Marble kitchen countertops: pros, cons and how to live with them

A kitchen with a marble countertop is one of the most beautiful sights there is. It is also one of the decisions that causes the most doubt. Here is an honest view so you can decide with your eyes open.

The good

• Unique beauty: no other surface has the light and depth of marble.
• Cool to the touch: which is why pastry chefs have always worked dough on marble.
• Restorable: after years of use it can be re-polished to look new again.
• Reasonable heat resistance: it does not melt or warp like resin-based surfaces, though trivets are still wise.
• Ages with character: the patina is part of its charm, as in Italian kitchens.

The bad

• Acids leave marks: lemon, vinegar, tomato or wine leave dull etch marks if left on the surface. Sealing does not prevent this.
• It scratches: it is soft (3–4 on the Mohs scale).
• It can stain with oil or wine if not sealed.
• It needs some maintenance: periodic sealing and cleaning with neutral soap.

How to minimise the downsides

1. Choose a honed or leathered finish instead of polished: etching shows much less on a matt surface. More in our finishes guide.
2. Choose a veined marble: on busy patterns (Calacatta, Orobico) small marks disappear; on a plain white they show more.
3. Seal well from day one and repeat whenever the water-drop test fails.
4. Use boards and trays for cutting fruit and for oil and vinegar bottles.
5. Wipe spills immediately. All the tips are in our cleaning guide.

Middle-ground solutions

• Marble only on the island, with a tougher material by the hob and sink.
• Marble on the splashback and quartzite on the countertop.
• A marble-look quartzite, such as Taj Mahal or Mont Blanc. See our quartzite guide.

Who is it for?

For people who fall in love with marble and accept that the countertop will tell the story of their kitchen. If every mark would bother you, choose quartzite. Unsure? Ask us and we will show you options of both.