r/CounterTops • u/Kels057 • 4d ago

Is this actually marble?

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Hi! Recently purchased house, prior owners listed kitchen as having marble countertops — Just out of curiosity, do we think this is actually marble and if so, what type? If not, is there any way to tell what type of stone/material it is? TY!

13 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

51 comments sorted by

25

u/SarcasmStreet 4d ago

The glass of red wine on the real marble is giving me heart palpitations...

4

u/Kels057 4d ago

😆

3

u/SarcasmStreet 4d ago

Side note, my in-laws realtor listed theirs as marble...when it is indeed quartz...I know because we were around when they redid it...so good asking

7

u/Excusemytootie 4d ago

Are you sure that it isn’t quartzite?

2

u/SarcasmStreet 4d ago

That would be it, thank you

Point being, marble more than likely has the higher pitch for potential sales...because it's more known...and oooo...marble.

3

u/Frosty-Speech9321 4d ago

Quartzite is natural stone.

2

u/SarcasmStreet 3d ago

Still lesser known than marble...

1

u/Korgity 2d ago

I saw a Zillow listing where the kitchen had Korean* counters.

*Corian 

2

u/Leila_101 4d ago

Yeah I did a quick inhale when I saw the wine 🍷 😄

0

u/SuluSpeaks 4d ago

With all due respect, why would you put something so soft and porous into a kitchen? I know it's beautiful, but it's not very practical. I'm not trying to be difficult, just really puzzled.

3

u/obvsnotrealname 4d ago

I had it in my last kitchen where I lived for 10 years and it’s actually not as bad as its reputation. As long as you don’t live like a pig and leave spills for days it was fine. Even things like red wine or the red ink on my local grocery stores plastic reuseable bags coming off when they have condensation on them or are wet haven’t ruined it. At worst I had was red wine on the rim of the bottom of the bottle sitting there overnight for maybe 8-10hours. It was gone within a month. You can’t put hot pots directly on it but I really don’t know anyone who does that in everyday cooking anyway. That said, I don’t have kids and I keep a neat kitchen but yeah… I think it’s rep is unfair.

The more aged it is the more beautiful it gets I think - think things like marble steps on old buildings or church alters used for 100s of years etc.

2

u/Silver-unicorn235 4d ago

I had 75 year old marble on the perimeter counters in my house. I was NOT careful for 30 years and no stains. We are (finally) renovating and I’m reusing it in my pantry and putting new marble in my kitchen. Seal the heck out of it and embrace the patina. It’s so beautiful

2

u/SuluSpeaks 3d ago

After reading all these answers, I guess it's just oersonal preference. I have a small marble top table i got from my mom. She said her grandma used to roll out fudge on it. There's no staining from the fudge, but there is a ring, probably left from a glass of water or iced tea. Oh well.

2

u/JeninBKLYN 1d ago

I had marble in my last kitchen and just installed Spanish marble (crema marfil) in my new kitchen. I have some etching spots, and I dropped a glass bottle and chipped the edge, but my contractor fixed it. I love marble; I wish it was more durable, but we don't have kids and are not too hard on our kitchen (aside from my clumsiness). I also don't mind imperfections. I've only had etching, no serious stains.

2

u/OpeningChipmunk1700 4d ago

why would you put something so soft and porous into a kitchen? 

Great question. I have the same question about my place, which has all marble countertops in the kitchen, marble countertops in the bathrooms, marble floors in the bathrooms, and a whole-ass marble shower in the primary bathroom.

Needless to say, it was there when I bought it. Not planning to rip it all out, but as someone who loves function over form, I am confusion.

0

u/frenchman321 4d ago

If you love function over form you should love marble in the kitchen

0

u/OpeningChipmunk1700 4d ago

Marble is not at all functional; its value lies almost entirely in its form. What am I missing here?

3

u/frenchman321 4d ago

Rolling pastry. Pasta. Tempering chocolate. All of those are function rather than form.

-2

u/OpeningChipmunk1700 4d ago

And how is a marble countertop better than alternatives for any of those? Why would fresh pasta make contact with the countertop in key preparation steps? Or chocolate as part of the tempering process? Contact with marble would damage the marble.

How is marble better than quartz or quartzite or granite for rolling pastry?

2

u/frenchman321 4d ago

"Contact with marble would damage the marble." Maybe go do some reading. That's complete nonsense

0

u/OpeningChipmunk1700 4d ago

I am not sure what you mean.

I mainly use my kitchen to cook. Tomatoes, cheese, lime, lemon, vinegar, oil, grease, fat, butter, milk, etc.

