Marble Introduction
With recrystallization of Calcite or Dolomite, a famous kind of metamorphic rock called Marble is made. Basically, they are formed out of limestone. Marble has a firm crystalline structure and slight porosity. Due to the presence of different minerals such as sand, silt, and clay, it is available in diverse colors like Bone cream, White, Black, Green, Red, Brown, beige, Blue, Gray and etc.
There are not many rocks like with this many uses in different industries. Because of its formation process, various types of it exist in large deposits all over the world and have a great economic value to mine on a large scale. Most uses of Marble are in construction projects. The crushed Marble is used in building roads, building foundations, and railroad beddings, and when shaped like dimension stone which is made by cutting it into blocks or sheets; it can be used in architecture and sculpture. For this purpose, it also has a great value for its beauty and rigidity. Another use of Marble can be from its chemical properties in pharmaceuticals and agriculture. As mentioned before, Marble has many unique properties, which makes it a valuable rock in different industries, each in its own way.
Granite Introduction
Granite has been used from thousands ago until now, which makes it one of the famous igneous rocks known. Granite can be defined from a different point of view. In the geological definition, it is a coarse-grained, quartz- and feldspar-bearing igneous rock which is completely made out of crystals, and for the traders, any feldspar-bearing rock with interlocking crystals visible to the unaided eye is called granite. This stone is rigid and hard, its compressive strength is very high, and by having limited void fractions, it has low water absorption. Compared to other stones, granite has a great variety of colors like White, Gray, Green, Black, Red and etc. It can please anybody’s eyes with its flat appearance and visible black grains texture.
Granite has great prestige among rocks; it can be used in projects to present elegance. As mentioned before, because of people’s history with this rock, it has been used in many forms like dimension stone, a construction material, as decorative rock, and architectural stone. This natural stone has been used in exterior design as paving and bridges, and as for the interior design, it serves many purposes like granite walls, backsplashes, paving, countertops and etc.
Differences Between Marble & Granite
All the natural stones are classified into two main categories. One is mainly made out of Silica or Quartz, so they are durable and will last long. They can easily be cleaned and maintained. For instance, stones like granite, sandstone, and slate are in this category. The second type of stone is mainly made of Calcium Carbonate. These types of stones are difficult to clean up, and they require special techniques. For example, they cannot be cleaned by acid-based products, or they will be damaged. Marble, limestone, onyx, and travertine are in this category of stones. To make it easier to understand the differences between these two rocks, we compare them in various traits.
Aesthetics
For ordinary and untrained eyes, they can look the same. But they have distinct physical features that, if you train your eyes, you can use to tell them apart. For example, granite slabs contain a variety of hues, and their showcases have a veiny look that appears as specks on the surface and differs in color. As for marble, these veiny patterns are longer, and veins with fairly consistent colors run through the slab. In conclusion, the two stones have some visible particles on their surfaces and can be differentiated. Marble has veining on its surface, whereas granite has a granular appearance, so anyone who can notice these differences can tell them apart.
Porosity
Porosity is an important feature, especially when we want to choose a material for countertops. Because of the variety of elements used in kitchens, you should decide whether a material can withstand them or not. If we are choosing based on porosity, marble is by far the better material. It is an obvious choice for kitchen countertops based on their compact and sturdiness. Marble is a porous material, and because of its ability to repel heat, the porosity can come in handy in hotter climates. It also means that marble is susceptible to stains and spills. Likewise, granite is also a porous material. It immediately absorbs wine, oils, condiments, or other materials that can leave a stain on the surface.
Maintenance
Since marble and granite are natural materials, they have high durability if maintained properly. As we said before, marble is more porous so, it makes it more susceptible to spills and stains. You should know that marble has a weakness against acidic liquids, so it should be cleaned after using an acid-based element. On the other hand, granite is less porous.
Installation
The method of installing marble and granite is the same. In both of them, they must first cut the pre-prepared molds on the slate. In the next step, all you have to do is glue the cut boulders to the desired location. Do not forget that the sink should be cut in advance of the boulders.
Stain Resistance
One of the characteristics of marble is that it is porous, which makes marble have a high absorption property. This high adsorption property means that when a substance, including food, sauce, etc., is poured on the stone, it is easily absorbed by the stone but does not disappear easily.
But on the other hand, marble, with its very high density, is resistant to certain conditions, even in the face of acidic materials. This means that in no case, any food can cause an unclean stain on this stone.
Sealants
One of the points that must be used after buying and using marble and granite is to apply sealants on them. Sealants are materials for sealing your boulders, including marble and granite.
Cost
As for cost, this matter is very important, and unfortunately, sometimes, the cost is a deal-breaker and will decide for you. Because building a home is quite expensive. And these types of costs can make a huge difference. If we only look at the cost of the materials, granite is slightly cheaper than marble. But this slight difference will save much money in your overall pay with the cost of installation and maintenance.
Overall Value
The reality is that the value is in the eye of the beholders. As mentioned before, both of these beautiful natural rocks have their unique properties. In choosing one of them, you should take the time to decide on the purpose of your purchase; you should never rush a decision. But to have the best choice, find yourself the help of a professional.
