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julieste

Marble for some countertops--marble owners would you do it again?

julieste
11 years ago

I plan to install primarily soapstone counters in my kitchen redo--just counters and a few appliances.

The area that is primarily used as a work space will be soapstone. There is another area where, for the most part, we don't really do any prep work or cooking. It ends up being a place where thing get set, and where when we entertain we'll often set up glasses and bottles of wine and other beverages. It is not as though we are enteraining all of the time, but we also have been in a habit of putting our wine bottles here for daily life. We don't spill a lot, but you never know........

I've read all about etching and staining with marble, and I just do not know how big a problem this would be for areas that are not the primary cooking areas but rather the supplemental areas.

Marble owners, would you do it again? Would you use it in the type of area I would use it? As I said, I am not looking to use this for all of my kitchen, just one area. Thanks.

Comments (51)

  • babushka_cat
    11 years ago

    yes! as stated above you need to decide if you can handle marble - you need to see it in person, with its flaws and all. get a sample and test it out to see if you can handle the etches. you can prevent stains but not etching. i love my marble (and did all surfaces in the kitchen) and would do it again. note i am single with no kids and use cutting boards strategically. not sure i would do it with a family.

  • Fori
    11 years ago

    Yeah, especially since I have a big chunk leftover from my last kitchen. :)

    Staining wasn't an issue with the stone I had (and have sitting in my yard) and etching is not really pronounced since it's honed and busy. I'm not SURE I'd want it under wine in MY house, but in your house you'd wipe up spills fast so it would be fine.

  • julieste
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks for your viewpoints. One of my adult kids was over tonight and the first thing he said when I mentioned the counters I might put the marble on was, "That's where everyone sets their wine glasses."

    Decisions.....

  • SaraKat
    11 years ago

    I've been wondering about this, too. I read where you should always hone marble because then the etches won't show as badly but they are still there and do show. I have it in a guest bath and worry about it a lot. I don't think I want to worry about the kitchen that much but I must say, there is nothing like it for beauty. It's the kind of beauty that brings tears to your eyes!!!

    I saw an option that might work for some and thought it was a good idea. A homeowner put black countertops on the perimeter and then did the entire backsplash in Carrera marble slabs. It looked great with the white cabinets and black countertops. I think it would also look good with a dark grey countertop also.

    I would consider this so I could still have the real thing and not worry every minute. I admit to wanting it to always look new and not being into a "patina". I love patina on some things, but not my Carrera marble.

    While I appreciate the efforts of quarts companies and Corian to reproduce the look. They are also beautiful, but to me they look nothing like marble, just the same colors so I ruled them out for me. But I do love the nearly carefree aspect that's for sure!!!

  • julieste
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I was just at a fabricator's yesterday, and they had a sample of a new Hanstone (I believe) that is supposed to replicate marble. This is supposed to be released in May. It is getting closer in looks than many things I've seen, but it still does not duplicate the look of marble.

    I want the lovely natural glow of marble and I don't mind some etching because I am not perfectionist. But, I do worry about staining. Are there any new sealer products out there that really do work as far as protecting the surface?

  • Tim
    11 years ago

    Yup - full marble on all our surfaces. Keys, wine, coffee makers/grinders etc. etc. all sitting on it.

    We have 1 large wooden cutting board on little feet that stays out and is in the primary 'working' area, but aside from that, it's all marble.

    We've etched it here and there (vinegar is instant) but no stains. I've sealed it with Dupont Bulletproof along with the marble floors in our 2 baths and the marble console sink top in 1 of them.

    Heck, my wife even chipped the marble edge around the undermount sink with a pot.

    Life goes on - just begins to look lived in. We've had it for 2 years and would do it again and again.

    Houses are made by hand. From cutting of the baseboard joints to sanding drywall mud, it's all hand made. Go into the finest home and you'll see flaws everywhere if you look closely enough. So don't sweat it if your counter etches where you put the little diner table vinegar dispenser (we have a perfect square footprint of that in one spot).

    If you love marble, get it. My wife likes it because it feels natural / alive. One look at the synthesized versions and she sees it as 'dead'. Skip the fake stuff if you want marble.

    Again - no staining on ours, and we've spilled / splashed just about everything you can think of. Lots of red wine is consumed, buckets of coffee, tomato sauce, egg whites, maple syrup, crepe batter... you name it.

