Countertops

Question -

I have my heart set on white-and-grey marble counters, but everyone tells me marble is a bad idea. I know you use marble all the time. I’ve heard it stains and chips. Why then are the majority of designer kitchens on Pinterest marble? Alternatives? Thoughts?

Answer -

Marble is porous and stains. Nevertheless, I’ve used it in several homes, including my own. With marble, particularly Carrera, you have to let go of the idea that your countertop will remain perfect.

Like you, I had to have marble, and for the first couple of months at dinner parties, I would follow guests who were drinking red wine into my kitchen and try to look inconspicuous as I placed cocktail napkins under their glasses. I also banned lemons from the counter. Ridiculous, I know. With the first stain, my heart pounded so fast I thought it would fly out of my mouth (and stain the countertop!), but after the olive oil and coffee stains, the counter looked and felt less precious. On the bright side, the stains, or “patina,” make it look like I actually cook.

What I’m saying is, if you’re looking for a flawless countertop, don’t choose marble.

In fact, many countertop fabricators will try to dissuade you from using it because it needs to be sealed every three to six months and they know people can’t handle the stains, scratches and chips.

These days, however, because marble alternatives look so real, what you’re looking at may not even be marble. Let’s take a survey of some of the look-alikes.

Jonathan Wheeler of Latitude Countertops suggests light granite but favours Quartzite as a marble alternative. “Quartzite is a natural stone and the colour has varying tones of grey and white that looks like marble, but has a durability that’s similar to granite; because it’s less porous it’s less likely to stain, scratch and chip,” he says.

Quartz, such as Caesarstone, Silestone, Cambria and Hanstone, is made from 90% ground quartz and 10% acrylic resins. This man-made material feels like natural stone, as it’s cool to touch, but it’s non-porous, durable and easy to maintain. It doesn’t stain, chip or require sealing.

Because marble alternatives look so real, what you’re looking at may not even be marble

Quartz countertops come in many colours and patterns, including excellent marble facsimiles. “One of the big pros of quartz is the uniform veining that helps to make the seams less visible” Mr. Wheeler says. (With marble, “the direction of the veins have to match, otherwise your counter will look busy and the seams will become more obvious,” he says.)

Acrylic countertops (also known as solid-surfacing material), such as Staron and Corian, are non-porous, seamless and easy to maintain. Scratches and mild burn marks can be buffed out. But the thermal shock of a hot pan on cold acrylic or quartz may crack the countertop and void its warranty. Acrylic countertops don’t feel like natural stone, but the look is pretty close. The cost starts at $65/sq. ft. installed.

But if you’re absolutely set on having marble, you may want to boost your budget: More expensive varieties of marble — such as Calacatta, which has grey and brown veining, and Statuario, which is pure white with grey veins — are not as porous as Carerra, and so stain less.

There is a lot of debate over honed versus polished marble. I find that designers prefer honed marble for its smooth matte finish. Because honed marble isn’t reflective, scratches, water marks and finger prints are less obvious. Countertop fabricators, on the other hand, are typically pro-polished marble. Polishing marble gives it a glossy finish that’s less porous and therefore less prone to staining.

When I want to add raw and organic touch to a space, I choose honed. For a little glimmer, I prefer polished.

Another option you may want to consider is using a marble backsplash tile to get the look you’re after (see the backsplash in the photo above, right), but pair it with a grey quartz countertop for practicality.

To test stain tolerance (both yours and the marble’s), consider buying a 10-inch piece of marble. Seal one side, and then pour coffee, tea and red wine on it to see what happens.

Happy countertop shopping.

Give us a call @ 905-892-5756 and we will provide a free estimate.

Gayle Baltjes-Chataway