I have a piece of corian that I mostly use to roll and knead on...it'd easier to clean up than goo on a counter, And I also have a formica covered roll out board under a counter...I use that for huge batches of rolls or cookies. But I alos have a large hunk of marble under a bed, IUt's about 27 by 45 oir 50 inches and a good inch thick. When I was abpoit 11, I salvaged it from the old outhpouse next door when they were tearing it down and filling it in. You have heard the term a brick...uh...out house? Well this onew s elegant Victorian....a 2 seater with marble seats an d an area next to the seats to "put your purse on"...or a bouquetr of flowers I guess! Anyhow I dragged part of this hunk of marble home and my mother had it cut to eliminate the half circle of the hole and now I have it....b it's too hard to lift easily. I have used it mainly as a cheese board....and also to serve a sheet cake. amanda's getting married ! Yee haw!! I think that's very important...legally. Linda C

I actually own both of these stones...I have honed Carrara in my kitchen and butler's pantry, polished Carrara in my master bath and Kashmir white on my dd's vanity and the guest room's bath vanity. First of all...in the two years we have lived here (new build also) none has stained. Not even iced tea, tomato sauce or red wine on my marble. Very slight etching on both types of marble, and no etching on the granite. I will tell you, though, that aesthetically...the Kashmir DOES NOT in any way, shape or form look anything like marble. The stone yard told me it would be a good, durable stone for my elementary age dd and it was the closest granite to marble. No, it isn't. I really wish I had just been brave and done the marble in those baths...it would have given them that "old house" look that I want. Oh well! Don't know anything about quartz, except that I have 1 neighbor that has it. It seems serviceable, but again, doesn't look like marble. Not sure her color, though, it is whitish.

Just a BIG word of warning here. Many of the chemicals mentioned are pretty toxic and dangerous to deal with. The methods discussed should only be utilized by a VERY DIY savvy homeowner who owns the proper personal protection to use such chemicals. MEK especially is pretty nasty and should be used only as a last resort by a pro. Many times the best option would be to relax, and enjoy the developing patina!

I have had white marble counters for a little over two years now. I mostly love them. Here's the lowdown: Staining--it is a myth. If you seal your counters and reseal them every couple of years, your counters will not ordinarily stain. I have wiped up red wine hours later and coffee days later when it gets under the espresso maker. That said, something with a dye still scares me--when I made red velvet cake a few weeks ago, I put a couple of dish towels on the counter to prevent spills. There are also poultices that remove stains. So staining is not something you really need to worry about. Etching--marble etches. Period. I have etching, not a crazy amount, but etching nonetheless. I try to be careful with the obvious culprits like lemons, limes and vinegar. When squeezing lemons, I do it over a cutting board or over the sink. Things like bottles of capers, vinegar--I try not to put them on the counter and put them on a cutting board instead. Etching shows less on honed marble, but in the right light, you can see it. I may have my counters rehoned in another couple of years if I get too much more etching. Right now it doesn't really bother me. Chipping and pitting and white shock spots--this does bother me a bit. How much this happens may depend on the type of marble you have. Mine are calacatta. I originally wanted Danby but could not find a slab I liked enough and then fell in love with a calacatta slab without realizing that the calacatta is softer. I have a few chips at the edges. The real danger spots are over the dishwasher because it is easy for people to bang the edge when loading (have remedied with a cutting board that always sits there pulled forward) and the sink edges. I am super careful when putting pots and pans into the sink, especially cast iron (moving the faucet out of the way helps). I don't know how much the pits and shock spots can be fixed. It is what it is. There is a depth to marble and beauty that is impossible to replicate with other material. The closest thing is probably quartzite. I wanted to use it but I thought it was too busy with my walnut cabinets. So I took the plunge and am happy I did so, about 95% of the time.