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Any advice on counter tops? Quartzite vs marble.....

3 years ago

I'm renovating a condo and I love real marble, but I have been strongly warned not to use it in a kitchen. I have had Calacatta marble in my bathroom for almost 7 years and it's still perfect, but bathroom counters don't get the same wear and tear as kitchen counters do. I have looked at Taj Mahal and Mont Blanc quartzites but my heart belongs to marble. Are there any foolproof sealers that would make it safe to install Calacatta Gold or Cremo Delecato marble in the kitchen? I'm a widow, and I don't do much cooking anymore so the counters won't suffer from a lot of wear and tear, but I use them daily, nonetheless. Aesthetics are important to me but I don't want to be foolhardy and spend a fortune on the counters only to have them messed up with etching and stains in short order.

Featured Answer

new-beginning

3 years ago

marble etches; there is supposed to be a 'new' sealer to help by giving you enough time to remove the liquid which would cause an etc.

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Comments (8)

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Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years ago
If you can keep a marble bathroom countertop "perfect" for 7 years, you can probably do the same with your kitchen.
focused thanked Joseph Corlett, LLC
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As Anglophilia has, I can attest to the wonderful durability of Corian. My current kitchen has 30+ year old Corian and the kitchen being remodeled in the new house had Corian of about the same age and it looked great. With the remodel, however, I will most likely not go with Corian because I'm simply tired of it. Am leaning towards quartz or granite. Jennifer Hogan's post above has a wonderful comparison based on actual experience. Regarding baking buttery dough, Julia Child, on her original show on PBS, mentioned she had a piece of marble cut to fit her fridge. She placed it there to cool and then used it as a pastry board for rolling out dough. This was back in the day when pretty much the only choice was Formica or some other brand of laminate for a counter top. Also, get what you like and don't worry about when it will become dated. Don't fool yourself - whatever you pick WILL look dated in 20 years and maybe sooner. However, what comes around goes around. Even boomerang Formica has come back in style.
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Zalco/bring back Sophie!
3 years ago
If you can accept etching, then you will not have any trouble. The sealers keep stains at bay. I have no problem with the etching on my marble at all.
megs1030
3 years ago
Marble is gorgeous, no 2 ways about it. If you have your heart set on it, and you understand the upkeep, go for it.
My3dogs ME zone 5A
3 years ago
I have leathered quartzite, and nothing has harmed it in about 8 years, and it's NOT babied in the least.
focused
Original Author
3 years ago
Has anyone seen Mont Blanc quartzite used in a kitchen? I saw some slabs and they were quite lovely, but the veins were a bit more linear than I would like. (Yes, I am extremely fussy!) Taj Mahal quartzite varies immensely in tome and colour. It is difficult to find a very light one with delicate markings

The thing that concern's me about marble in a kitchen vs in a bathroom, is that unless some people have strange habits, acidic liquids such as lemon, vinegar, tomato sauce, pickles or red wine usually don't end up on bathroom counter tops, but any of those will etch marble very quickly.
mama goose_gw zn6OH
3 years ago
If you have your marble honed, you can blend most light etches with a Scotch-brite type pad, or some alumina polishing powder.
My3dogs ME zone 5A
3 years ago
Mont Blanc quartzite used in a kitchen

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