Just to clarify from my previous post. It's not that I think marble doesn't belong in kitchens. In fact, I think it looks beautiful. I just know how I live. We're the people who have a dinner party and go to sleep with the mess out and handle it in the morning AFTER a good cup of coffee. I won't notice spills until hours later and I'm a wreck as I'm cooking. A disaster everywhere I go. If I had marble counters, they would look 20 years old in about 6 months. Marble changes with use. It develops a patina...an overall character that tells the story of all it's good use. I can respect that aesthetic. However, it's just not me. I like to wipe it down hours later and have it looking like it never happened in the first place. Quartz is going in our kitchen.(Surprise.) As for granite, I find all the beautiful veining and "movement" to be qualities I want in flooring or bathroom tile. NOT on my kitchen counters. If I leave big chunk of chicken on the counter, I'd rather it be visible so I can clean it up.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our bungalow and kitchen remodel blog

I love marble countertops. I'm the person festus describes - some parties take two days to clean up from. That said, if I had a distinct work area where the whole area would get the same amount of abuse then I would have gotten marble. But I don't - I have a long stretch from work area to an end that doesn't get abused, so it would be obvious that there was a difference. I didn't think that would look good.

I can spray cleaner on a 2-day-old chunk of tomato sauce, let it sit, and clean it with a scratchy pad, and no one would know the stone hadn't been installed the day before.

So I think if you can imagine it after a few years and still like it, then go for what you want.

My fabricator said he's done a lot of them, all beautiful, but you need to realize that it is vulnerable to stains/scratches/etching. Just like the very old marble counter tops in Europe. Basically you are creating your own "antique".

He said to protect from staining you just need to stay on top of the sealing. Nothing will protect from etching from citrus juices but it's not that noticeable unless you tilt your head and look for it.

I'm going for the calcutta without reservation. I have friends who have marble and have never regretted it. I say go for it!

My honed calacatta has been in for over a year with no stains, but etches aplenty. I'm not overly careful with it, but I do take care to wipe up at the end of a meal. I have a couple of small chips off the edge. I still really love it. I like how it feels, and the look of a kitchen that is actually used. It was originally sealed with Porous Plus 511 and I have reapplied the PP511 one time. I would do marble again in a heart beat, but then again I'm not a polished granite person.

I am going for it throughout my whole kitchen. I still have yet to meet someone in person or on here that regrets putting it in.. in fact everyone that puts it in that has crossed my path is thrilled about their decision.
When I was first lurking at retail granite marble yards they all try to talk you out of it.. but once I starting meeting KD's and then talking to the fabricators they work with, I found the guys that were confident about it so long as you know what to expect. I am nervous.. we are messy.. the regret of not doing it will bother me more..

One thing I'm curious about is that someone told you that honed marble is more durable. I'm not an expert, but that doesn't make sense to me. I can imagine that a honed finish may hide stains or problems better, but as for resisting them in the first place, sure seems like the slickness of a polished surface would do a better job of that. JMHO. I would ask though, why honed marble? I think marble shows it's best attributes when it's high-shine. If you want a honed surface, why not get a honed granite which is WAY more durable. Depending on which your pick, it won't look all that different than a honed marble, but without all the sensitivities.

Chiming in.. I love the look and touch of honed marble. I am not honing just because etching will blend better, I actually like its almost sueded look. Not sure about others

>I would ask though, why honed marble?

Because all marble will etch regardless of finish, and etching is less obvious on a honed finish than on a polished one.

There are many great choices for countertops in a kitchen. Granite, stainless, wood, marble, quartz, laminate, glass......but they aren't interchangeable in their properties. Each has benefits and drawbacks. Whenever these posts crop up, that's all anyone really is trying to say. Marble is great for a kitchen---IF you expect it to behave like marble! That means you know the benefits AND the drawbacks of choosing it. The same with any other type of countertop surface. You wouldn't expect to chop directly on laminate without it showing cuts and scratches, but you can with end grain butcher block. You wouldn't expect quartz to have swoopy swirls of color movement that change from slab to slab nor would you expect granite to be lightweight and easy to DIY install.

