Formed from the earth itself, natural stone is an attractive choice to lend style and sophistication to your home. From the kitchen to the bath, to the fireplace and even your backyard barbeque, stone can be a great choice to uplift your space.
But how to choose? Marble (and its relatives limestone, onyx, and travertine) has key differences from granite, and appearance is only one consideration. The biggest difference between marble and granite lies in their porosity, durability, and hardness.
A metamorphic rock composed of carbonate minerals, marble is softer and more porous than granite, but its beauty lasts for generations. As a result, marble is better for low-traffic areas where durability is less of a concern. Luxurious and elegant, choose marble for fireplace surrounds, ornamental furnishings, and vanities. Marble is especially suited for bathrooms, as it lends an upscale, glamorous touch to an otherwise utilitarian space. Since marble is more prone to staining than some other types of stone, avoid it in kitchens and other spaces where food or drink may be spilled.
Granite is perfect for kitchens, as it resists stains. Created from the cooling of molten magma, its crystalline structure makes it the ideal choice when you need a surface that can withstand abrasions and spills. Granite has minimal maintenance needs, which simplifies your household chores. As granite is the most durable stone for the home, it is great for high-traffic areas. Consider granite for dining tables, bar tops, flooring, and kitchen counters.
In recent years, bringing natural stone out of the home and into outdoor living spaces has become a popular trend. However, when planning a new barbeque surround or outdoor bar, the choice of stone is a crucial one. Marble, with its higher porosity, is not a wise choice for surfaces that are regularly subjected to weather and dirt. Granite, however, has great heat tolerance, and its strength and resistance to staining make it well-suited to the great outdoors. With our cold Michigan winters, soapstone is another option, as it handles temperature extremes with ease. Soapstone is softer than granite and picks up imperfections more easily over time, but that can add charm and character to your outdoor space.
Your local natural stone supplier can help bring your ideas to life. They cut and polish slabs to your requirements and can even help you with creative ideas for smaller off-cuts of stone, such as accents, shelves, or tops for smaller tables.
Granite Source of Michigan in Southfield offers a wide variety of natural stone products for your next home project, from bathrooms to barbeques. In addition to marble and granite, Granite Source stocks soapstone, limestone, travertine, and quartz. With over 10 years in business, their craftsmen are ready to help.
Granite Source of Michigan
26530 W. 8 Mile Rd
Southfield, MI
granitesourceofmichigan.com