but I don't know for sure.

   All stone, even granite, can benefit from sealing.  Tec, a company that makes tile and stone installation materials, makes several excellent sealers.  http://www.techspecialty.com  These would be available from a stone and tile distributor.

   I liked combining different counter top materials in different parts of the kitchen.  Stone seemed to make sense to me around the cooktop, which was also across from the wall oven.

3. 
   SuefromTO | Jul 23, 2004 03:21pm | #3

   Thank you both so much.  I had heard about the staining but I really wanted to know how people felt about it.  I have lots more thinking to do.  Thanks again!

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jul 24, 2004 12:59am | #4

   Marble is fairly soft, as stone goes, so it can be scratched, chipped, and abraded. It is also somewhat porous if not sealed, so stains tend to sink in, and some kinds of stains are very difficult to get out.

   The softness and stainability mean that over time, marble acquires a patina of use. The sharper edges get worn away. It gets darker where you touch it a lot, in addition to any actual stains. It gets dished out where you scour out scratches, or abrade it with pots and pans. Injuries soften with age.

   Some people think this is great, some people don't. If you don't think you'd like it, you probably won't be happy with marble in the long run. You can follow Wayne's example, get a dark color, seal it carefully, don't use the counters much, and clean them rigorously when you do, and delay the patina, but I don't think you can prevent it forever.

   If you think you can be happy with the patina, pick a color you like, seal it (periodically if you want to), try not to abuse it, but don't worry about the stains and scratches that will occur despite your best efforts.

   (With quality counter construction and quality stone, cracking probably won't be an issue, but if you drop hard, heavy things on it, you can crack it.)

   Edited 8/2/2004 8:31 pm ET by Uncle Dunc

1. 
   aimless | Jul 24, 2004 10:44pm | #5

   Just wash it with grape juice and get the waiting over with.

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jul 25, 2004 03:02am | #6

   LOL. Yeah, or spaghetti sauce.

   I've heard of people taking the ball peen hammer and putting the first dent on their new car for the same reason.

2. 
   SuefromTO | Aug 03, 2004 12:41am | #7

   Thanks so much Dunc, great perspective!

4. 
   gardgen | Aug 13, 2004 11:28pm | #8

   Never mind the stains, its the etching.  We just installed a marble counter top on a bar in DC.  At a cost of $17,000 we have just replaced it.  There is no sealer in the world that will prevent this stuff from etching.  Every wine glass which sat on the counter showed white rings (these were not red wine stains!), even if spills were immediately wipped up.

   We refinished it and resealed it two times, before we gave up, bit the dust and put in a new top.    Here is what I learned.  Marble has calcium in it, similiar to the limestones.  The reaction to acids is similiar to what happened when you were a kid and you put baking soda and vinegar in a pop bottle and corked it.  The same chemical reaction is occuring in much smaller doses...

   Simple solution, marble is not appropriate material for a counter top.  Perhaps I would use it in an adult only bathroom... and then only for people who are anal about not spilling...

5. 
   NANCHASE | Sep 02, 2004 06:09pm | #9

   I don't know if a response on the marble question is still timely, but having built several different kitchens I must say I would never install it. It feels cold, is hard and makes it easy to break kitchenware, and I understand is prone to stains. I love Formica or similar low-end countertop. It has always held up well for me, even with heavy use, and is a fraction of the price. I have new fake-granite Formica in my kitchen, and my sister was astonished to see that it wasn't the "real thing."

   I also have experience with the Corian type of stone composite and don't care for it as much as Formica.

   Nan

1. 
   DANL | Sep 03, 2004 08:03pm | #10

   Another good thing about laminates (like Formica (a brand name)) is that if it gets scratched up or you get tired of the color in a few years, it's easier and less expensive to replace than marble, Corion, granite, etc..

2. 
   SuefromTO | Sep 12, 2004 03:21am | #11

   thanks Nan!  Can you direct me to some websites or companies that sell the fake-granite formica?  I'm really interested in that option. Thanks!