If you had any of those incorrect expectations about the counter surfaces above, then you would be disappointed. So choose wisely based both on the properties of the countertop and your lifestyle. You won't be disappointed with your choice if you educate yourself from the beginning.

Writersblock:

Echoing what my good friend live_wire_oak has said, I'll add my .02 cents worth:

Honed marble has a tendency to show less dirt and fingerprints than
a polished surface, AND - when an acid is applied to a honed marble finish,
the resulting "etch" will still be there - but it won't be anywhere near
as noticeable as if it were polished.

Honed and textured finishes on Natural Stone, Quartz and Solid Surface are
becoming more and more popular - heck - Solid Surface has been doing
a "honed" finish for decades... the Natural Stone and Quartz folks are getting
into the act now two - as people are looking for a "different" look - and even
less maintenance and upkeep.... honed and textured is filling that need...IMHO

hth

kevin

I too covet marble and IÂm the type to go to bed after a party and clean in the morning as well. Still  life is short  right? My biggest problem is that I have *never* seen a white kitchen with marble (my hearts desire) except in pictures. Would I like them just as much in person? I can only guess at the patina that everyone talks about. Would it bug me? I have no idea. Do I need perfection? No, I do not, but still, I can only guess at what everyone is warning about.

the regret of not doing it will bother me more..

Exactly how I feelÂ

DH is trying to get us into an old mansion (built in 1928 - 45,000 sq feet!) that is now only used for movies and special events. The kitchen is in the servantÂs wing (where else would it be in a house that size?) and IÂm told that it sports the original white marble. IÂm hoping by seeing this it will help both of us make a decision. DH is not keen on marble, so I hope it will either help him see the beauty or me see the damage and know if I can live with that or not.

Honed vs Polished? Too many decisions! :-)

festus -- do you have a shot of the various marble pieces after wiping off the next day? That might be really instructive, too. (By the way I love your blog! Is your bungalow painted in Benjamin Moore Weimaraner, by any chance? I'm considering that for mine. What a fabulous gray! And y'all have made some wonderfully creative design decisions for your space.)

In my totally unprofessional opinion, it's the level of countertop love that really matters, not so much the material itself. If you absolutely love a surface, you will be spending more time wiping and caressing it. You will embrace its overall feel and look and forgive it its little inconsistencies and betrayals. :-)

My solid copper countertops are absolutely not for everyone, and they do have some not-quite-expected behaviors (who else gets green spots when they leave the milk jug out?), but I still utterly adore them and have never regretted putting them in for a moment. If marble is essential to your vision, I say go for it.

Jeri in regards to your comment:My biggest problem is that I have *never* seen a white kitchen with marble (my hearts desire) except in pictures.

If it makes you feel better, I thought the same thing- I had not seen it in person! MY KD loves marble she was able to refer me to a past client that has honed marble and another KD that I almost used did the same thing.. so I visited 2 LIVE kitchens with ALL marble, not just on their island. They still loved it and so did I. One family has 5 young kids but she doesn't cook a lot, but has had many entertaining parties revolving around her kitchen and the other has 2 teenage kids and she cooks a lot.. both had the etches and imperfections but it still was AWESOME!

The upside of losing all the old posts is being able to rehash all of these goodies.

I am planning on honed marble and I am messy AND lazy.

My fabricator gave me a big sample to play with. One half is glossy and I self-honed the other half with sandpaper. I have had all sorts of science experiments and the honed side definitely hides the etching and knife marks much more. I love the soft contemporary look it has.

It's been said here that you could also have your marble re-honed if the imperfections are driving you too crazy. So I've re-sanded my sample and it is possible to get out most of the marks. The deep etches are still there but much lighter.

