Marble...

I receive a lot of emails asking about my marble... a lot.  So, I thought it might be a good idea to talk about it in a post.  Please note, that this is only my personal experience with marble.

Per Wikipedia... "Marble is a non-foliated metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.  Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however, stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone."  
What that means to you and me is that marble is a porous stone.

Being a product of nature, no two slabs are alike and depending on the type of marble and where it was quarried marbles will stain, etch, chip and scratch differently .  Due to the natural conductivity of marble it remains cool to the touch and is a favorite surface for bakers to roll pastry or pizza dough.

My marble on the island is Bianco Venatino.  I chose it for its bold veining and the movement that the veining provided as a design element to the kitchen. The marble island is my primary prep space and gets a lot of use.   

To answer the repeat question I get- Yes, I love my marble.  Love.

I wanted marble for years prior to installing it in the kitchen.  I first fell in love with the stone on our trips to France.  Walking into patisseries and restaurants and seeing marble floors and counters that had been there for a hundred years or more was such a beautiful sight.  I loved the worn patina that years of use had given the surface.
But, before I put a marble island in the kitchen I did my homework.  I researched and read everything I could- the good, the bad and the ugly and I knew what to expect when living with the stone.   As with most things in life- knowledge is power, so I was also ready for the 15 times every single salesperson at different stone yards asked me if I was familiar with marble's properties?/did I know it would stain?/granite would be much safer/was I sure that I wanted marble?, etc... .
All of those questions are standard  "industry prose" and you need to educate yourself and then stick to your guns if you want marble in your kitchen.   I would bet a paycheck that all the people who try to talk you out of marble don't actually own and live with the stone.


Honed vs. Polished.
I have honed.  I feel honed marble has a certain je ne sais quoi that is difficult to describe.  I also felt the soft patina of honed marble was more in keeping with my 150 year old farmhouse as opposed to polished (shiny) marble.   Polished marble is definitely starting a come-back, but know that it "etches" 100 times worse than honed and I personally would never use it in a kitchen, or even a bathroom for that matter as many toiletries will also cause etching.

When my marble island was installed it was sealed by the company that installed it.  I have not chemically sealed it since.   My personal experience has been that once sealed,  marble does not stain.   I have discovered red wine drips/raspberry jam/marinara sauce, etc... left for hours/overnight and have no red stain at all on the marble.
What marble does do, with abandon, is "etch".
Since marble is a calcium based stone when anything acidic comes in contact with it a chemical reaction will occurs and the stone will "etch."  An etch is a dulled (appearing as a light, matte gray) area on the surface of the marble that can not be wiped off.  It doesn't matter what sealer you use, you will get etching spots from anything acidic:  lemon/lime/orange juice, various fruits and vegetables, i.e. tomatoes (salsa is a big culprit for etched rings for us ;), coffee, wines- red or white,  vinegar or any product that contain the smallest amount of vinegar, etc... .  And, it doesn't matter how careful, or neat and tidy you are in the kitchen, you WILL get etching- no ifs, ands or buts about it!
I can't tell you how many times I've heard people tell me that they had no idea what caused that etched ring on their marble.  It's always a mystery!  It is simply a property of marble, so you either need to be okay with that or pick another counter material.   The first six months are the worst as you notice (and angst over)  each and every little tiny (and large) etch spot or ring.  Then it all softens, blurs and becomes muted and you get what is affectionately called "patina"!  I knew my marble would not stay perfect and that is exactly why I chose it.    I have a house full of antiques and I personally value the wear and tear, and "signs of life"- the patina that a surface such as marble can provide to a space.  My experience with etching is that I have found that the etching tends to fade over time; so an etch that was there six months ago is no longer there.  I can't explain that aspect of the stone, but I like that it seems to forget etches from the past with the passage of time.   A "design" urban-legend has it that Meg Ryan poured lemon juice all over her marble the very day it was installed in her kitchen to etch the whole thing in advance.
If you, or your spouse/partner, want a "perfect" surface then you might what to rethink marble.   You must either accept that along with the beauty and durability of marble comes etching (think rose/thorn;), or you'll make yourself and your family a nervous wreck.  Having a surface in your house, especially a utilitarian kitchen surface, that you are terrified of using for fear of harming is like having a beautiful sofa that no one can sit on.
It is important to say that the etching (rings /spots) are really only seen at an eye-level angle or perhaps in just the right light.  You don't walk into the kitchen and immediately see the etching- you really have to look for it to notice it.  I would also like to add that the bold veining and the abundance of veining in my particular marble really helps to camouflage the etching.   Also, I have no chips, but do have small surface scratches, but again- you really have to look for them to see them.


Here are some photos of examples of "etching" on my marble island.  The first three photos were all taken several days ago, at the same time.  Our kitchen gets lots of light all day since we have windows on the east and west walls and is very bright.  Having said that, notice how I really had to darken the first two photos and take the photos at eye level for you to even see the etching.  (I wish I knew how to put those cute little pointer arrows on a photo;)  You can see a round ring in the middle of the photo about six inches from the edge.

Slightly different angle shows the large ring (what was that from??!), two large triangular etches below that and several "dots" etchings.  Same surface, but see how the light and the angle cause you to see it more than the other?





Again... same day/time, but from a standing view above which is how you normally "see" the marble in its natural (bright) light.  Notice how you don't see or notice a single one of the etch rings or dots in the photos above!

This photo was taken probably six months before the above photo.  Notice how the etching rings and dots that were on the marble then are no longer visible on the photo of the island now (above).

 If you decide to install marble I would research and find the very best sealer on the market ( I do not know the name of the brand of sealer that was used on my island.)  Many people re-seal their marble every six months to a year.   Again, the sealer is to prevent staining, not the etching.  I have chosen not to chemically re-seal my marble because I haven't had any issues with staining and I want it to develop a used and loved patina.  If the etching is getting to me (like it did in the above photo ;)  I use my favorite Bar Keepers Friend to eliminate or reduce them.  I mix the powder with water to make a paste.  I use a damp sponge to apply the paste to the etching, rubbing in a circular motion.  I then let the mixture sit on the etch for 10-15 minutes, and then wipe clean several times using clean water and buff to dry.
 ( Note:  Do this at your own risk.  This is NOT an ordained etch removal that any stone fabricator would tell you; it is simply what I have found works for me.)

I have read that hundreds of years ago, before the invention of commercial sealers, that the Italians and French would seal marble with olive oil.

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I have heard of so many stories of people who were talked out of marble by a salesperson.  That's unfortunate, but in my opinion, that was their own mistake.  In building/renovating you must have a very clear vision of what you want your space to" feel" and "look" like because at every single turn some salesperson/contractor/carpenter/painter/plumber/etc... will try to talk you into their vision.
  Research.  There are so many fabulous products available now that you really have to do your homework.  Know the maintenance and upkeep and decide if any product is something that you want to live with.   Know the pros and the cons, if any, of every single thing you put into your home.   Know what you want and don't let anyone dissuade you from your vision. Period.

The most compelling thing I can say to you if you are trying to decide whether to use marble in your kitchen is to remind you that it has been used in France for centuries, and the French are the quintessential experts on all things good in design and in the art of living well!

Again... please note, that this is purely my opinion based on my experience only.
I would love to hear of your experience with owning marble counter tops- love/hate?,
were you talked out of it by someone?,
did anyone try?,
do you have any sealers or products that you absolutely love for marble?!


TO READ MY POST ON LIVING WITH SOAPSTONE HERE