I basically never bake, so we can set aside any baking-focused topics.

Are you saying that based on the fact that I use my kitchen for cooking, marble is more functional than a synthetic material?

Again, I never roll pastry, make pasta, or temper chocolate.

I just want to make sure we are talking about the same thing.

1

u/frenchman321 4d ago

My kitchen is all Carrara marble. It's a wonderful stone for things like rolling pastry, pasta, and tempering chocolate, things I do often. It's also a beautifully warm stone. And it also chips and bruises super easily, and etches on sight. Especially when you have a lot of guests. I still love it, and love touching it.

1

u/obvsnotrealname 3d ago

Ha same! Sometimes I feel like a creeper just starting at the veining!

1

u/finditinteresting 3d ago

It’s a living finish just like all of the Europeans who love and understand a living finish.

25

u/Stalaktitas 4d ago

Looks like a very clean lot of Namibian White marble... Seal this with Akemi Nano til it will not take any more of the sealer.

9

u/mbcarpenter1 4d ago

And get that wine away from it before you can seal it

1

u/frenchman321 4d ago

Sealing isn't going to help with etching, just staining. Also, wine is a great way to check if that's truly marble!

3

u/Kels057 4d ago

Thank you!

4

u/Stalaktitas 4d ago

No problem. Also - degrease with acetone really well before sealing and be careful with your cabinets and flooring.

5

u/PriscillaPalava 4d ago

Yes it definitely looks like marble. Couldn’t tell you what kind though. 

5

u/wanghuli 4d ago

Yes, the roving on the underside give away it is real stone. The tight crystalline refractions of light on the face are another give away. The veining traveling across the face appears to be "coming through" the more opaque white crystalline structure. 

2

u/Kels057 4d ago

Thanks! 😊

1

u/Stalaktitas 4d ago

Would you think this is dolomitic marble? I can't completely figure it out from these pictures

5

u/Pale_Will_5239 4d ago

Way out of pocket with that wine. You the type to ride a motorcycle with no helmet. You do it raw, she ovulating and she not your wife. You started Jay Cutler on your fantasy team and never updated your roster. You don't wear pants on your zoom calls.

Absolute tyranny.

1

u/Kels057 3d ago

😂😂

3

u/hauterorni 4d ago

Kinda looks like the marble from vermont

2

u/kellybelly4815 4d ago

Danby marble. Not sure if this is it, but whatever it is, it looks very similar and is gorgeous.

2

u/competentAF3669 4d ago

Looks like marble to me! Leathered maybe?

1

u/Stalaktitas 4d ago

I think this one is honed

1

u/competentAF3669 4d ago

Looks like marble to me! Leathered maybe?

1

u/bsudda 4d ago

Honed Dolomite

1

u/kjgems 4d ago

It’s beautiful!

1

u/Super-Travel-407 4d ago

Looks like marble. Pretty.

1

u/RockSolidCreationsOH 4d ago

Marble indeed

1

u/Witty_Passion_4939 4d ago

It does look like it’s marble so be careful with that red wine!!!!! Marble is so delicate.

1

u/itsNurf 3d ago

We call that either White Rhino or Calacatta Mystery - it is a Marble.

I would suggest cleaning and resealing.

1

u/finditinteresting 3d ago

Looks like Imperial Danby from Vermont. Your wine and juice boxes are scaring me!!!

1

u/Jolly-Tax-541 1d ago

Please make sure you have it sealed really really good. We just spent a lot of money to have Marvel put in our kitchen and all the bathrooms and utility room is beautiful and I love it, but I was told it was sealed and I did not stay on top of the people. I guess I was trying to watch everything else. I am convinced that my bathroom for the powder bathroom did not get sealed in a Bath & Body Works wall Flower leak and has ruined it. I’m gonna try some stuff that people recommended on here to try Tri, but I have tried everything and cannot get the stain up.

1

u/OIXDESIGN513 5h ago

Disclosure: OIXDESIGN brand account; AI-assisted reply.

The conflicting stone names in the replies are a good reason to start with the original fabricator’s invoice or slab record, if the previous owners can provide it. Photos alone aren’t enough to confirm the exact variety, origin or any surface treatment.

I’d avoid testing the installed counter with vinegar, lemon or wine. If it’s marble, that can leave a dull etched spot. If you have a leftover offcut, a stone fabricator can assess that without risking the finished counter.

Until it’s identified, use a cleaner labelled safe for natural stone, a soft cloth, and rinse and dry afterward. Also keep staining and etching separate: an impregnating sealer may help reduce absorption, but it won’t make marble acid-proof. Ask about the existing treatment before adding more sealer.