My biggest fear was stains. My fabricator told me to soak any stains in bleach for 10 minutes and they disappear. Well, I've gotten out red sauce, red wine, coffee and tea. The bleach trick worked beautifully for me

But, I feel this must be too good to be true because I haven't seen any other mentions of this. I would love it if anyone could speak to the bleach trick. Has anyone had a stain they couldn't get out that way.

clkw.. thank you for sharing that. I didn't know about the bleach. I will check into that more too

So sad that these fabricators do not know what they are doing!! I have Calcutta honed and sealed with Miracle 511. No isses, but I am careful to not let spills sit. It is in my pantry so argueably not as used as the kitchen, but I microwave and bake in there. Buy what you love. Here is link:

Here is a link that might be useful: Marble - Honed Calcutta

My fabricator told me the same thing. He said if the marble can absorb red wine it can absorb bleach. But I have several friends who have white marble all drink red wine, eat pasta with sauce and have teenaged boys who eat lots of pizza and have friends over who are slobs. None of them have any stains at all. One of my friends is more consistent with sealing it but the others said they have not sealed it since it's been installed several years ago. They all said don't be afraid of marble!

Thanks Ajard! :-)

Clkw  thanks for posting your experience and thoughts as well. I have no idea if I would prefer honed or polished  but it sure is nice to hear that stains do not have to be a problem and that it is possible to re-hone the marble.

Does "Calcutta" = "Calcutta Carrara"? I know I like the pictures of marble, but I really need to start educating myself!

Mtv20,

The granite/marble sales person needs to be whipped with
a wet noodle. Shame, Shame, SHAMMMMMMEEEEE on them.
I am so sad when I hear that someone is bad mouthing
Marble.

Marble is a beautiful stone to have in your kitchen.
Marble has been used in Italian, Greek and French kitchens
since the dawn of time. Why Julius Cesear had marble!!!

First I would say decide if you are a neat freak, someone
who worries about stains. Marble is for the cook who loves
her family. The best pastas, tomato saucess, salads,
olives, pie crusts...are made on marble. If a little tiny
nick or stain in on the marble it is simply a sign that
the Cook LOVES her family. That her focus is on providing
good food, pleasure and joy to those friends around her.
Serious cooks can love marble.

Sadly, Marble in America has a terrible reputation for
being the worst to have in your kitchens. WRONG.
Marble while sensitive to the ocassional stains is no
different than granite. I regret not getting marble in
my kitchen. At the time I too had a foolish sales person
scare me. I have a dark granite that is honed and I know
by the time I go to sell my home we will rehone just to
make it look pretty for showings.

Clkw- That is how my aunts and Grandma God rest her soul
used to clean their marble counters. Bleach. I am
so glad your installer told you that. I belive My grammie
used 1/3 bleach and 2/3 water. My mother is one of these
ladies who still uses bleach to clean everything.
Scary!!! At least she uses her pink platex gloves.

~boxer

Here is a link that might be useful: Apt Therapy on MARBLE

Last month I saw 10-year-old marble counters in a lovely, contemporary Italian kitchen. I was surprised at how noticeable the etches were, from almost any angle, and in both natural light (coming in from a north-facing window) and artificial light (under the range hood). Even though I knew this was marble and these were etches, they made the counter look dirty to me. If I had seen those marks on just about any other surface, I would have thought the kitchen needed a good cleaning. Also, the white seams in the counter, and the white grout at the junction with the backsplash, had stained (though the marble had not). I came away from the kitchen thinking that marble counters are drool-worthy, and actually look like they are covered in drool after a few years. Not for me-- I find it kind of depressing when something doesn't look clean after you clean it. But, everybody's different, and etches obviously don't bother most marble lovers. I will continue to admire the marble kitchens I see on this forum.

Hi everyone, I am excited about all these responses. I just wanted to know if anyone has ever seen Okite and what they think. There are a few that look like marble( I have only seen one small online picture). Does anybody know about it or seen the Bianco Carrara or Bianco Statuario?

I have seen large samples of the Bianco Carrara by Okite and really disliked it, to me the pattern looked printed-on, and more 'granite-y' than 'marble-y' ... But I know that some people like it.

So....I hate to sound stupid, but here goes. I know that there are different grades of granite, right? Are there different grades of marble? Is Calcutta a color or a type of granite? Can the quality of marble vary? Based on? Is it simply a matter choosing a color/grain that appeals to you? I'll certainly do more research, but as long as this thread is alive and kicking...
Thx,
Betsy

Jeri: "Calcutta" is a misspelling of "Calacatta". There are several different kinds of marble in the Calacatta family, e.g. Calacatta d'oro (Calacatta Gold) or Calacatta Vagli, Arabescato, etc. "Carrara" is another family of marbles. Both of these Italian marbles are largely white-gray in color but, depending on the specific stone there may be veining variation that includes other colors. Calacatta, a gorgeous marble with rather dramatic movement, is considered to be a "premimum" marble and, as such, is relatively expensive. Carrara, a gorgeous marble in its own right, (heck - is there such a marble as an ugly marble?), is more widely available, relatively less expensive, as marbles go.