    If you love marble and it's in the budget, get it. Look around. After getting ours, when looking for a supplier for my tiny console sink in the basement (20 inches wide) I found the place that does the fabrication work for the top top end stone showroom in Toronto. This showroom charges 2-3x what most others do, and they get tons of business.

    Found the fabrication shop who is now also selling, and paid much less and got full 1" thick marble for the console top. If you can find the full thickness marble for your kitchen, it adds a lot of visual appeal, but only at the sink cutout.

  • sixtyohno
    11 years ago

    I have serpentine marble. It's over a year and I have one tiny tiny chip from a pot at the sink and no etching, no stains. Get what you love. I have beautiful cherry floors. We did a greyhound rescue 6 months ago. So now I have beautiful cherry floors with lots of scratches and a sweet lovely dog.

  • Gracie
    11 years ago

    It seems the responses in favor have come from those who have had marble for a few months or a few years. A few etches and chips in a year or two's time may not be a big deal, but how will marble look as those etches and chips accumulate through the years? Do you want to remain diligent about almost everything you cook and hover over your guests for years to come?

    Is there anyone who has had marble kitchen counters for five years? Ten years? How long does it take to go from EEK! to a nice patina?

  • Kathy Rivera
    11 years ago

    I have to say, I was all set to accept the etching of Super White b/c I love it so much. The pics I've seen on here of an etch here or there seemed livable. Then I stayed in an apartment rental on vacation and they had a little island with a marble top - I just wanted to scrub it to get all the rings and marks off. But it wasn't dirt, it was all etching. That made me realize that I couldn't handle the 'patina'. I'm also not a careful enough cook to clean things up right away, so I decided anything that etches is not going to work for me. BUT, it's totally a personal thing and you'll really have to decide for yourself. Good luck!

  • finestra
    11 years ago

    I love my montclair danby. But it does etch. We used "Granite Shield" it is supposed to be a lifetime sealer. We have only had it 9 months. No stains. Etches do happen and they are noticeable on honed - especially if you have a lot of natural sunlight. You have to accept that. If you can't, don't get marble.

    In retrospect, I should have done a farmhouse sink, but I really didn't want one. I cook a lot, and I have a professional style stove. My BTUs are really high, and I have to use heavy stainless or cast iron pots and pans. I do have slight dings around my undermount sing. But I don't care. I did a traditional kitchen, so I was not going for a clean, crisp look.

    I have a friend who just put a polished "marble" island in her kitchen. It is so shiny and beautiful. it looks like it has a thick shiny layer over it. I am wondering if it is really not marble because I can't imagine that she won't get really noticeable etches. But it looks beautiful.

  • springroz
    11 years ago

    If you want to know what marble looks like with real patina, go to Mornimg Call in Metairie, LA. I ADORE that old marble look, chips, stains and all!

    I used polished marble on my coffee hutch, and the master bath. No etches after 8 months, but the sink area where I work with my contacts twice a day has a little scratching, but it does not bother me.

    Nancy

  • julieste
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Toronto Tim--

    Love the look of marble in your kitchen!

    I am thinking I might just go for it. There are several suggestions here for different sealers we could try on the honed marble (my research tells me this is best for kitchens).

    We've done a lot of traveling in Europe, and I keep thinking about all of the marble I've seen and loved there. And, the classis boulangerie or bistro counter is normally marble. I don't recall looking at those and thinking it looked terrible. But, OTOH, those counters weren't in my house where I could spend hours every day focusing on them and the flaws. I also remember all of the marble staitcases we climbed in Europe where the treads were worn down after centuries of people walking in the same place over and over again. That actually makes them more appealing to me.

    The rest of my counters will be soapstone, and from what I've read here the analogy is whether or not you are okay with more of a rumpled linen look than an always perfectly pressed looke. I am assuming marble would also fall into that category of analogy.

    Thanks for your thoughts.

  • gayl
    11 years ago

    I have soapstone perimiters and working island and danby marble serving/eating island. We have had it for 1.5 years. I LOVE the look of the marble. There are no stains, but a few etches here and there from margarita glasses set on the stone right after we moved in. Since then everyone is pretty careful to use coasters and not much else has happened to the stone. We entertain small groups frequently and very large groups occasionally. We have lots of natural light and in the right situation you can see the etches, but when it is grey outside, or in the evening, you have to really work at it to see them. I love the stone and would get it again in a heartbeat.

