Over Counters

Last week the counter top installers at Pyramid granite came by. This was very exciting because once the counter is in we can hook up the appliances and 3rd floor will be done! I am using Carerra Marble -the ubiquitous grey and white kind - in the U.S. standard thickness 1 ¼” .


Marble makes for a rather high maintenance counter-top. Marble is a softer stone, prone to scuffs and chips. Being porous, marble stains and can be etched by acidic substances and foods. So marble must be coated with a sealant periodically.
Granite is the best choice if you are looking for a full stone slab. Granite is extremely hard and impervious to the elements. It doesn’t chip or stain, you can chop on it, lay white-hot pans on it, spatter it with oil and acid, and stomp on it in spikey heals, Granite won’t show the wear and tear. Take a sharp knife and try scratching the surface of a granite counter top with the pointy tip, you will dull your knife before you see a scratch in the granite.


But this is a small kitchen in an old house and granite looks too modern. Marble, the traditional surface for pastry tables, makes everything feel a little older. And a little wear and tear will hopefully accentuate its timelessness. Also the marble I got was half the price of the cheapest granite. I can cover the entire marble countertop with tempered glass as a chopping surface, and the whole affair will still cost less than using granite.