Is Marble Softer Than Granite

Avoid abrasive bleach or caustic cleaners as these can stain etch or dull the appearance of the stone.

Is marble softer than granite.

However with certain polishing sealants modern marble can be made to look much glossier than it did in the past. Like granite marble ranges from white to black in color and will have some degree of variation in color over its surface. Marble is softer and more porous than granite and engineered stone so extra care should be used when selecting marble for use as kitchen countertops. Natural travertine is softer than marble or granite and should be sealed.

Natural stone countertops include quartzite marble and soapstone. Marble is softer than granite and some other countertop choices which makes it easier to produce a greater variety of edge profiles. Granite can be found in many different styles and colors some more muted and others on the bolder side. Although heat resistant its surface is more susceptible to scratching and staining by many foods including vinegar mustard catsup citrus wine and other household materials.

All marble slabs are relatively soft so they will scratch much more easily than granite which can be an issue for a kitchen countertop but not a biggie. Marble is usually characterized by having veins and a smoother surface texture than granite. That results in a stone that is softer and more pliable as well as more absorbent of liquids. Quartzite is the term used to describe stone that is harder than marble and softer than granite so it can often be used interchangeably with granite or marble depending on the properties of the individual color.

Marble can be identified by its veiny structure and soft sometimes pastel colors. Between marble and granite marble is the more porous of the two meaning it has more pockets of empty space kind of like a kitchen sponge only on a microscopic level. Marble including carrara marble is actually rather dense and does not stain easy but every marble countertop slab has a different rate of absorption or porosity. Some marbles may be a type of quartzite or quartz based stone and green marbles are made of a mineral called serpentine.

Types of granite. In addition to popular edge profiles like straight bullnose demi bullnose and bevel marble can be cut with an elegant cove bullnose chiseled stair thread or waterfall edge. Each slab of granite varies in color over its surface so each slab is unique.