  • coll4
    11 years ago

    I have both soapstone and marble and I would not use either of them again. I love the look and feel of both stones but do not like the way they "wear". As has been stated it is a personal choice, I loved the look and was not realistic as to what I was willing to put up with. My soapstone scratches and chips easily and the marble is prone to etching and staining. My kitchen has been done for two years and the counters look pretty good but it is because I am so careful (which is no fun). I love to cook and bake and entertain so having to "baby" the counters adds a lot of stress and extra work. Again, it's what you can live with.

  • mrsmortarmixer
    11 years ago

    I have a large 2x5' slab of marble that came out of my great grandma's kitchen. I don't know how old it is, but I remember her rolling out pie crust on it when I was younger (late 80's). The edges are uneven, one corner chipped off, and they are a few chips throughout the top. There are a few stains, but I don't know if it was ever sealed. I hope to find a place for it in my pantry, but if it matched my kitchen, I wouldn't have hesitated to put it in there. Is it perfect? No, but I'm sure nothing in my kitchen will be perfect after 30+ years either.

  • motherof3sons
    11 years ago

    Not a kitchen, but lots of traffic. The administration building of the university in my city is made of marble, granite and limestone. The main entry walls are graced with beautiful marble as well as the staircase steps. After 100+ years, the steps have worn areas where 1000s of students, faculty and staff have walked. They have endured all the elements that may be on a person's shoes. I am still in awe each time I walk those steps; they are still beautiful.

  • julieste
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    I just remembered I have a 2' by 2' piece of white marble (don't know when I got it or where it came from--maybe my grandma).

    I just went down the basement and found it and laid it on my current counter. It truly is a fabulous look. It also has scratches from someone cutting on it and what I suspect might be called etching, and there is a small chip off of one corner. So, this gave me a really good persepective on what I might eventually be encountering. I think I'd be able to live with this. I've got an old house with some worn wood floors etc. I don't need a brand new look with perfection.

    coll4--I really appreciate your comments; they are very helpful, and I think you nailed it on the head when you say that it is individual as to what an individual can tolerate. When I was at the soapstone warehouse yesterday I eliminated one of the slabs that I looked the looks of becaue it was much more easily damaged than others. I could scratch it with my pretty weak and flexible fingernail and knew right away that I wouldn't be happy with something that soft. I hope that is not the type of soapstone you have. I am not particularly careful, and I am not someone who is a constant cleanerand tidier-upper. Maybe these surfaces would work for me.

    Thanks all.

  • nini804
    11 years ago

    I've had honed marble on my perimeter for 1.5 years. No stains, some etching. The etches seem to "fade" as they get older, it's weird. Anyway...I adore the look, there is not another material that I think is as beautiful for my style of kitchen. Would definitely use it again.

  • sandn
    11 years ago

    Yes, we'd do it again. I'm so glad we didn't let trepidation about staining dissuade us from getting the marble, but we certainly debated. We have exactly what you describe: soapstone perimeter counters where all the heavy-duty cooking happens, and marble on the island. Both sinks and the range are in the soapstone, and it's great. No worries about staining or etching. Our two-level island, where we plate our dishes, perch our guests to overlook dinner preparations, and open and serve our wine, is a beautiful, honed, white marble called "calacatta, carrara". Its main colour is pure white, but it has both blue-grey and some more caramel coloured veining (perfect for disguising both coffee and red wine stains, not to mention the heart-stopping stain of deep purple ooze that dripped from a shrivelling bearded iris bloom, down the side of the vase and into a ring at the base). Guess what? We can't even pick out the iris stain from the marbling. We have a few minor etches. We are not overly cautious. We drink our wine and our coffee, eat our steaks and curries, plunk down vases of flowers(except for the purple irises, which stay in the garden now). We love the marble.
    p.s. TorontoTim, would you let a fellow Ontarian in on your marble fabricator? We're about to do our ensuite bath and a fireplace threshhold and I need three smallish marble pieces cut to order. Yours looks lovely.

  • sayde
    11 years ago

    My Danby marble counters have been installed for nearly two years. There are a few etches and a few dings/chips around the sink. Mine is an old house and we have re-used old wood cabinets. The marble just works well here and the fact that it now has a few little dings doesn't bother me because it still fits well with the rest of the house. And I just love the marble. No regrets at all -- still one of my favorite things about the kitchen. Nothing else would have been as good a choice. But if I were building a sleek modern kitchen I would probably choose something else.

