Marble and granite are materials that are perfectly suited for the worktop surface, and hence many people do wonder which one they should choose – the granite or the marble? Both are excellent choices, with one major exception: if you’re going to choose a worktop for the kitchen, perhaps granite is the better option. But why? What is the difference? Here is a comparison between marble and granite: all the facts you need to know.
What is granite?
Granite is a rock that is quite common – it occurs naturally in nature and follows a natural grain. It’s a tough rock, which is why it has been favoured in construction throughout history. That’s also why it is favoured in modern times for worktops.
What is marble?
Like granite, marble is a rock that comes from nature. It forms when other rock types – mostly limestone – re-crystallises and forms what we term marble. Marble, in fact, was named that way (it means “shining stone”) because the re-crystallisation produces a shiny and sparkling effect.
Their major advantages
- Granite and marble are beautiful – they’re simply elegant. Because it comes from nature, every piece of granite or every slab of marble is unique and can’t be duplicated.
- Granite and marble are both heat resistant. This means that extreme temperature fluctuations or high temperatures of pots and pans won’t crack the surface of these worktops.
Their major differences
Although both granite and marble are commonly found in nature, there are two main differences expert worktop craftsmen will warn you about. These are:
- Marble is more porous than granite. This means that marble absorbs liquid much easier than granite. For bathrooms, this may not be a problem, but for kitchens, it is – the liquids in the kitchen often contain acids (wine, orange juice, vinegar, etc.) and this makes marble relatively vulnerable to stains. It also means you are not allowed to clean marble with corrosive cleaning agents you would otherwise use on other surfaces.
- Granite is much, much tougher than marble; in fact, if you want to cut granite, you’ll have to use diamonds to do it. This ensures that granite is quite scratch resistant. Marble, on the other hand, isn’t. For this reason, granite is more suited in a place where there’s constant work with knives, forks, and scissors.
Whilst both granite and marble look great in many places, there are some advantages and disadvantages to each. It’s not so much about beauty – both are timeless and beauty is in the eye of the beholder – but it’s about practicality. When it comes to kitchens, granite makes more sense. And if you’d like to benefit from granite worktops, look for the excellent granite worktops at Jrstone.co.
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