I concur that weather is the culprit

Hubby just sent pics to a granite company, they said it looks like marble (rainforest something) and not at all appropriate for outside use. Very sad to hear this.

Looks like rain forest brown

It actually does look like Rainforest marble, but the same could happen with granite in wide weather swings. Water/freeze/ thaw/freeze/ equals POTHOLES. So sorry!!!

I wouldn't even know what replace it with if we have to. Suggestions welcome.

Just curious when the last time you sealed it was...

Never sealed it. So at least 7 mos. Honestly I just assumed if it was out there it must be able to tolerate the weather. We had everything else winterized.

Sealing wouldn't make a difference other than slowing the process of staining. Moisture can still absorb. Granite is more ideal for outdoor use.

You can use soapstone.

Thats why this kind of stone shouldn't be used outside in winter areas. Its porous. Water sinks in, freezes, expands, and this is what happens.

That's too bad but live and learn is what I always say.

Some of what I'm looking at (photos 2,3, and 4) can be "repaired" (it's mainly a grinding process to get the entire surface down to the chip level), but I'm uncertain of what can be done for what's going on in pic 1.

You'll need to get a stone guy out there.

Then next year be sure to apply a sealant right before Winter is to set in.

And PS

I see some of the other comments here and ALL stone is
porous as it's a natural element. This is why you apply a (penetrating) sealant right
before Winter, so the sealant is sitting in the pores which will then
prevent moisture from sitting in there instead.
Do seal your stone (any stone) you have outdoors right befor Winter.

A sealer will not make the product winter proof.

Repairing seems like it could be throwing good money after bad. There's chunks popping up, grinding it down would leave noticeable divots. Unless it can be filled in.
Wouldn't we just have the same situation next spring?

No, it would be ground down evenly, the entire surface. That said, there are better options for outdoor use than polished marble, in my opinion.

I feel that you are leaning towards wanting to replace it, and that I can understand. Just know that any stone will need year-round care, and then just prior to Winter.

Perhaps other surface options would work better for you than stone at this time.

That's granite looks more like clay or ceramic

It's already been established that it is marble.

Your best options for outdoor use would be concrete, soapstone and granite. Granite being rated the highest. I would not recommend a man made quartz product. Extreme temperatures between hot and cold can damage the product. Most manufacturers of the product will not recommend its use for outdoors.
With any natural stone product sealing is recommended to help protect it. Considering the product is outside, you will have to maintain sealing yearly. Solvent based sealers protect better than water based sealers.

Maxwell VII I agree, what other options are good for outside?

Concrete is interesting. Would tile of any sort be a good option? If we are replacing this I want the most durable surface I can get.

Stainless steel is also very durable for cold climates.

Yes tile is a great option as well, I'd recommend you look into porcelain tile, large format and rectified.

Brick wood Builders I love that.

Search for it in your area. Should be found where you would buy outside stone products for installation on the exterior of a house. Not found in the same places (at least here) that you would find granite, marble, quartz, etc. Good luck. I would certainly go for a full replacement and get it over with.

Being here in Texas I always forget about bluestone.

We have bluestone on our kitchen island, and love it. Hard as can be, and hard to stain.

Bluestone is easy to find here. We have it as steps all over our property. I had no idea it could be used for counters!

That stone is toast. Don't waste a penny bringing anyone out to look at it or waste an expert's time.

Any of the sintered surfaces (Dekton, Neolith) are fine outdoors as is the new Geoluxe:

Any stone you use must not be resinated at the factory which precludes many. It's plastic and the UV rays of the sun destroy it eventually. Any edge build-up must be done with epoxy, as polyester will fail in sunlight too.

I don't think it's concrete, the color goes completely through. So do the fissures.

Just saying suedonim

As Linda mentioned suedonim75 the grain would had carried all the way through the stone and if you ever been to the beach collecting stones or seashells you would know. It's probably polished concrete, ceramic or clay

Would leathered steel grey granite be a good choice for this spot? I think it's a bit cheaper than the blue stone. Our granite guy has blue stone slabs too. Hubby moves quick!

Bluestone all the way. The leathered granite could work but ALL about the maintenance (time & money: keep covered in winter, seal annually, etc). Depends on your tolerance for the maintenance. The bluestone will be much less "fussy". And of course, there is porcelain (but not as substantial as the natural stone and it needs to be rated frost proof). Sad that beautiful marble was installed in the wrong place/environment. So sorry!

Stick with blue stone. You can't go "cheap" in a harsh climate. You just can't. Blue stone is used on exterior steps, porches, etc. It is an exterior grade product without a doubt.

Good luck. Stick with what works. Trying to reinvent the wheel at this point is not going to get the result you want.

This doesn't look 100% like rainforest brown but for sure in the same family of it which is Serpentinite. This shouldn't be outdoors in a climate that freezes. Sealing does nothing to prevent this, the less dense a stone the more humidity it will absorb and Serpentinites are very porous and even if it was bathed in sealer will still absorb humidity from the air. Soap stone is not porous but has many natural viens that hide fissures that will take water and expand when frozen and open up to bigger cracks. Quartz out doors will fade to a dull white no matter what the color in the first 6 months of being exposed to the sun. Sintered products like Dekton are ok for out doors but very expensive and will more likely see more abuse than an indoor kitchen so if you chip it, it chips big. Blue stone is good advice if your ok with a matte finish, brushed or flamed and maintenance that goes along with these finishes. That leaves Granite rule out any granites with fiberglass netting on the back they will discolour and also have fissures. If you want to know what granites you will be safe out doors with just take a walk in a cemetery and see what you like snap a picture and bring it to a fabricator, or post it here ill tell you what its called. FYI the majority of out door kitchens/ barbeque tops ive done were leathered tops 2" thick with rock pitch edge almost always Cambrian black, Caledonia or salt and pepper granite. If you were to go thicker than standard 1-1/4 do not use laminated build ups or mitres out doors the glue will break down and fail over time.