  • Tim
    11 years ago

    I grew up eating at a marble table (polished carrara if I recall). The three of us kids, 3 meals a day at it. We wore the wood base down with our feet - you couldn't see the detail on the wood cross members any more.

    The table is still in use at my sister's place with her 2 kids. Been in daily service for 40+ years. It looks great.

    You can only see the etching if you're looking for them. Walking through the kitchen you're not going to see it.

    Get marble if you love it. If you love something, and it works in your budget, get it. You'll never regret it.

  • julieste
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yes, I've decided to go for the marble. Old and worn fits my house, and my cabinets are a mix of 1920-30s originals that we recycled along with new ones we had custom made to match. Tim, the table story just helped to reinforce my feelings that marble has been used for centuries, it is durable if one can put up with some imperfections, and the beauty is not just in its being in pristine condition all of the time.

  • 2LittleFishies
    11 years ago

    YAY! : )

  • ChicagoLiving
    11 years ago

    Could someone please post any pics of their kitchen with Montclair Danby? It would be so wonderful to see this marble in a kitchen. We are hopefully installing Danby montclair next month. I am so incredibly excited about this~ thank you for any insight!

  • mum2gandb
    11 years ago

    After spending a week in a villa in Tuscany, I fell in love with marble countertops. They had been there for years and they were loved yet worn. They had some stains and some etching, but they were still gorgeous and there is something about them that cannot be duplicated.

    My new build is going to have soapstone perimeter and a marble island. I will do most of my food prep on my island.
    And I can't wait.

    Tim-your counters are gorgeous.

  • mum2gandb
    11 years ago

    After spending a week in a villa in Tuscany, I fell in love with marble countertops. They had been there for years and they were loved yet worn. They had some stains and some etching, but they were still gorgeous and there is something about them that cannot be duplicated.

    My new build is going to have soapstone perimeter and a marble island. I will do most of my food prep on my island.
    And I can't wait.

    Tim-your counters are gorgeous.

  • ChicagoLiving
    11 years ago

    I am hoping to see pics of the kitchen you did with the montclair that you love. I too adore that marble and would enjoy seeing it in action. If you have a moment or don't mind, it would be lovely. Thanks so very much!!

  • cannes
    11 years ago

    I've had carrara marble in my kitchen now for nearly 3 years. We are still trilled with our decision.

    A couple months after it was installed, we dropped a glass on it and took a chip/chunk out of it. It bothered us for a tiny while but I hardly notice it anymore. I also chipped the edge by the pull out trash cash. I hardly notice that either. I don't pay close attention to spills and have some etching and staining. I also have it on my beverage bar where I serve coffee and wine. Oh well. I use my kitchen and am proud of it.

    My guests never notice the chips, etching, or staining. They notice how gorgeous my marble countertops are. That's what matters most.

  • lascatx
    11 years ago

    I've had honed marble on my perimeter counters for over 6 years now. Herd to believe, but it has been. They are not stained, but there are etches. Would you notice them when you walked in the room? Not likely. We put the marble around the sink and cooktop and put Cambrian Black on the island.

    I live in a casual guy house -- DH and 2 teen boys who all carry the male dirt blindness gene. We cook a lot, can, I bake, knead dough, slather crisco on the counters and work fondant on them. Doesn't really matter whether I use the brushed Cambrian or the honed marble -- both work well, clean up well. And it's actually the Cambrian that was bullet proof and too hard to chip off a sample at the stoneyard that has a couple of chips on the edge -- one from a dropped trombone mouthpiece. Those suckers are solid!

    I would absolutely do it again, but I didn't really have doubts iin the first place. I've compared marble to things like denim and linen. If you love them soft and worn marble probably suits you. If you want the glamour shot, pressed jeans and abhor linen because it wrinkles like nobody's business, I wouldn't pick marble.

  • happyx5
    11 years ago

    I had honed Carrara marble countertops for 8 years. While I was living there as a single girl they were flawless :). Then life changed and I rented it out on and off for 5 years.

    I was amazed at how well the marble held up. I mean in many cases the tenants were total slobs who clearly hadn't cleaned EVER, so I know they weren't diligently wiping down the counters after each use like I was. But still there were no stains, minimal (meaning not glaringly obvious) etching.

    I am sure the sealant helped, but it was just a marble sealant the fabricator had given me to re-apply when I could.

    Since the marble passed what I considered the ultimate test of careless renters, I'm putting calacata gold in our new house and see how it holds up with our family of 5.

