Medici Marble & Granite sell and install benchtops in a wide range of granites, marbles, and engineered stones. Each of the three has different properties that can make it more or less suitable for different situations:
● Granite – Granite is extremely hard and highly resistant to high temperatures, which makes it ideal for kitchens. It is slightly porous (particularly lighter granites) and can stain if liquids are left sitting on it for a long period.
● Marble – Marble is softer and more easily scratched or chipped than granite, and stains easier. Acidic liquids, including lemon juice and some cleaners, can damage and discolour the surface. This makes marble more suitable for decorative areas that don’t see heavy use.
● Engineered Stone – Engineered stone is exceptionally durable, almost waterproof, and will rarely stain. It is not as heat-resistant as granite and can be scorched if a very hot object is placed directly on it. It comes in a wide range of colours and designs and typically has less variation than a marble or granite top.
What Factors Should Affect Your Decision?
You must consider three primary areas when choosing between granite, marble and engineered stone:
Factor 1: Function and Location
Function and location should weight heavily in your decision making because some materials aren’t suitable for certain situations. For example, marble is quite easily damaged, which is why you rarely see marble being used in kitchens – it is far more suitable for areas which are decorative and see little heavy.
Granite and engineered stone are both suitable for high-use areas and frequently used in kitchens and bars. Both have their advantage – granite is more resistant to extreme temperature while the engineered stone is more resistant to staining – the choice comes down to personal preference.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|
| Granite | Hard-wearing and heat resistant | Less resistant to staining than engineered stone |
| Marble | – | More easily damaged, not recommend for high-use situations |
| Engineered Stone | Hard-wearing and stain resistant | Less resistant to heat than granite |
Factor 2: Personal Taste
Your benchtop is the centrepiece of your room – it’s important that you like it and that it works well with your other décor because it will be there for years, possibly decades. Although granite and marble are restricted to naturally-occurring colours, engineered stones offer a greater range that can match all tastes.
| Advantages | Disadvantages | |
|---|---|---|
| Granite | Great-looking natural stone that can be highly-polished | Limited colour choices, may have natural variations in the stone |
| Marble | Great-looking natural stone which can be either polished or left unpolished | Limited colour choices, may have natural variations in the stone |
| Engineered Stone | Large range of colour and pattern choices | Cannot be polished to as high a degree of shine as granite, some shades don’t look natural |
Factor 3: Budget
All three surfaces are high-quality products and can range in price from $100 per m2 to more than $500 per m2 depending on the type and finish. In some circumstances, a similar finish may be available for a lower price by switching to a different product, for example from marble to an engineered stone. Savings can also be found by switching to a different brand.
No one material has an advantage over another here – all three stones have a wide range of price points depending on the availability and quality of the specific type chosen.
I’ve Chosen The Stone and Finish I Want – What Happens Next?
If you know what you want (or you’re close and need advice on a couple of options) your next step is to obtain a quote. An expert should visit you in your home or business to perform the measurement or quote – you should never accept a quote done without measurements or based on your own measurements.
We provide free in-house measurements and quotes to anyone in the Perth metro area. Contact the Medici team online for your free quote, or call on (08) 9303 2697.