Granite and Marble Countertops- a Comparative Study

We generally use both granite and marble for making kitchen countertops. However, if you are a home owner, you would often wonder which one is better for your home. When you are planning to install the right countertop for your home, comparing the features of marble and granite will help you make the right decision. Let us take a look at both of them and see how they are different from one another. 

Pros and Cons of Granite and Marble

Both granite and marble are natural rocks and of top quality to make them last for a very long time. When you opt for any one of these natural stones for your home, you are adding value to your home.  Both granite and marble come in different colours. Marble countertops give you the feeling of richness and elegance.  When you place marble on the floor or countertop, it can last you for a lifetime. The best features of these stones are that no granite or marble slabs look alike. With both of them, you can achieve a sense of uniqueness and originality once they are installed in your home.

Stains and Scratches- Marble versus Granite

When it comes to stains and scratches on both marble and granite, you will find that marble is more soft than granite and vulnerable to stains and scratches faster. In case, you drop a beverage on a marble countertop, ensure that you wipe it off instantly to prevent staining and etching.  The liquids that stain marble countertops are alcohol, citric acid and oils. Even water containing minerals can leave stains on marble countertops if they are high in concentration.  Marble countertops are also susceptible to scratches if you use a knife or any hard object. Marble countertops require a lot of maintenance. Besides the maintenance, marble countertops need deep cleaning and sealing.

Compared to marble, granite is the most resilient stone. It is hard to scratch granite with a knife. You can only scratch a granite countertop with a diamond that is the hardest stone in the world. Granite has the ability to handle abuse and extreme heat and still maintain its beauty and elegance. The stone is not susceptible to degrade with long term exposure to water unlike marble. This means you do not have to worry about etching and staining at all- you can keep both of these menaces away for a very long time once you seal granite and the stone becomes less porous.

Thus it can be generalised that if you are choosing a countertop with high traffic, you should opt for granite over marble. 

Maintain Granite and Marble Counter tops with The Marble Man

The Marble Man is one of Australia’s leading natural stone restoration companies that takes care of marble and granite countertops. The professionals are skilled and experienced in all kinds of sealing and restoration work for your costly countertops. To contact them, please visit their Website.

Some Common Myths and Realities about Granite Countertops You Must Know

If you are planning to purchase stone counter tops, it is good to know common myths and misconceptions about granite countertops. These myths are spread either by people who try to sell granite or who try to sell the competing products by disapproving granite. Myths also originated when people simplified the complex matters of granite and generalizations came up that are sometimes true but not all the time.

The following are most common myths about granite stone:

Granite is heat resistant, so it is perfect to place hot pot on granite counter tops

Granite is quite resistant to high temperatures but excessive heat can discolor or damage the granite sealers. Rapid heating can generate internal stress and causes cracks at the weak spot. A natural fissure or flaw may occur because of the excess heat of the pot. This can be eliminated by using a trivet with feet.

Granite counter tops needed to be sealed once or twice in a year

This is a generalized statement about granite counter tops. Many stones are sold commercially in the name of granite. Some stones are inherently resistant to stain without applying sealers. Actually on applying sealers theses stones can cause problems. Some stones sold as granite are very porous that their shortcomings cannot be set right by even using the best sealers.  So the answer is sealing frequency depends on the type of stone. Only a specialist stone restoration service provider like The Marble Man can decide on the sealing requirements.

Granite is second to diamond in hardness- Nothing but diamond can scratch granite

Granite is a scratch resistant material. But it is not scratch proof. Many substances are harder than granite. The hardness of the minerals is rated by Mohs scale. Soft minerals like talc are rated 1 and diamond is rated at 10 in Mohs scale. Most of the commercial granites are rated at 7 because of their high quartz content.  On misusing, the abrasive substances in some cleaning products can cause tiny scratches or dull spots on the granite surface. Natural stone should be cleaned with neutral pH solutions and non abrasive products. See The Marble Man’s guidance on stone cleaning products.

Absolute Black granite is the best counter top

Better quality stones are sold as Absolute Black Granite and they are outstanding performers. But be alert that some stones sold as Absolute Black granite are not genuine. Originally the Absolute Black granites were quarried in Sweden and South Africa. Some companies sell natural stones with low quality that may be dyed to black or they may have excessive flaws or they have not been polished to a glossy finish. A stone cannot be considered as Absolute Black granite just by its market name. To test black granites, pour some acetone on the stone and wipe the surface with a rag. If the rag shows grey or Black discoloration then the stone is treated with dye or wax and cannot be used for kitchen countertops.    

The Marble Man is a leading Australian stone polishing and sealing specialist Company who can provide you professional and effective stone care solutions. They are specialised in large and small marble and all natural stone restoration jobs. For more information, visit The Marble Man website or call their stone restoration team on 1300 627 626.   

Different Methods of Stone Restoration and Their Implementation

The biggest disadvantage of using natural stone for exterior and interior purposes is that it loses its shine and vitality due to prolonged or continuous use.  Despite this risk, we always prefer installing natural stone because upon installation it adds to the beauty and splendor of our homes and workplaces, primarily because of its shine and polish.  Therefore, loss of shine reduces the value and glory of a stone and at the same time demands immediate and expert attention.

There are mainly four basic methods of creating shine on natural stone surfaces, namely buffing with polishing powder and compound, diamond grinding, crystallization and applying barrier coatings. Different stone types require different methods for restoration of shine and at times application of more than one method may be necessary.

Polishing powder and compound are fine grains of aluminum or tin-oxide abrasive powder which are buffed on the surface of the stone to create the shine. Often this process is also augmented by adding oxalic acid to create a reaction similar to crystallization. This process has several advantages such as it gives a natural appearance with high sheen, produces a relatively durable finish, compounds used do not etch the floor and this method is applied periodically and not daily or weekly. However, this process of stone repair is a bit messy and requires additional cleanup work. It also requires sophisticated equipment such as floor machine mop bucket, etc. and if it is not handled by a skilled professional, it might affect the surface.

Grinding with diamond abrasives involves grinding the stone surface with different grits of industrial grade diamonds that are generally in three to four inch diameter discs. The process continues with even finer grits of diamond unless the shine and luster is achieved.  Diamond grinding is the most durable method offering a long-lasting finish. This process also removes all scratches and works very well on marble and granite. Nevertheless, this method is not free from disadvantages. The method is costly, requires a preliminary restoration of floor and its effectiveness vary with the types of stones.

Coating involves waxing the surface to produce an artificial shine.  It makes use a liquid or semi-liquid form of wax or urethane which is applied on the surface with a sprayer. This method is not recommended for porous stones.  This method involves less expense and provides good slip resistance.  But it doesn't provide a natural appearance, dulls very fast, requires daily buffing and creates a mess and damages the stone.

Finally, crystallization involves a process whereby a chemical called fluorosilicate is sprayed over the surface and buffed subsequently to form glass like crystals on the surface.  This process is very durable and gives a natural shine to the stone. It can also be used with ease and do not create any mess. It even removes fine and heavy scratches. However, this method may cause discoloration or yellowing of the stone. It requires periodic stripping and has limited effects on granite.

Methods of restoring natural stones are manifold. It only requires a proper choice of the processes and skilled professionals to implement it. The Marble Man, Australia’s finest natural stone restoration company specialises in stone maintenance and restoration works. For any matter related to natural stone restoration or marble floor restoration, call their experts right now on 1300 627 626.