  • kiko_gw
    10 years ago
  • lagrant
    10 years ago

    Absolutely and positively would do it again. It's been 4 years (ohmygosh!) and my marble still makes me swoon. I still glide my hand along as I walk by because I love how it feels.

    In these 4 years, we have gotten 4 teenagers thru high school and have one left at home still - that's a LOT of spills, parties, unfortunate events and I still love it. There's some etching, ZERO staining, and I adore it.

    HTH!!!

  • Madeline616
    10 years ago

    Have an all-marble kitchen (Vermont Danby), and would do it again and again.

    Only thing is, for the application you propose, chipping from "things" being placed/tossed on the counter may be an issue whereas that area may be less likely to etch since it's not a big food prep area.

    We all talk about etching more often than chipping, but marble is soft, and it chips.

    Like most others, I'm sealed with Porous Plus 511, and I don't have a single stain. Plenty of etches and a few chips, though!

  • kiko_gw
    10 years ago

    Oh, and I just found this post today about the patina/stains on a 120 year old piece of marble that was then cleaned/restored. An amazing transformation:

    Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.designsponge.com/2013/01/before-after-cleaning-and-restoring-marble.html

  • PRO
    Stoneshine
    10 years ago

    Great thread !
    Marble is so personal and brings out the passion in people that love it. It isnt perfect and like so many have noted what is. Every single slab is unique making the rooms or areas you have chosen to place them one of a kind.
    Magical are how I can describe some rooms and areas I have had the pleasure to work on or in.
    Its timeless as well from new homes to NY brownstones with marble installed in the early 1900's.
    I have a client with a white marble vanity from Italy dating way back. It is one solid piece of marble from the legs to the countertop-hand carved and just incredible workmanship. Yes it has chips,etches and some slight wear!
    While it is important to seal "porous marbles" and clean daily with a cleaner that wont break down the sealer most stains(true stains) can be removed using poulticing methods. Any wear and etching can also be removed as well. Chips,cracks and even broken corners can be repaired.
    Marble lovers should know that no matter what happens to your marble it can almost always be repaired and restored.

  • julieste
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I'm the OP. I went ahead an did it, with soapstone for the more heavy duty areas used every day for prep etc. and marble for another wall. My counters will be installed in 10 days, so I am hoping I made a good decision (I think I did).

  • PRO
    Stoneshine
    10 years ago

    Sounds Great?
    And well thought out
    Regarding sealers-your fabricator should have one that he recommends. Doing a water test before sealing and after is a good idea. Just puddle up a palm sized puddle of water and let sit for 10-15 minutes. Wipe away the excess and see if a darker mark remains. darker means it is absorbant.
    Seeing how long it takes to dry out tells you just how absorbant. If you dont get a darker mark it isnt absorbant.
    You can do this with baby oil also but it takes a few days to evaporate-try it on a spare piece.
    Any high quality sealer applied correctly and tested will do well. Remember to use the proper cleaning products to preserve the sealer.

  • donnadilit
    10 years ago

    Does anyone have any thoughts/experience with crema marfil marble??

    In reading all of your posts on marble, no one has mentioned crema marfil which I love. We are just a few weeks out from having to make our kitchen counter top decision and I am so stuck! I cook a lot and still have a 13 year old at home who is a normal messy teen. Is crema marfil even more easily damaged than other types of marble?

    Also love honed limestone - jerusalem gold or isis gold - but I think that's even softer than the crema marfil....

    Thanks so much - I appreciate any input!

  • tdrum
    10 years ago

    Thanks for all the great info all you marble lovers! Two questions - do the pattern & color matter to etching/staining visibility? And, any advice about thickness and edge finish with marble? Thanks for any advice!!

  • nancyartist
    10 years ago

    I have crema Marfil on my master bath vanities , they are lovely , however I'd never use it in a kitchen counter because we are meticulous in the bath and it has some spots .couldnt imagine it in a kitchen .

  • julieste
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I'm the OP, and I did part marble and part soapstone. I'm happy, but I think I would have also been fine with 100% marble.

    In retrospect, I think people here (me included) obsess way too much over the possible imperfections that marble will eventually develop. We just returned from three weeks in Italy where we saw all different applications of marble that had been in place hundreds, and sometimes even over a thousand years. Yes, the marble was worn in places and did not look like it was installed last week, but it was lovely. What are a few etches or a teeny chip here or there? This also made me reflect on our throwaway culture where the average life span of a kitchen is what, maybe twenty years? Then, in the next remodel all of this stone everyone obsesses about will be discarded to be replaced by something else.

