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

Hi Cecelia, There are tons of marble owners/lovers on GW. If you scroll to the bottom of the Kitchens forum and type marble, marble staining, marble etching, etc. into the search box, you'll find tons of information/experience. I have Vermont Danby Olympian White countertops throughout my whole kitchen. including a slab of it as the backsplash behind my range. Not a great pic of my stove area below, but you get the idea. I went with Danby b/c it's whiter than the Carreras and Calacattas that were available when I chose my slab, and because Vermont Danby marbles are less porous and therefore less prone to staining. Martha Stewart used it in the kitchen of one of her residences, which is how I first learned about it. I think you'll find, overall, that the marble lovers on GW have well-sealed countertops (many of us have used Porous Plus 511), and don't find staining a problem (as long as you wipe up the big offenders like red wine within a reasonable amount of time). Etching, however, is not prevented by sealers, and will occur (an instant chemical reaction) when acidic substances touch your marble. This includes things like tomato, lemon juice, vinegar, etc. Etching is a change in the sheen/surface of the marble, which appears as a whiter mark, blotch, etc. It's much more visible in bright sunlight. Scratching can also be an issue, as can chipping especially on the edges of the counters. I have a few scratches, and a few etches, I know I'll get many more, and they don't bother me. I think most others have this same attitude. I do try to be a reasonably neat cook, though, and don't put lemons, tomatoes, etc directly on the marble. I usually have a large kitchen towel under my cutting board when I'm involved in a big cooking project. I have no stains, and just 1 tiny chip on the edge of my counter where I hit a mug against the counter while loading the DW. Good luck with your decision!

I don't know the answer for sure, but I can offer some ideas. If I were getting porous quartzite countertops, I'd have the fabricator put the slab up on edge and seal the heck out of the upward-facing edge, then repeat on all sides. There's a technique called 'puddling in,' where a lot of sealer is put on the surface (like a puddle) and left to sit and soak in for awhile. Obviously the surface needs to be horizontal for this to work, hence the idea of putting the slab up on edge. Also, this would need to be done before it's installed. Then repeat the same method on the top, so that all the edges and the top are sealed well. If you have a willing fabricator, it would be useful to test this idea. It's something on my list to try.

I am back two years later with another stain:(. Someone left a tray with some gravy underneath that had Tumeric in it on my counter and it has left stains all over in different areas. My counter top is Taj Mahal Quartzite. I cook a lot and have never had an issue with any food stains prior to this. Unfortunately I think the tray sat for a few hours on the countertop and seeped in. Any recommendations that have been tried and tested? I used a poultice in the past for another stain made from dichotomous earth and 40 clear peroxide. But I do not know if it’s ok to use on an oil based Tumeric stain:(. Please help!