Granite vs Marble Countertops

If you’re someone who’s committed to using a natural material for your kitchen countertop, the single biggest choice that you’ll have to make will between marble and granite, the two kingpins of natural countertop materials. Marble has been a historical favorite for artists and architects for a long period of history, picture ancient Greek marble statues or renaissance-era sculptures by artists like Michelangelo.

Granite is also a very historical material that has been used for many construction purposes, however, granite’s use as a kitchen countertop material has been very recent since granite used to be a very expensive material for most of the twentieth century. Both materials have many advantages, and choosing between them can often be a very close decision for most homeowners. Hopefully, after having read this guide, you will have gained a better understanding of which material could be right for you.

What is Granite? 

Granite is an igneous rock composed of a number of materials such as quartz and alkali feldspar. Since it is not a single mineral, the exact composition of a slab of granite dictates its appearance in terms of color, design, and texture. Granite can therefore have a very diverse opinion depending on the exact variety that you choose to purchase. The most common colors used for granite are black and white with the most popular verities including Black and White Alaska Granite.

Granite’s significant diversity in appearance is one of the biggest advantages that it has, and this is the primary reason why it has become a relatively popular material for countertops. This new-found popularity is a very recent development, so it is especially impressive that around 29% of all homeowners in the United States have opted for granite countertops, and it would not be an unwise decision for you either depending on your priorities for a countertop material.

What is Marble?  

Marble is a metamorphic rock that has been used for centuries by architects and builder since it is a very durable and beautiful looking material that is renowned for the diversity and quality of its appearance as well as the fact that it is available in different varieties. Marble is most recognized for the fact that it has been historically used for various different artistic purposes, most notably for sculpture making. The fact that it is relatively abundant in many different parts of the world has led to marble being a fairly popular material with 8% of all homeowners in the United States opting for marble for their countertops.

The most famous varieties of marble include White Cararra marble. Marble is considered an extremely prestigious and sophisticated material due to its historical reputation as being the choice of material for architectural and artistic purposes. Opting for marble can be a very intelligent decision for provided that you are able to maintain it since marble has somewhat high maintenance needs.

Granite vs Marble: Which Looks Better? 

 Both materials are natural, so they have very diverse and elegant appearances. Marble is especially reputed for providing a very elegant and sophisticated appearance whereas granite is most well-known for being a very ‘natural-looking’ material that provides a warm rustic appearance that adds character to a room.

The most common colors of granite and marble are white and black, but both are also available in a number of other designs and colors with the presence of veins and grains distinguishing individual slabs of each material. Marble is most often used by people who want to attain a historic look while granite tends to be used by people with more contemporary tastes.

Overall, most people would rank the appearance of marble and granite to be very high, and which one will look better for your kitchen countertop is dependent more on your personal taste. Both materials have their subjective advantages, but neither has any clear objective advantage over the other, so with respect to appearance neither material is better than the other, and which one you should prefer in terms of appearance is an entirely personal matter.

Either material will provide your kitchen a very beautiful appearance, so you can be sure that neither material is low-quality in terms of its appearance.

Granite vs Marble: Which One is Harder?  

Hardness can be a very decisive issue for most people since it is important for a kitchen countertop material to be hard enough that it is not easily damaged from having common kitchen items or appliances placed upon it.

The best way to judge the hardness of countertop material is to judge its moh scale of mineral hardness ranking, which is a scale that ranks minerals from 1, extremely soft, to 10, extremely hard. Every mineral has its own ranking and materials used for countertop construction vary wildly from as low as a 1 to as high as an 8.

Granite has a moh scale ranking of 7 while marble has one of 5. Thus, granite has a clear and decisive advantage over marble in terms of hardness albeit the difference between the two is not that vast in view of the practical considerations of using a countertop.

If you opt for a granite countertop over a marble one, you can be sure that it would be far less easy to scratch or damage. This does not imply that marble is a soft material. Marble is sufficiently hard to be used for countertop construction, and it will not be damaged easily. It is for this reason that marble has been used for millennia as a construction material. Just think about the Athenian acropolis for example, which is one of the most iconic marble buildings in all of history.

But, when the two materials are compared, granite is undoubtedly the far harder of the two.

Granite vs Marble: What do they cost?  

Cost is often the factor that ultimately dictates what material a person chooses since the cost of various materials may be just too high to be justified for you. Granite is well-reputed for being a relatively affordable material while marble, due to its comparative rarity and much higher social significance tends to cost higher.

