Granite vs. Marble: Which Is Best for a Kitchen Countertop?

A home is a place of comfort, a solace where you relax and let go without reservations. Although having the key to your house already brings a sense of peace, independence, and fulfilment, a house can’t fully become a home without filling it with the aroma of tasty dishes and hearty laughs.

The walls, ceilings, doors, and the roof may make up your resilience, but the meals you make in your kitchen is what brings everyone together and gives meaning to the word “home.” As the heart of the home, the kitchen remains among the most critical areas of your house. 

From meal preparation to eating together, the kitchen offers countless opportunities to bond with your family and make unforgettable memories around food.

Minding the Countertop

The countertop may not be included in “the golden triangle,” as it’s not considered one of the kitchen’s primary work areas, but it holds just as much significance. The countertop holds different appliances, such as the microwave, jars, and other items. Thanks to its strength and durability, it can hold up a lot of weight.

For many families who don’t have separate dining tables in their kitchen, the countertop also serves as an area to eat. If it’s large enough, the entire family can sit around and eat together. 

Given this, the countertop needs to be durable to hold up different appliances and kitchen items and aesthetically pleasing, as this will be the area where family and friends get together.

Choosing the Right Countertop Material

With countertops holding significant importance in the look and function of your kitchen, it’s crucial to select the right kind of material to use for it. With the endless choice of materials at your fingertips, it can be overwhelming to choose just one, so we’ve boiled it down to just two options to make decision-making easier for you.

If you want a durable and attractive kitchen countertop, you can never go wrong with granite and marble. As one of the most popular materials for kitchen countertops across America, any of the two would be perfect for your countertop. However, at the end of the day, you will have to choose between the two.

To determine whether granite or marble is suitable for your countertop, read about their differences below:

Marble

Among all natural stones, marble has the most luxurious and elegant look and feel. Thanks to its versatility, it can also be used in flooring, furnishings, bathrooms, and fireplaces. Unlike other materials, marble comes in different colours, from white to red and black, so you would have many options to choose from.

Unfortunately, marble isn’t as durable as granite, so it will suffer damage from cutting and other kitchen tasks. Also, make sure to avoid placing hot pans and dishes on it, as they could damage the marble. If you go through with marble, you must be diligent about its maintenance and follow the sealing application routine. 

Although the upkeep of a marble countertop is a lot of work, its beautiful appearance is certainly worth the effort!

Granite

Granite is undoubtedly more durable than marble, with a hardness of six to seven on the Mohs scale. Since it can easily resist scratches and heat damage, granite has become an ideal material for kitchen countertops. 

Granite doesn’t require much maintenance, as you’ll only need to seal it once every two years. However, one downside of this material is that the seams are unsightly, and you can only choose from natural colours, unlike marble that has a broader selection.