Marble Countertops: Pros and Cons

Marble has a reputation as a gorgeous material with an elegant and traditional look. After all, it’s what fancy buildings and statues are made of! But remember all the missing arms on those statues. It also has a reputation for being a high maintenance material, especially for high use countertops. So, what are the pros and cons of marble countertops?

 

Pros

 

Beautiful appearance

Marble has unique veining and the purest and brightest whites. As a natural stone, every single slab is unique in terms of pattern.

 

Heat resistance and low heat transfer

Marble is an excellent surface for bakers, as it does not transfer much heat. It provides a nice cool surface for rolling out dough—an essential for avid bakers.

 

Cost and availability

While not as inexpensive as laminate, in terms of natural stone countertop materials, marble is generally available in a lot of different styles and color options and at comparable prices to other stone materials.

 

Cons

 

Etching

Marble etches, meaning that acidic substances like certain cleansers and foods (like citrus) can erode the surface, which cannot be fixed.

 

Porousness

Marble is more porous and soft than other common countertop materials, like granite and quartz, which means that it requires a little more maintenance in terms of cleaning (with gentle cleansers!).

 

Staining and scratching

Due to its light color and softness, marble is more susceptible than some other countertop materials to scratching and staining. In high traffic, chaotic kitchens or bathrooms where lots of makeup is applied, marble might get stained or scratched.

 

Visit the Kowalski Granite & Quartz showroom to see our extensive marble countertop options, or check out some of our marble selection here!