Many consider granite and marble to be the height of luxury in kitchen countertops. They’re beautiful and moderately resilient, but is it the best material for your kitchen countertops? What are the facts when it comes to granite vs. marble vs. wood countertops?
Granite vs. Marble vs. Wood Countertops
Consider the following when deciding between granite vs. marble vs. wood countertops:
- Stone can lock you into a kitchen style and color palette. Wood gives you options.
- Stone makes your kitchen cold. Wood adds warmth.
- Repairing stone is costly. Wood damage is an easy, inexpensive fix.
- Wood countertop edges can be safer to active children than stone.
Advantages and Disadvantages: Granite
Granite comes in white, black and many shades of golden-brown, but tawny “neutral” is the favored color for kitchens. No slab of granite is solid colored. This is one of granite’s appeals… and also one of its problems. A slab of granite can have prominent flecks of blue, orange and virtually any other color.
When considering granite vs. marble vs. wood countertops, look closely at granite and see just how busy some granite slabs are. You may be shocked at how many colors are present.
The problem with granite’s many colors means that you’re stuck with decorating around those colors, which isn’t easy. Most kitchens with granite countertops have a distinctly modern ambiance. Homeowners typically use blinds instead of curtains, and hang lights to enhance the granite.
A blessing and a curse about granite is that it will always be the kitchen’s centerpiece. If your taste changes, it’s difficult to makeover your kitchen to a country or beach theme. Paint and curtain colors must always complement the stone’s colors, and most patterned decor will clash.
Advantages and Disadvantages: Marble
Marble is extravagant. In fact, it can make granite appear dull. Streaks of color run through it, some muted, some so wide and intense they can be mistaken for cracks. As with granite, it can be difficult to decorate around marble. Few decorating styles suit such ostentatious stone.
Some types of marble have a speckled appearance like granite. The most familiar marble is white with gray streaks. It’s beautiful but cold, both physically and in appearance.
Another big disadvantage with marble is its high porosity. While most granite countertops come pre-sealed, marble often doesn’t. It takes constant maintenance to ensure it stays stain free.
Daily Life with Stone Kitchen Countertops
A solid slab of marble or granite would seem to be the strongest material for kitchen countertops. However, Stone can be damaged rather easily, and unlike wood is difficult and expensive to repair.
Dropping a large, heavy pot or frying pan can crack a granite or marble countertop. Wood is more likely to dent, if it incurs any damage. Stone is waterproof, but we finish our wooden countertops with a product that makes them virtually waterproof.
Think about bars and restaurants. Wood is the material of choice for countertops. That’s because it’s stiff, strong and easy to repair. Bar owners wouldn’t choose wood for their huge bars if it was easily damaged by liquids.
Repairing a cracked stone countertop is going to be a big hit to your wallet. Much more important than damage to your countertop is what can happen if a child runs into a stone countertop.
Kids run through the house, trip and fall and hit their heads. There’s a big difference in falling against stone and falling against wood. Both wood and stone can be given rounded edges and corners. What if you have your stone countertops for a few years and then need them altered?
Again, repairing or changing wood to meet your family’s changing needs is easy. Changing stone is a much bigger undertaking.
When you consider the entire scope, wood wins in a granite vs. marble vs. wood countertops battle. For custom wood countertop solutions, call Maryland Wood Countertops call today at 443-840-7373.