    Go with what you think will be beautiful to you. Marble has been used for thousands of years. If it has proven this durable, why would it be any less durable in your kitchen?

  • KelinMD
    10 years ago

    I too am considering marble for my whole kitchen, and have your same concerns. My fabricator said they offer on site rehoning that costs about 400 dollars and you can do it every 4-5 if etching gets bad. There are also home brew etching pastes available online that you just make. He said you use a very fine grit steel wool (400 gauge?) and comet...sounds scary, but could be worth a shot if you have bad etching. I was wondering about an "acid wash" kind of technique, for example wiping your counter down with lemonade or OJ or vinegar water. If the entire surface was in theory etched, wouldn't that make it invisible? Just wondering.

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    10 years ago

    Yes yes yes.

    KelinMD, i read a long time ago about some celebrity, forget who, who "aged" her marble by covering it in tomato juice!

    I have marble on one surface. It is just an island so I can easily switch it out. It is not used for prep. We set dinner on it every night, buffet style, and also use it to entertain. I love the look. We've been using it about 18 months.

    Here it is with "cups of dirt" set up on it for a kids party:

    {{!gwi}}

  • mtnrdredux_gw
    10 years ago

    Yes yes yes.

    KelinMD, i read a long time ago about some celebrity, forget who, who "aged" her marble by covering it in tomato juice!

    I have marble on one surface. It is just an island so I can easily switch it out. It is not used for prep. We set dinner on it every night, buffet style, and also use it to entertain. I love the look. We've been using it about 18 months.

    Here it is with "cups of dirt" set up on it for a kids party:

    {{!gwi}}

  • ppbenn
    10 years ago

    mtnrdredux and needinfo1
    Don't mean to hijack this thread but I cant seem to find your kitchen reveals. Did you post any other pictures?
    I too will have the soapstone counters and marble island and use marble for vanities. I would love to see more pictures and details of your houses.
    Thanks and have a great day!

  • Bunny
    10 years ago

    I also thought why not just spread an etching substance (e.g., lemon juice) over the entire surface to preempt all the individual etches? I got a nice sample of Danby marble and first etched it in 4 or 5 areas, blobs. Then I covered the entire surface, blobbed areas included, with vinegar. The result was etches upon etches. The blobs stayed distinct. It's not a good look. :)

  • julieste
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This is super interesting because I was the original poster, and I now have Carrera marble on one set of counters. And, I have a vinegar story to tell.

    Earlier this week we had left something on the counter that left rust stains. I got most of them out, but there was still a faint coloration. My husband must have read somewhere that vinegar removes rust stains, so he got some regular vinegar out and started to rub the stains. In the middle of his doing this, my brain clicked in and I freaked because of the possibility of etching from the acidic vinegar.

    But, he was almost done, and what was done was done. We put clear water on where the vinegar had been, and then he got the maroon/purple 3M pad our fabricator had left us and wiped it down with that. There were no problems at all, and it was fine.

  • Gina France
    6 years ago

    Thanks to everyone for the advice here. After having my quartz slabs quite literally reserved at the distributor, DH and I are now thinking about using marble in our new construction kitchen instead. The quotes for the quartz are coming in at over $100/sq ft -- shockingly high for a material that doesn't compare in beauty to real marble. Our contractor thinks we can source real Carerra or Calacutta for about $60/ft. I know some of the cost is the need to book-match the quartz, which we might not have to do with a sequential run of Calacutta slabs. Any more advice from folks who have now lived for a longer time with real marble? I AM a perfectionist, but have a couple of marble bath vanities, now etched from my facial cleaner (no comments on what I am putting on my face!) and that doesn't drive me crazy. I think I could live with similar etching in our kitchen. We do not have sunlight but will have tons of recessed lights and under-counter lights. Any further updates from anyone? Had anyone have their marble refinished periodically? Our builder says some of his clients do this.

  • Terri_PacNW
    6 years ago

    I have polished carerra. In since March. I love it. It makes my kitchen. Yes, etching, yes little white "starburst" from hits and even a small chunk where some one hit the eased edge on the way in or out of the dishwasher.


    It's exactly what I wanted...Quartz even "look alikes"...felt like settling. I am so happy I didnt settle.