Betsyhac: No use in inventing the wheel. Here's a quick and dirty description of how marble is graded -- as submitted by a few professional fabricators. It's lifted from www.findstone.com:

1114: Would like to know what grades there are for marble and how they are rated. Sept 26, USA

R3: There are 4 classifications of marbles. Class A, being the most resistant to breakage and having the least amount of natural inclusions, veins, and inconstancies. Class B, Class C, and finally Class D, which is the most likely to break because of the above reasons. Normally, the class A materials are more consistent looking while the Class D marbles are more ornate. Class marbles would usually be harder and more dense, while Class D marbles would be softer and more porous. Hope this helps. Bob, USA.
________________________

R2: Marble is classified in 4 grades. Grade A is sound, uniform marble with no flaws or voids. Grade B is similar to A but may have some occasional faults that may need filling. Grade C has variable in quality with some flaws such as veins, voids and lines of separation. These faults are usually filled and reinforcement may be necessary. Grade D is similar to C but with a higher proportion of faults and requires filling and/or reinforcing.
Regards, Jim, Australia
________________________

R1: There are four groupings that are basically arbitrary.
Group A -- Any marble or stone that can be had in regular rectangular blocks of commercial size. Usually sound and free from natural defects. Finishing is at a minimum cost.
Group B -- Same as group A except the size of the blocks maybe smaller. Finishing cost may be higher due to texture and size of slabs.
Group C -- Any marble or stone that cannot be sold as sound. This stone will have minimal natural defects such as fractures, surface voids, dry seams etc. This requires rods or reinforced liners.
Group D -- any marble, stone, serpentine, onyx or breccias. Irregular shapes and the most reinforcement available. Steven, USA

HTH

Hi Betsyhac and Jeri,

I am just leaning so only can speak to a little of what you asked. I'm sure others will chime in and give more detailed responses.

I do not know about quality differences within a type of marble, but I have heard some are less durable than others. For example, perhaps danby is stronger than carrera.. or vise versa. I'm just making up that example, but with some types, I do think I was told there might be differences. Someone who knows, please save me here! :) I also think I remember hearing the name has to do with where the stone comes from (but again, double check my facts).

Calacutta (I also see it as calcutta) is different from carrara (also seen as carrera). Maybe someone could tell me the correct spelling. Both have a white background but carrera (or whatever it's called!) has gray markings. Calcutta has gray and some gold-ish markings.

Note to self: When you have no idea what you are talking about, perhaps you shouldn't be answering the questions :)

Boxerpups and Altagirl,
It's great to get the backup info that I'm not going to ruin the counters with bleach. I kept waiting for my sample to dissolve. I only use green products for everything, so it's gonna hurt to whip out the bleach for those occasional stains. But what must be done, must be done!

Marthavila,
I was typing my post while you answered. Thanks for the clarification!

i need my house built and my kitchen DONE already. i'm getting extremely bored with the same threads popping up.

Marthavila: Thx so much.
kateskouros: If you're so bored with it, don't read it and keep your negative whining to yourself. If we could sort searches by date on these forums, it would probably minimize the repetition. Even so, whether or not one chooses to do 5 hours or 0 hours of reading and searching before posting here is their prerogative. No one's obligated to read the post, or answer it. Some of us have very full lives that don't allow multiple hours at the computer every day. I can't remember the last time I was bored. Poor you.

Morton5 Â While IÂm disheartened to read your input, I do value it. In the end, I want to make the right decision and that can only happen with my eyes wide open. :-)

Thanks for the help Marthavila and Clkw

Katesour  PMSÂing again dear?

