Natural stone offers plenty of practical uses in home design. The two most popular choices for surfaces in the kitchen or bathroom are marble or granite. Both are igneous rocks that are known for their exquisite patterns and colours. When used for floors or countertops, granite and marble offer a striking look that can tie together an entire room. When choosing either stone for your kitchen or bathroom, GTA buyers will usually go with tiles. This is definitely a less expensive way to fashion your home with one of these exotic stones. For granite and marble, selecting a full slab piece leaves little room for damage and gives a seamless and beautiful look for any surface. Once you have decided that a slab is the way to go, the decision becomes which type of stone to choose? Understanding the different properties between marble and granite will help you select the best one for your home.

 

From an aesthetic point of view, granite and marble have their own unique characteristics. Granite is more crystalized, yet, while it offers different patterns within each slab, it does not have the same luxurious, milky design found in marble. Marble is commonly found in black or white, while granite comes in a great variety of colours and designs. Aesthetically speaking, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You may prefer one look to the other, but both do offer some incredibly unique and striking natural patterns that are one of a kind.

 

 

Granite is a very durable and beautiful natural stone. It is a popular choice for high-traffic areas or surfaces that take a beating. Granite’s strength allows it to resist cracks or chipping. This makes it the most popular selection for kitchen countertops – you can cut right on the surface without any detrimental effects! Marble on the other hand is a very porous stone and has the potential to chip or crack more easily and is susceptible to staining. Also, marble is a softer stone, so it’s hard to get the same glaze and shine on a slab like you can get on granite. Cutting on its surface is not an option like it is with granite. Maintaining marble requires more of a professional touch, "while do-it-yourselfers” can maintain granite easily by sealing on a regular basis. This is the most popular method for maintaining and preserving the high gloss, as it penetrates the pores of the stone and creates an invisible barrier which works to protect the material, thus preventing stains and scratches from affecting the stone.

 

While granite’s strength offers durability, marble’s cool temperature makes it a great choice for pastry or baking stations; it’s able to stand up to heat and offers durability in this sense. Marble is often used surrounding fireplaces or as ornamental mantle pieces.

 

There are benefits to choosing both types of stone in home decorating, however, the more advisable choice is to go with granite on heavily-used surfaces like countertops and high-traffic floors while going with marble for a luxurious and ornamental function in areas of the home that are less travelled. Whatever natural stone best suits the needs of your GTA renovation using granite and marble slab selections are guaranteed to brighten up the home and offer a wow factor to any room they’re used in!