Purchasers of granite and marble slab in Toronto must weigh the positive attributes and drawbacks of the respective stones. Both materials are highly popular for residential use as countertops, but their relatively high price points suggests that careful thinking be done before choosing.

 

Kitchen or bathroom countertops showcase the classic, timeless beauty of marble. The varied colours of marble mean that it can be coordinated with just about any kind of decor. Sleek black marble accentuates the modern, stainless steel kitchen while its white counterpart works beautifully with a more traditional decor.

 

Marble is a cool stone – wonderful for working with pastry. It’s hypoallergenic, easily cleaned and non-porous. The cost of some types of marble is high, but the more common Carrara variety from Italy is surprisingly reasonable. Marble is quarried all over the world and its availability is good.

 

On the downside, marble is relatively soft and can scratch easily, so you need to use cutting boards on its surface. It can also stain easily, even with the use of protective sealant, with red wine and some acidic fruits being the chief culprits. You have to be prepared to live with the subsequent "imperfection.” It’s always best if you can regard those marks as adding "character!”

 

 

Granite is stronger than marble and a better choice for high usage situations. As a countertop, it is heat, scratch and chemical resistant. With periodic sealing, it is also stain resistant. Granite has a great natural look and comes in a surprising variety of colours. As with marble, it works well with a variety of interior looks, from modern to traditional.

 

It’s perhaps a more subtle stone than marble, but in its slab form, granite is fascinating – there are flecks of colour and striations throughout the stone. As with marble, each slab of granite is absolutely unique. It’s at the upper end of the cost scale, although in tile form it is more reasonable.

 

Granite does require professional sealing, and this must be done every couple of years. But generally it is lower-maintenance and stronger than marble. The choice between the two types boils down to a question of taste more than anything, with some preferring the elegance and gloss of marble and others the durability of granite.

 

A Fabricator is Your Kitchen Craftsman

 

 

A marble or granite slab is a big investment, and one that reflects your design creativity. So it only makes sense that the actual implementation of the stone in your home relies on the wizardry of another artist – the fabricator.

 

Once you’ve bought your countertop stone, it is delivered by the dealer to your chosen fabricator. He will already have been to your house and made a template of your kitchen countertop, which will be used to cut the slab to your specifications. The fabricator will individualize your countertop by the kind of surface he then creates with the cut, the edges and even the designs in the stone itself.

 

It all comes back to your vision for your kitchen. The granite and marble slab you’ve bought from a Toronto dealer can be the centrepiece of a stunning room; one that reflects both your artistic vision and the craftsmanship of your fabricator.