Yes, marble in the kitchen!
One of the classes at the Montana Tile and Stone Summit covered just this subject. The teacher, Vincent Moiso, is "certified" in marble knowledge! You can get more information from www.marble-institute.com if you so please.
You have probably heard that it is too soft...I will discuss some of the myths surrounding marble use in the kitchen.
Myth #1: Marble is prone to staining. Well, think about this, all stone, granite included, stains. Be sure to get the proper sealing to help with this.
Myth #2: Marble etches when used in a kitchen. Same as above, even granite can etch, but there are harder marbles than others.
Myth #3: Marble is too expensive. The location of the quarry and kind of marble will determine this. So it follows, the more rare the marble, the more expensive it will be.
Myth #4: Marble, granite, and natural stone emit radioactive radon. To be clear here, everything that comes out of the ground emits radon. Usually it is only a trace amount.
Some history: Michelangelo used marble when he created the Statue of David, marble was used before granite, and it keeps dough cool for bakeries and restaurants. The United States is the largest stone consuming nation, especially for all applications....imagine that! LOL
A little about where marble is harvested. Italy has huge quarries of carrera marble, and calacatta cremo, among others. I saw where there is Chinese marble, and even some out of Danby, Vermont. Danby is where Martha Stewart gets all of her marble for her numerous homes...yes, I said numerous homes. In fact all of these pictures are from the Danby, Vermont quarry, which by the way is the largest underground quarry worldwide. You can visit the website at www.vermontquarries.com to viewmore varieties and colors of marble.
Think about this...marble from Danby, VT called calcutta "Imperial Dandy" costs 1/4 of what it would cost from Italy....with similar looks to them. Transportation across an ocean WILL make a difference. (Ya think?!?!?)
Some things to consider when buying: Compressive strength(weight it takes before the stone breaks), abrasion resistance(scratching), and absorption rate(of water). I will not go into this in depth, but a side note is that the Vermont marbles absorb less than the granite.
***The whiter the marble- the denser it is. Also, do you want it to have a honed finish(that is more of a matte look) or polished( more of a shiny finish)? If you care, Martha likes the honed marble from VT.
Honed marble has a more muted color, but the undertones will still be there, it doesn't dull as easily because it is a matte finish, and scratches show less.
Marble has 4 grades and this refers to its wearability. You can look this up also...
Most water based sealers work well- make sure it is food safe. Wipe spills as soon as you can, if something is missed try a poulstice solution to get the stain out. Don't use ammonia or vinegar as these will strip the finishes off-use a ph neutral stone cleaner.
So, what do you take away from this? Take a look around at all of the restaurants who use marble, even ice cream stores...magazines have lots and lots of kitchens with marble in them! Well I would say to NOT be afraid of marble if you love the look!!!
Here are 2 of the marbles from Danby, VT.
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| DANBY GREY |
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| Verde Cavendish
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