Additionally, the exact variety of the material that you choose will dictate how much it will cost. Generally speaking, if you are in Orlando, FL you can purchase a granite countertop for between $40 to $60 per square foot while marble costs higher at $62 to $80 per square foot. If you choose high-end varieties of either material, the cost can run much higher, up to $100 per square foot for either material. Exotic slabs are of course way beyond these prices and can range in the tens of thousands of dollars each.

Ultimately, if cost is a major concern for you and you’re not interested in high-end varieties of either material, it would be best for you to consider purchasing marble as it has a considerably lower cost overall. However, if you are interested in the more valuable and rarer varieties of either material, there is a very negligible cost difference between the most expensive varieties of both materials, and cost will not be an appreciable distinguishing factor for you.

Granite vs Marble: Which is More Heat Resistant? 

As you will undoubtedly be cooking in your kitchen, you may wish to know how heat resistant either of these two materials is. Depending on how often and how you prefer to use your countertop, the heat resistance of a material could either make or break your choice as materials that are not heat resistant will be very easily damaged if you use them improperly.

While marble and granite are both natural stones that are produced under circumstances of high pressure and intense heat, which is why both materials on their own are very heat resistant, between the two marble has a clear advantage over granite since it is much less likely to be damaged from hot pots and pans being placed on top of it.

Granite is a very heat resistant material on its own, but the sealant often used on top of granite is typically not very heat-resistant at all and can be badly damaged if hot pots or pans are placed on top of it. In all likelihood, the granite countertop you purchase from most stores will retain this weakness and will be easily damaged if it is subjected to high temperatures.

Metal trivets are an absolute must if you want to use a granite countertop which is a big disadvantage of the material as metal trivets are not needed for a marble countertop at all.

Overall, marble has the clear advantage regarding heat resistance, and if you are someone who is completely adamant about not using metal trivets, marble would be the obvious choice for you.

Granite vs Marble: Maintnenance

As natural materials both marble and granite have some maintenance requirements with marble being the more difficult of the two to maintain. This is because marble is a comparatively more porous material than granite, which means that marble has many small holes on its surface which liquid spills can easily penetrate and are very difficult to remove. This does not mean that granite is a non-porous material, only that when the two are compared granite is less porous.

Being a porous material, marble has to be re-sealed annually while a granite countertop may or may not have to be re-sealed depending on the exact variety that you’ve purchased. The fact that marble always requires re-sealing while granite may not is a disadvantage of marble that makes granite an easier material to maintain.

Both materials are very susceptible to etching, so it is extremely important that any spills made on either a marble or a granite countertop are immediately cleaned up. Between the two, marble is much more susceptible to being damaged from etching than granite is which makes it less advantageous in terms of durability to etching. Any spills of acidic chemicals such as lemon juice, fruit juice, or other common acidic substances will cause a lot of damage, especially on a marble countertop as the material will react violently to an acid.

Both materials are also very vulnerable to the use of abrasive cleaning products such bleach, ammonia, vinegar, and Windex. You cannot use any of these cleaning products with either a marble or a granite countertop as both will be damaged.

Both materials are not very difficult to clean though as a damp cloth with water is sufficient. You can also obtain ph.-neutral cleaning solutions if you notice and particularly harsh stains.

Overall, both materials have their maintenance needs with granite being the more durable out of the two. The differences in durability between the two materials are not too vast as both sure similar weaknesses, albeit to different extents. If reducing maintenance costs is a very important factor for your decision, opting for granite would be the smarter option but the difference between the two in terms of maintenance is not massive and either material will last for a long period of time if properly maintained.

Quartz vs Granite: The Verdict  

Marble and granite are two the biggest names in the kitchen countertop market as they are the most widely used of all-natural materials. Marble is a historic favorite of most homeowners while granite is a relatively new material that has gained popularity within the past few decades.

Both materials are well-reputed for their appearance and neither one has a clear advantage over the other visually. While the most expensive varieties of both materials incur the same level of expensive, less expensive varieties of marble are far more expensive than those of granite.

Granite is, however, much less heat resistant than marble so a granite countertop requires metal trivets for handling hot pots and pans. Granite does, however, have a much harder surface, requires less maintenance, and is comparatively easier to maintain than marble is. Both materials are long-lasting though, so if properly maintained either one can last a very long time.

Overall, granite has some very strong advantages over marble and that is the main reason it is much more widely used, so unless you are a huge fan of marble’s appearance or historic significance, it would be wiser to choose a granite countertop.