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Carrera Marble kitchen worktop

Article Number: 621 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Thu, Oct 11, 2007 at 12:00 AM

Hi. I have my heart set on a carrera marble worktop, however people keep on telling me that it is not suitable as it is too porus and will stain. However I have just seen it in a Siematic kitchen showroom, where the sales assistant told me that their worktops are sealed and should be fine if you care for them properly. The only trouble is they won't sell me a worktop without the kitchen. I'd be grateful for any suggestions as to how I can source a sealed worktop. (I'm in Dublin, Ireland). Thanks in advance

Dear Kathryn:

If the stone you have your heart set on is polished, either the sales assistant doesn't know what he or she's talking about, or he or she's been lying to you. No sealer for stone on the entire galaxy will ever do the first thing to protect polished marble, which, BTW, is not porous at all. (This is science, not my opinion.)

If it is hone-finished instead, the application of a good-quality impregnating sealer wil offer some stain resistance. But staining is not certainly the major issue. Now follow me:

The stone itself has nothing to do with it. It's rather a collective culture issue.

All throughout the Mediterranean basin marble is a very popular stone as a kitchen countertop and everybody enjoys it. (Limestone is not so popular, but certain types of limestone could be acceptable in relation of what follows.) In Northern Europe and all throughout North America, many like the way it looks, but nobody enjoys it!

How's that?

For the simple reason that In Southern Europe they never install a polished marble countertop (or a polished marble floor, for that matter). They start from a hone-finished surface (kinda satin finish on the low end of sheen) and then they start using and abusing it and only care for it with a good-quality stone cleaner (like MB-5). The “worse” it gets, the better they like it! It's considered “aging.” It's like a pair of old blue jeans, if you know what I mean: a highly sought “lived-in” look.

While the looks of an old pair of jeans is very much appreciated in Northern Europe or in North America, too, the same principle does not seem to apply to stone. Most people over there expect their stone to look like brand-new all the time, and any “change” is not considered “aging”, but a damage that needs to be rectified.

Hence the problem.

The question now is: regardless of your geographical location, which one of the two groups do you belong to? J

May I ask you now to please read and e-sign our Statement of Purpose at: http://www.marblecleaning.org/purpose.htm? J

Ciao and good luck,

Maurizio Bertoli