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lillyvt

second thoughts on Marble

14 years ago

I can't believe I am making this post, but I am having second thoughts about the marble countertops we installed two years ago. I grew up in an old house with marble shelves in the food pantry, heck, the town I grew up in had marble sidewalks. For me installing marble was a no stress decision. We treated them casually --put hot pans on them, didn't worry about lemons or wine etc. Sure they etched, but no stains and no chips and the etching didn't bother me. Then yesterday a carpenter, doing work in another part of the house, walked through the kitchen and the hammer sticking out of his tool belt hit the edge of the counter and chipped a good chunk off! I am going to call around and see about getting it ground out, but I have lost my marble sang froid. Maybe I should have gone with granite or quartz. Anyway, those on the fence about marble should think about chipping. I am not saying it is a deal breaker, but every time I walk through the kitchen all I can see is that chip.

Comments (17)

  • 14 years ago

    YOu can get it repaired if you kept the chunk.
    And you know who should pay for the repairs. That said...

    Life happens, as you know. This is unfortunate, but after 2 years of enjoyment, I hate to see you give up on your beautiful, durable countertops.

    How sad. On all counts.

  • 14 years ago

    Eve if you don't have the chunk, a skilled craftsman could do a repair -- they repair marble sculptures. Keep in mind that any granite, composite, butcher block or other surface might have chipped just as well -- except stainless -- it would have dented. They are not intended to be banged with hammers, especially on the edges.

  • 14 years ago

    It might have chipped even if had been granite. I'm so sorry this happened. I would be upset.

    I hate to bring this up. But, does this carpenter have liability insurance?

    Wouldn't it be worth pursuing?

  • 14 years ago

    I sure hope it gets fixed and your disappointment is eliminated. They have served you well and will continue to do so. No material is perfect...

  • 14 years ago

    My first reaction has already been stated: if it has been granite instead of marble it still would have chipped. I'm sorry it happened to you.

  • 14 years ago

    Thank you so much for your sympathy. I guess I needed it! Just after it happened I told my neighbor, and dear friend, and her response: well, we always thought you were crazy to go with marble!!!???!!!! It is comforting to know that other materials may very well have chipped as well under the same circumstances.

  • 14 years ago

    Tell your friend you'll be happy to come with a hammer and swing it at her counters to see what results. :)

  • 14 years ago

    My tile had the same problem with hammers.
    Renee

  • 14 years ago

    Just this morning my friend's DH hit their granite counter with a big pot and off came a piece of granite. They are planning to epoxy it back on.

  • 14 years ago

    ouch. But please note that you can't actually have had all that many "every time"s yet. Not saying it's not upsetting and noticeable, etc. But when you say you notice it "every time you walk through the kitchen" ... well, with time that will fade. You'll get it fixed so it's barely noticeable and then you'll see it a few more hundred times ... and then you won't. You'll remember your distress, sure! But you won't really be 'seeing' it forever more. (I hope! -- just trying to say: time will help).

  • 14 years ago

    Incorrect. The fact that something broke marble does not mean it would have broken granite. Marble is softer. I have hit my granite with worse than the back of a hammer many times, and not a mark, scratch or dent has been left behind.

    Marble is soft. It stains, unless you seal it with unnatural substances. It always etches, no matter what you seal it with. It chips easily. It breaks. That is what it is. If you are happy with it aging and developing scars of various types, then it's a good material for you. If that disturbs you, then another material is a better choice.

    Since you already have marble, you should definitely see whether it can be repaired. It may be an easy fix. But what is more important is that you reconcile yourself now to the material you have chosen. Learn to love it rather than wish it were something else. Because when this chip is fixed, there will be another.

  • 14 years ago

    i think your love of marble will overcome this issue. have it repaired (and bill it to the guy with the hammer) and it will pass. marble is softer than other stones but who is to know how other stones would have held up.

  • 14 years ago

    I'm not a marble owner. The guy with the hammer might have been the man of this house, or me wielding a flower pot or a broom--we are not gentle with things. This posting makes me feel more assured in my choice of Formica.

  • 14 years ago

    Am I correct in understanding that most stone or glass surfaces will break when the edge is hit with something?

    Again, don't give up and don't let it ruin the pleasure you've already gotten from you beautiful kitchen. And grinding it off seems radical to me if it's that big a chunk. Again (sorry) I'd look at having it professionally mended.

    And again, does the guy have insurance? This is not just a little thing. It's not an "oops". It's an expensive, "Oh, F---!"

  • 14 years ago

    Sorry about your chip but a good counter person should be able to fix it well enough that you will not notice it. Your comment about other counter options included the possibility of quartz being more resistant to chips and from experience I can say that quartz is fairly easy to chip. I had quartz installed in the last kitchen that I remodeled and within 2 years the edges of the counters had several chips, it was very unattractive. I currently have soapstone and it too has some chips but they do not stand out as much because it is not as polished and perfect, I still intend to have the chips filled the next time my counter guy does some work for me.

  • 14 years ago

    I'm so sorry to hear about your incident. I have to echo Aliris19's sentiment about how this will be less obvious to you with time.

    It's no fun having your gorgeous countertops damaged, and it can be even more upsetting when someone else is to blame. Not only do you see it every time you walk into the kitchen, but you're probably reminded of the contractor's carelessness every time, too.

    Take heart, though! After a skilled marble craftsman does a repair, it will be far less obvious. And I've found that, with time, these things that once stuck out to me like a sore thumb become practically invisible once I get over the initial upset.

    The first few days after something like this are tough, but It will only get better from here, especially after a good repair.

  • 14 years ago

    My dear friend dropped the top of her paper towel holder (it was some kind of weighted metal) and put a big chip in her granite. Granite does, indeed, chip. She had it repaired and it's impossible to find the chip now. Long live and love marble!