Durability is an important factor in choosing the perfect material for your kitchen or bathroom countertops. Among the many options available, marble and granite stand out as popular choices, each with unique characteristics that cater to your different preferences and lifestyles.
Marble gives your home a fancy look, while granite provides a natural look.
Both can be expensive, but marble usually costs you more than granite countertops, including their installations. After reading this blog, you’ll know why marble and granite are great choices for countertops in kitchens or bathrooms and which ones will stay in good condition for a longer time.
Marble Countertops for Kitchen and Bathroom
Are you thinking about installing marble countertops in your bathroom and kitchen? Well revered for their timeless beauty and unique veining patterns, marble countertops add a touch of elegance to any space. However, regarding durability, marble has certain characteristics that may raise concerns. Here are the factors you should know about marble:
Visual Appearance
Marble countertops are well-known for their stunning appearance. This natural stone comes in various colors, such as solid white and solid black, and shades in the rose, gray, yellow, green, white, & black spectrums. Each marble slab is unique, ensuring you get a one-of-a-kind countertop for your home.
Heat Resistant
Kitchens are meant for cooking but can make your countertop high in temperature. In such situations, it’s important to have durable features like marble countertops in your home to make it last longer. Similarly, in the bathroom, people often use heating tools like straighteners, curling irons, and blow dryers daily. Marble bathroom countertops can withstand high temperatures, unlike weaker materials that can easily get damaged.
Tips for Taking Care of Marble Countertops
Due to its timeless beauty, marble adds an elegant touch to any room, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. However, it requires careful maintenance as it is susceptible to scratches, etches, and stains, especially when used for countertops. Ensuring the longevity of your marble countertops is simple with these 3 essential tips:
Promptly Address Stains
Despite precautions, stains can occur on your bathroom and kitchen countertops. Address them promptly using a gentle cleanser or ammonia for oil stains and hydrogen peroxide or ammonia for organic stains like coffee or tea. Some stains may require physical removal, such as using a razor for paint stains, while water stains can be buffed out with steel wool.
Routine Care
To ensure the longevity of your marble countertop, adopt a daily care routine. Clean the surface using a microfiber cloth and water, avoiding abrasive products or generic chemicals. Investing in a specialized countertop cleaner is recommended. Additionally, conduct a patch test of any unfamiliar cleaning product on a discreet corner before applying it to visible areas.
Seal the Countertops
Enhance the protection of your marble by applying a sealant, creating a barrier against potential stains. Periodically sealing the countertops, particularly when water no longer beads up on the surface, ensures prolonged durability and maintains the marble’s pristine appearance in both bathroom and kitchen settings.
Why Choose Granite Countertops for Kitchen and Bathrooms?
Granite, an igneous rock formed from cooled magma, possesses incredible hardness and durability. These qualities have made it a preferred choice for countertops in both kitchen and bathroom settings. Let’s explore the key features contributing to granite’s longevity reputation.
Hardness & Scratch Resistance
Granite is renowned for its exceptional hardness, ranking high on the Mohs scale. This strength makes granite highly resistant to scratches and abrasions, ensuring its durability even in high-traffic areas.
Stain Resistance
Unlike marble, granite is less porous, making it resistant to stains from various liquids. Proper sealing further enhances its ability to repel water and resist staining, making it suitable for areas prone to spills.
Heat Endurance
Granite countertops can withstand high temperatures without sustaining damage. This heat resistance is particularly advantageous in kitchens where hot pots, pans, and cooking appliances are frequently used.
Easy Care and Maintenance for Granite Countertops
A granite countertop can last over 100 years if you take good care of it. The important thing is to keep it well-maintained. Even though granite is hard and resistant to damage, it needs some care to stay in good shape, like many other valuable things. Let’s talk about how to make sure your granite countertop doesn’t just last for 100 years but stays in great condition.
Sealing Granite
To keep your granite countertop in good shape for a long time, it’s crucial to seal it. Granite in kitchens can easily soak up liquids, like juices and cooking liquids, which may lead to stains and damage. Similarly, granite bathroom countertops are also prone to absorbing liquids, such as water, lotions, and other personal care products. This absorption can potentially result in stains over time. Sealing creates a protective layer that prevents liquids from being absorbed, making cleaning easier and reducing the risk of damage. Remember to reseal your granite countertop every few years to maintain its protection.
Cleaning Regularly
Maintaining the beauty and durability of your granite countertops is an easy process, yet regular cleaning is essential for ensuring their longevity. A gentle and effective method involves using a soft cloth and warm water to wipe away everyday grime and spills. It’s crucial to avoid the use of harsh abrasives and chemicals, as these can compromise the protective sealant applied to the granite. In addition to routine cleaning, consider applying a specially formulated granite cleaner to enhance the countertop’s luster and provide extra protection against stains and spills.
Avoid Potential Damage
While granite countertops are great because they resist scratches, dents, and heat, they can still get damaged if something heavy falls on them. To make your granite countertop last longer, be careful with heavy things, use cutting boards when chopping, and be cautious in general. Similarly, granite bathroom countertops offer durability, which can still be susceptible to damage from harsh chemicals and acidic substances commonly found in certain toiletries.
Tip: Contact granite countertops contractors to install it in your bathroom and kitchen.
Granite vs Marble – Difference and Comparison
Now that we’ve examined the individual characteristics of marble and granite let’s compare their overall durability based on various factors.
Longevity
In terms of longevity, granite countertops generally outperform marble due to their superior hardness. Granite is less prone to wear and tear over time, making it a long-lasting investment for your kitchen and bathroom countertops.
Maintenance
Marble requires more meticulous care, with regular sealing and prompt cleanup of spills to prevent stains. Granite, on the other hand, is easier to maintain, requiring less effort to keep its pristine appearance.
Aesthetic Considerations
While durability is crucial, aesthetic preferences also play a significant role in the decision-making process. Marble’s classic beauty and unique veining may be irresistible to those seeking a luxurious and timeless appearance.
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Conclusion
The durability and longevity of marble versus granite countertops depend on various factors, including maintenance, usage, and personal preferences. Both materials have distinct qualities that make them suitable for different applications. However, you need professional countertop installers for your kitchen and bathroom.
Consider A Polished Finish as your reliable countertop installer. We install marble and granite countertops by considering your preferences, usage patterns, and maintenance expectations. We guide you in choosing the right material based on your needs and offer expert installation services to enhance the longevity of your bathroom and kitchen countertops.
