Difference Between Marble and Granite

Everyone wants their houses and especially the kitchen and the Washrooms, to look clean and beautiful. When it comes to choosing the countertops for the kitchen, what’s better than Granite or Marbles. But Is there any difference between these two? Yes, Granite and marble both look beautiful, but they are different in appearance, porosity, durability, and many more.

Marble vs Granite

The main difference between Marble and Granite is that they have different types of origin. Marble is a metamorphic rock made up of high pressure and heat, whereas Granite is an igneous rock and made from the solidification of molten magma as a result of volcanic activity. Also, Marble needs more maintenance than Granite.

Marble has a veins-like appearance and has good porosity. It is used mainly for the countertops of the kitchen and bathroom and is typical of grayish-white color. It gives an It is less durable and requires maintenance. It is less resistant to heat and moisture. It can easily be scratched and spilled. It requires cleaning and sealing frequently.

Granite is very hard and durable. It has more of a shiny and glossy appearance. It has a fleck-like and granular appearance. It is less porous and thus has good resistance to heat and moisture. Also, It requires less maintenance, and also sealing is required once a year.

Comparison Table Between Marble and Granite

What is Marble?

Marble is a solid grayish white-colored, metamorphic stone that is used as countertops in washrooms or kitchens. It has an appearance like swirling veins due to the impurities and has consistent colors. It is porous, and its softness makes it dull very fast. Due to its porous nature, it is easily stained and spilled. Also, it is less durable enough to have good heat and moisture resistance.

Apart from that, It requires much more maintenance and care. Due to its less durable nature, it is mainly used for fewer traffic areas like in bathrooms where it can be used in flooring, shower walls, tub decks, etc. Marble is always considered to be more valuable when it’s seen in history. For any decorative piece, Marble was more preferred by the ancient sculptors and builders.

What is Granite?

Granite is an igneous, durable, and hard rock that is formed from the crystallization of molten magma. Its durable and less porous nature gives it an edge and is more preferred. It gives good resistance to heat and moisture. It has a granular appearance which is usually very shiny and glossy with many color variants.

It doesn’t become easily dull and discolored when using it over time. Its hardness measures 6-7 on the Mohs scale. It requires less maintenance and needs sealants once a year. And thus it becomes more suitable for kitchen.

Granite can be an excellent choice when it comes to floor tiles, backsplash, mantelpieces, and staircases. It has also been used for thousands of years, and it is evident from the historical structure made of granite white is standing till today.

Main Differences Between Marble and Granite

1. The very first difference lies between Marble and Granite is the appearance. Marble has more like veins swirling on the surface, which has consistent colors, whereas Granite is made up of grains material and is a more granular and fleck-like appearance.
2. Marble is a metamorphic stone made up of limestone metamorphosed with intense heat and pressure under the earth over a long period of time, whereas Granite is an igneous rock made up from the solidification of molten magma million years ago under the earth’s surface.
3. Marble measures a hardness of 3 to 5 on the Mohs scale, whereas Granite has a hardness of 6 to 7 . Thus, Granite has more strength and durability in comparison to Marble.
4. Marble is more porous than Granite, and thus Marble is not very resistant to heat, moisture, stain, or scratch, whereas the less porosity of Granite makes it hard and resistant to moisture, heat, stain, etc.
5. Both Granite and Marble need maintenance, but since marble is less durable and resistant, it requires more maintenance, either cleaning or sealing. Marble requires frequent sealing, whereas Granite requires it once a year. 

Conclusion

Both Marble and Granite are naturally made stones and the ideal choice when it comes to decorating the house. They both give a classy look to your house and are used as countertops in washrooms and kitchens. Since both have different origins, Marble is less durable than Granite. Granite is more resistant to some factors where marble is not, which gives an edge to Granite.

Since both come with different color variation and looks equally good wherever they are installed, both Marble and Granite can be used as countertops in houses.

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921509306000451
2. https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/ract-2016-2690/html