So my husband spoke with the original granite company. They are coming out tomorrow morning to take a look. I can't imagine they will cover replacement but hubby is hopeful. Crossing our fingers!

I am wondering on top of sealing the stone, should you also cover it?

@bellburgmaggie, that would be an easy fix. Keep it covered, no water can get to it. Problem solved.

Even if it's covered it will still take humidity from the air the, this stone is like a big hard sponge. The damage won't be as rapid and drastic as the photos but the change in temperature including the sun in the summer will break down the epoxies used to resin this materiel. I am willing to bet their is already patches of dull polish on this top from the suns effects on the epoxy.

I like slate for exterior install and I have stainless counters in my outdoor kitchen and I love them

Concrete is also going to be subject to freeze thaw issues, so I certainly wouldn't go that route. Even if stone or concrete is covered so that it stays dry, and it was allowed to dry completely in the fall before freezing temps arrive, you are still at risk from the ambient humidity within the product. You are way better off if it is dry...but you still can't be certain to avoid fractures.

I've seen people use this type of stone outdoors and if sealed prior to Winter AND covered AND under a roof, it fairs well. It's not about being able to make it weather-proof . It's not about perfection. It's about trying to make it as weather-resistant as possible. You work with what you have.

Like I said prior, I would have never used a polished marble outdoors but sometimes you have to work with what you already have and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Obviously, this stone had made it through prior winters "somehow" and that somehow was probably applying the proper care prior to Winter (and likely throughout the year).

Before Winter, seal it and cover it. Yes, it's not perfection but does it help?........ obviously or that stone would have been in that type of shape already when she moved there as it had already been through at least one Winter.

Seal it in the Spring, don't hit it with harsh cleaners while in use, and seal it and cover it prior to Winter. Those are your essentials.

The granite guys came out and took a look. They were baffled, said they've never seen anything like it. Then told me to come pick out a new stone tomorrow. I don't know what their selection is like or what they will allow me to exchange it for but I'm so happy they are standing by their product.

Would the rainforest brown be a low, mid, or high range price? I'm curious as to what they will offer me as comparable, and If I would be able to upgrade (pay extra) to get exactly what I want. We'll know tomorrow!

Thank you for everyone's help and opinions. Houzz is an amazing place with people who are very generous with advice and knowledge.

Congratulations! That's excellent. Now your current problem is that you need more knowledge (respectfully) so that you can get the same quality of stone. I'm uncertain by your post if you're going again for more marble or are interested in something else like granite (not that I'm recommending it). The cost difference is quite a touch between the two.

I realise that whatever you're getting is theoretically "free"; however, in essence, you did pay for that marble when you bought the house itself, and it is yours. That said, I would try to get something close to the cost of the marble - which is quite "up there" in comparison to other potential countertop materials they could try to pass off to you. If you don't know your materials here, they will most likely try to downgrade you as to save themselves the cost. It's just business.

Do yourself a big favor and don't just rely on anything that's said here. Do an hour or two of research on different types of stone so you not only know the quality/price level in comparison to what you had but you also know the properties of the stone and can get something that works better for you in terms of maintainence and care.

Here is a page that will give you a quick guideline to the cost of marble in comparison to other countertop materials:

http://www.improvenet.com/r/costs-and-prices/marble-countertops

Scroll down to the chart.

That should give you a basic idea at the very least so you won't get ripped off. Like I said though, I would highly advise you to do a bit of research more than just that page, so you can go down there INFORMED and not get taken advantage of.

Good luck

High tables are/were a fad. It isn't comfortable to sit there for any length of time with feet balanced on the chair frame. Granny or Aunt Bess may find it hard to get her rear end up there even if it is small. I would take the table to a professional and have it cut to normal height with high quality tools. Add felt pads if on wood floor or smooth tips if on a rug. Get new chairs if the high ones can't be cut down too.

I live in Illinois and we have to cover everything, granite included when not in use. The weather can be 80 degrees one day and 0 the next with severe freeze thaws that literally heave the ground. My poor invisible fence is being fixed every fall & spring. I keep everything covered from the elements including my stone outdoor kitchen unit. But then it looks almost brand new in spring with a little cleaning. Everything has to be sealed - its a constant battle to stay ahead of Mother Nature. I found this out after my first winter here after moving up from the south.

i know this post was awhile ago, but do you mind sharing who the granite company was. We are also in NJ and the company we chose has been an absolute nightmare. the granite was cut in the wrong spot, the slabs were uneven and when they tried to repair it, they made a large gauge in it. In addition, while the work was being completed last year a large fissure appeared. Now that fissure has spread all the way down the granite. At this point, i am looking for someone to come look at it and resurface/repair. I dont want the orginal company here again as they will probably cause damage to my grill, house, or anything else they come in contact with. Thank you.

I'm in south Jersey. It was Kol Granite and Marble from Cherry Hill. They were wonderful and replaced the the top immediately, no questions asked. Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble!

What was the outcome of this counter

They replaced it for me. I went with leathered steel gray. It's held up perfectly. It does get hot in direct sun though.