Granite or Marble?
Marble is a beautiful, intricate stone. Many seek to use marble to accent their Pittsburgh homes. While marble is indeed beautiful there are somethings to learn about marble before making a decision. You might find that granite is a better option. It holds all of the beauty of marble without any of the issues.
Granite is a impressively strong, durable material; second only to diamonds. It can withstand great weight. It is also near impossible to scratch granite. Marble on the other hand is not nearly as accommodating. Marble is remarkable soft when compared to Pittsburgh granite. It scratches easily and has to be maintained with seals often. When marble is scratched it allows air into the marble causing it to stain. Marble would be a poor surface in a high traffic area like a kitchen or bathroom. Granite is a much more forgiving material.
If you are considering using marble as a kitchen countertop, there are some things you should consider. Marble is susceptible to heat, acid and water. Especially if there is even a small crack in marble, orange or lemon juice could stain your marble. This is not something that can be fixed. Stained marble can only be replaced. That crack will also let in water. Marble is a porous stone. Water can get into marble even without a crack. Water and marble spell for disaster. A kitchen countertop is used mainly for cooking. A marble countertop cannot take harsh heat. Heat will destroy the marbles’ coating and the marble will be left unprotected. Marble is not a good chose for your kitchen counter. Pittsburgh granite is much stronger and would be a perfect addition to any kitchen.
Marble tends to be more expensive than granite. It almost always has to be imported. Marble is normally found in South America or Europe. Very small amounts can be found in the U.S. but more often than not you will have to import your marble. Marble is also difficult to ship. It is more expensive to ship because it is so soft. Special precautions must be made to ensure that the marble does not fall apart. Granite needs no such precautions. It is hard enough to be shipped with ease. That’s even if you want to ship it. Many forms of granite can be found in the United States. You might not even need to import granite.
Marble is indeed beautiful. However, there are many down sides to marble. In fact the down sides out weigh the good. Granite is equally as beautiful and twice as durable. If you crave marble for your Pittsburgh home, perhaps you should consider granite instead.
