Friday, May 29, 2009

Granite Or Marble

Granite and marble are both expensive home decor elements that radiate an aura of exclusivity and lend a touch of panache to your interiors. They are characterized as being innate products formed due to natural phenomena and are hence available in a fantastic range of colors, patterns and designs that can be intricately customized according to your preferences and home beautification requirements. The two stones are also immensely robust and can relatively withstand heat and other extreme conditions. Both the elements require a regular care and maintenance regime to outlast their sparkle and exquisite attribute.

A kitchen is the busiest place in a household that is marked for daily preparation of meals, washing utensils and storage in addition to being the focal point for groups of people coming together doing parties and dinners. Such a bustling center of the house that is constantly engaged with activity requires a countertop that is resistant, durable, elegant and convenient. It should be easy to manage and should not be too demanding in terms of maintenance expense and care.

Whether you want to opt for a marble or granite countertop depends entirely on the look that you want to give your kitchen decor in relation to other aspects of the interiors. Picking between marble and granite also depends on the price that you are willing to pay and the long-term maintenance that you have in my mind for the countertops. Marble though naturally classy is a little more brittle than granite. Its porous nature makes it more susceptible to scratches and other wear and tear than the heavy-duty granite. Marble is also known to stain immediately due to its soft nature. It can take a considerable amount of heat but not without leaving stains and stultifying the surface. The carbonate trait of marble makes it instantly react to acidic materials like lemon, vinegar, ketchup e.t.c. A poultice can be used to take off the dull surface and stains from the marble and sealing will protect it to a certain extent but not in a way that granite would safeguard your countertops.

Granite is far more impervious owning to its quartz make-up. It is tough, doesn’t stain and dull your surface easily and can endure intense heat without causing damage. If resealed regularly and maintained with care, granite countertops can last for a very long time with little scope for scratches and chipping. Owing to its solid and hard-wearing nature, granite is more expensive than marble. A majority of the expenses of upgrading to granite consists of the installation cost that demands great professional expertise.

Aesthetically evaluating marble has finer grains and can offer your countertops a hoarier look though it has limited patterns and designs. Granite on the other hand has a more extensive range of colors and patterns. Granite gives your countertops a more sparkling and shinier look due to its large grainy appearance.

Both granite and marble countertops can give an instant face-lift to your kitchen while bringing in a dash of sophistication and lustre. It is up to you to decide the stone that will best suit the needs of your home, keeping in mind the individual traits of each element.

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