I put Carerra counters in my kitchen in April and have to admit there is a fair amount of etching. This is sometimes more noticeable than at other times, but rarely when you are standing over them (depending on the light, you may catch them as you walk in). Staining has not been a problem at all and I cook a lot and canned everything from tomatoes to grape jelly this year. I would rate myself as pretty much a cleaner -- I don't let it sit around except after dinner parties, when some gets done the next day. That said, I love the look and feel of the (honed) marble and would do it again. It is soft and elegant and feels great. Plus it makes me think about all the great marble I've seen around the world (dumb, yes, but there are worse things to think about). I would like to ask about some of the treatments for marble I've heard about -- one person told me about car wax or butter on the counters!?! I haven't seen this in these postings; ditto for marble polishing powder (would that take out the etchings?)

Marthavila -

Thanks for chiming in with your stuff there - very nice indeed!

Thanks!!!

kevin

PS - I always seem to spell "Callacuttta" WRONG!!!! HA!

I just used Rubbing Compound made by 3M on my honed biano carrara marble countertop to remove the etch marks. I used VERY little, almost none at all, and rubbed it GENTLY with a white pad (kind of looks like fishnet but really soft). It worked GREAT. The marks are hardly noticeable. I tried it on a marble cutting board first to make sure I did not damage my countertop. Hope this helps. By the way, I love my marble!

As long as the marble is well sealed (good sealer, several coats), you should be fine. I have honed limestone counters (more porous than marble) in a very used kitchen and I only have one coffee stain from the period before I added additional coats of sealer. I've left tomato sauce, bits of food, etc. on overnight with no problems.

hmmpf. and in answer to the question, well, YES!

TnCookie  Your information is too exciting! I wonder if you should start a new thread. I would love for others with etched marble to try this and see if they have the same results.

This is a common repeat here, but I was thinking of this thread this morning. I was wiping down the counter next to my cooktop. I made a pot of chili last night and while the dishes got loaded into the DW, the drips and chili powder smear on the counter didn't get attention until I was talking on the phone and noticed them this morning or possibly early afternoon. If I'd not already been doing two things at once, I would have taken before and after photos for you all. No stains. No problems.

Jeri and TnCookie, you don't need rubbing comound to buff etching. A nylon scrubbing pad, a fine sandpaper or emory cloth -- probably a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, though I haven't tried it, would do the trick. However, if you are going to be someone who is going to have the need to buff out every etch, I'd look at another counter surface. Eventually, you will either buff worn spots in the marble or drive yourself nuts. Leave it and let it develop it's own patina (although I will admit to buffing out a bad series of drips from a leaking laundry product carried to the sink when we were moving everything back in from the garage. It was just a little too much on something a little too new).

I think if you love marble, go for it! I recently purchased a slab of honed calacatta for a kitchen island and bath vanity/tub deck. My fabricator attempted to object and spout the usual warnings but I stopped him. I let him know that I'm a patina girl, not a polish and had read everything I could find about my marble. I also warned him not to bash marble in front of my husband, or try to sell him granite. My fabricator does beautiful things with marble in the bathroom, he's not a fan of it in the kitchen.
I've heard that Miracle mk511 is the best sealer/impregnator to use. Anyone with experience want to chime in on that? I'm about a week away from countertop install.........

lascatx...my cabs should be in early april and I am going with marble through out and your story is exactly what I love to hear! thank you for sharing

jeri.. i just reread what you wrote... see if your KD that you buy the cabinets from can give you referrals to kitchens they have done that the customer used the marble. I went to visit 2 homes and that is when I knew for sure way back when that I LOVED it...Also when I was cabinet shopping I was lucky the company I chose loves using marble and does a a lot of "Hampton" style kitchens, but I live on Long Island not too far from the "Hamptons' so I guess I may find a lot more marble type kitchens here

My marble was just installed yesterday. My fabricator sealed it with Stonetech Bullet Proof Sealer and recommended I seal it again after the contractors leave and then clean it with the Stonetech Revitalizer Cleaner and Protector. I've attached a link to pic of my slab just because I LOVE it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Marble Slab

I found this site about marble being tested for staining and found it quite enlightening.

Here is a link that might be useful: acid test-sealing marble test

wallycat.. thank you for sharing that blog find... I bought 2 inch marble to be installed in my kitchen at the end of this month and of course deal with all the negative talk on it. but still went for it

Hi all.

