Marble Countertops

The Exception Beauty of Marbel Countertops

We have always seen statues and monuments of our heroes and mythical figures and have admired the way they are artfully done.

Most of these works of art are made of marble. This stone is really strong because those monuments and statues are out there in the open – for how long, we really don’t know. Aside from its strength, marble is also very eye-catching because of its beautiful colors and attractive vein patterns. This is why many countertop makers are using it to make marble countertops. The perfect combination of beauty and strength makes marble a very fitting material for making floors, walls, and other structures.

Marble’s Exceptional Qualities
Marble is mined in quarries all over the world. You can find them in the mountain regions of Spain, Italy, Canada, Egypt, Turkey and Germany. We have marble quarries in places like Colorado, New York, Vermont and Georgia. This stone is a metamorphic rock which is actually compacted limestone or dolomite. It usually takes a long period of time before these limestone are pressed into marble. The result is a rock that is very hard and possesses massive strength.

White is the most widely known color of marble, but there are also various colors that are available. These variations in color are due to the differences in the mineral composition of the places where the rocks are mined. You can get lighter shades of marble which includes white, pink, yellow, beige and orange. There are also darker shades of marble most famous of which is black marble. But you can also have brown, burgundy, gray and red. These colors are given dynamism by the vein patterns that are always present in the stone structure.

Your Marble Options Many homeowners who prefer natural materials for their countertop would find marble an attractive option. Naturally, all of the exceptional properties of marble will be present when you build marble countertops. The strength and beauty of the stone will enhance the ambience of the room where they will be installed. As with any organic stone material, marble has a porous surface. To mitigate this condition, the marble countertop surface is sealed and laminated before its final installation. This will prevent foreign substances from penetrating the surface. The surface finish will be eventually degraded given enough time therefore periodical re-sealing and re-laminating must be done to protect the surface. This should be scheduled at least once a year.

For those who are not agreeable to repeating this procedure, again and again, they can use cultured marble in building their marble countertops. Cultured marble is actually a product consisting of natural marble mixed with synthetic materials. The product is very compact, non-porous and very glossy. The composition of cultured marble is crushed natural marble, polyresin (or epoxy), calcium carbonate and color pigments. These materials are mixed together and poured into a mould where the marble countertop takes its size and shape. After the mixture has dried and set, you will have a marble countertop that is highly non-porous and needs no sealing or laminating. Since marble countertops contain other less costly materials, they are more affordable than natural marble.

Natural Marble vs. Cultured Marble
The question of which one is better between natural and cultured marble will really depend on your preference. Here are some of the things you may want to consider.
• Natural marble countertops have that elegant and authentic appearance that will surely enhance the ambience of your room. You cannot get the exact same effect with synthetic materials.
• The structure of cultured marble is uniform all throughout therefore it is highly non-porous. Your food preparation is cleaner and safer if your marble countertops are made with cultured marble.
• The surface of natural marble can be made impervious to water and other foreign substances by sealing and laminating it adequately. You also need to reseal and re-laminate it at least once a year.
• Since the structure of cultured marble is uniform there are no pores or fissures therefore you don’t need to seal it.
• The cost of natural marble is about $60 to $100 per square foot depending on the quality of the stone. Since there are more synthetic materials in cultured marble it definitely costs less than organic marble.

Considering all these factors, your choice of marble countertops will really depend on your preference. If you are more concerned about the natural look of your countertop, then organic marble is your choice. But if you are after functionality and affordability, then cultured marble will be the best.