Marble Countertops St. Louis

Marble has been used for millennia as the premier dimensional building material. The Parthenon in Greece, Taj Mahal in India, and Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy are all constructed using marble. Marble’s timeless beauty makes it the most sought after material for kitchen and bath surfaces.

It is composed primarily of calcite, which is a crystalline form of calcium carbonate. Marble started as limestone which over millions of years of heat and pressure in the earth’’s crust has metamorphosed into marble as we see it. Marble comes in a wide variety of colors with subtle to very dramatic veining. The color of marble is determined by the mineral composition when it is formed and the amount of impurities present in the limestone during transformation. Marble ranges from 2.5 to 5 out of 10 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.

Marble is suitable for most interior residential or commercial applications such as kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity tops, fireplace surrounds, tub and shower surrounds, coffee tables, window sills. Danby Marble is used extensively in exterior commercial applications such as cladding for office buildings.

Pricing

The price range for a completed project can vary drastically due to the wide range in raw material costs from approximately $50-$150 per square foot for a completed project. Many variables go into the final price of a marble countertop. Material cost, size in square feet of countertop, edge detail, number of cutouts, etc. Please do not hesitate to call or fill out the Quick Bid Request for a free estimate on your specific project.

Selection

There are a wide range of colors to choose from to suit your desired look. Most marble will have the characteristic flowing veins throughout, while others are very subtle. Marble is available in polished and honed finishes as well as 2cm and 3cm thickness.

For daily cleaning it is best to use a mild dish detergent and water with a soft sponge. Blot spills with a dish or paper towel before rinsing with soap and water. Special cleaners are not necessary for natural stone. Modern stone sealers are available at your local big box store and are very easy to use. Make sure it is rated for use on marble before using it. Most are spray on and wipe off with little to no buffing required. We recommend using Dupont StoneTech Revitalizer as it is a cleaner and sealer. To determine if your marble needs sealing, place a few drops of water on the surface. After 5 minutes wipe away the water. If the area has darkened it needs to be sealed, if not, than the marble does not need to be sealed. All marbles are different and will need sealing at different intervals so it is best to test the surface rather than an arbitrary time interval.

Contrary to what you may have heard or read in your research, even the best stone sealers on the market will not prevent marble from etching. Marble sealers do not actually “seal” the surface of the top, but go into the stone and fill the voids in the capillaries. This impregnating of the marble allows you more time to clean up spills before they leave a stain, but it is not a fail safe against all staining or etching. With a little vigilance and small adjustments in habit, you can keep your marble countertops looking beautiful for a lifetime. Use trivets under hot pots, cutting boards under knives, coasters under drinks, and placemats under table settings and you can avoid most of the aesthetic damage that occurs commonly. If you stain your marble countertops, you can use a poultice powder to remove the stain simply or call us and we will be happy to schedule a professional to come remove the stain for you.

Good question, because it is immensely important to understand what to expect so you are not surprised when the lemon juice you spilled dulls the finish on your new countertops you just spent thousands of dollars on. Marble is calcium based so anything acidic will chemically react with the surface and leave a dull spot in the finish, called etching. Mustard, wine, citrus, vinegar, and ketchup, among others will etch your marble countertops. It’s not “if”, but “when” it will happen. Marble is also around a 3 on the Mohs scale so things such as glass, steel, and unglazed porcelain on the bottom of china will scratch the surface. Experts will tell you that the etching, scratches, and discoloration of marble is called the “patina” and what is attractive about the surface as a countertop. It will show it’s age. None of this patina will affect the structure or function of the surface, as it is primarily cosmetic. Remember, marble has outlasted entire civilizations that have used it for building some of the most beautiful structures on earth! Back to the all important “Am I a marble person?” Do you have 3 kids that will sue the countertops for an art project? Messy cook? Make lemon water regularly? Like your countertops to look as perfect as the day you bought? Then, I am afraid the answer is no and you should visit our “Alternatives to White Marble” page. Are you childless for the foreseeable future? Tidy cook? Love the look of reclaimed furniture? Then, most likely you are a marble person and will enjoy the patina as it ages with you.

This is not meant to scare you away from marble or draw conclusions about your countertop preferences based on your household size. It’s just a conversation starter and a small reality check that the white marble kitchen in the latest kitchen and bath magazine is a professional photo when the kitchen was new.

If you must have the look of a white marble kitchen or bath and are not a “marble person” than read this article for the best alternatives for your kitchen countertops. [link to alternatives to white marble countertops article]

An Absolute stone professional is more than willing to discuss the nuances of living with marble with you at your convenience.