I'm tired of my photos already, but when I was planning & questioning counters, I couldn't get enough of real kitchen photos:

{{gwi:1402445}}

{{!gwi}}

Just chiming in b/c it was forum members' real life experiences that convinced me to go for honed Calacatta Gold. Also, the threat of staining & etching lost out to the possible pangs of regret if I didn't do marble!

We're about 4 months in, very heavy use. No babying, no avoiding foods, no coasters. Today we colored eggs on the island (with a 3 year old & a 1 year old, not a Martha Stewart experience). No stains whatsoever. Lots of etches that can only be seen in perfect light.

We love it. It is fabulous. Everyone who walks in goes straight to it and begins touching and grabbing it. If I do another kitchen (I've got the bug) I will do Calacatta again.

My 2 cents. Good Luck.
Katie

Katie, yours is one of my favorite inspiration kitchens, I'm so glad you mentioned your experience with the Easter egg coloring! We are agonizing over the countertop decision and I just said to my husband, "I guess if we had a marble island, we wouldn't be dying eggs here next year." I'm going to tell him about your post-LOL. Oh, which product did you choose to seal your marble with?

I am VERY worried about the pangs of regret if I don't get marble, but also worried about having countertops I'd be worrying about all the time if I did. I'm now worried about being disappointed, whatever I choose. No win situation. :(

My husband and I actually agreed there was nothing we've liked at the stone yards more than the calacutta marble, and it would be perfect given the age of our 1913 home. It's just hard to pull the trigger on such a big (and $$) decision...

Dawn

We went with marble and are still in love with it. We went with honed Vermont Valley Gold and have it throughout the kitchen.

So far, 8 months in, no stains but definitely a couple of scratches. None of which bother me. Our house is 137 years old so we didn't want the kitchen to look new and the marble is perfect.

We are careful but not crazy with it. I use a spoon rest and coasters with glasses. There have been several times that I've found coffee rings from my husband that have been there all day. I just use the marble cleaner and they come right off. We use the sealer every couple of months and so far no issues.

While I know marble is not for everyone, I'd definitely do marble again in a second.

I have calacatta gold in my kitchen. I'm not actually using my kitchen yet so I can't attest to the practical side of the marble but I LOVE looking at it and resting the side of my face on it's cool, smooth surface, lol! It gives me goosebumps every time I see it.
The first fabricator I was working with was very adamant that I forget the marble for all the usual mythical reasons. I told him I did my research and was going against his advice and asked him specifically NOT to preach such myths to my DH. He called my DH the next day and "tattled" on me and my marble. I fired him. So I had to go with a huge slab, stone yard wouldn't sell half. I have a calatta gold island, backsplash, vanity top and tub deck. I LOVE IT!!!!! I've sealed it 3 times myself, it's very easy to do. I can't wait to really use it.

I am glad you all talked about easter eggs coloring.. I was coloring today with my 3 little ones... and starting to panic about what life will be in a few weeks with the new kitchen and marble tops.. thinking that coloring eggs would be a thing of the past on the kitchen counters.... I got carrara... the cost of any others in two inch for my whole kitchen was huge. a 2inch thick carrara.. I hope it holds up as nicely.. BUT my question is HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN TO SEAL with heavy use and how do you scrub off very big messes???

A salesperson/designer asked me what I planned for countertops (soapstone and/or marble) and I braced myself for the usual spiel ("don't get them! they'll chip! too high maintenance! etc.)

She surprised me. She said she loved both in kitchens, but felt marble would be LESS maintenance than the soapstone. Her feeling was that there was a lot of oiling to do initially with soapstone, but with marble you just hone, seal and enjoy.

I have tended to think the opposite: I don't think I'd worry/fuss over soapstone (and we'd get one that we like unoiled so we don't become slaves to the "glamor" oilings.) I think no fuss is kind of the point of soapstone's "lived in"/period appropriate look.

But would I fuss over take-your-breath-away gorgeous calacutta marble countertops? You bet I would. :)

Does anyone understand the grading system for marble. I am considering putting white thasos polished Grade 1 marble in the kitchen floor VS white glass polished. What do you think?

go with the white polished glass - it will still be white in a year.