It’s hard to match the classic elegance of richly veined marble countertops! They turn an ordinary kitchen or bathroom into extraordinary, and when they’re combined with new cabinetry and other fresh décor, the transformation is amazing. While their popularity does rise and fall from time to time, marble countertops remain one of the classic choices where premium quality is desired.
Michelangelo created some of his finest sculptures such as David and Pietà out of marble, and marble countertops bring that kind of spectacular beauty to your home.  However, for all its appeal, marble has its durability drawbacks for use in kitchen and bathroom countertops. We explore all the pros and cons of marble countertops below.
This marble countertops guide gives you complete information to research these products for use in your home. You might also want to read our granite and quartz countertop guides to compare marble with these other premium, popular materials.

What You Should Know About Marble Countertops

Marble is a metamorphic rock containing a high concentration of calcite or dolomite. The word is derived from Greek meaning to sparkle or gleam. There are many variations of marble based on the minerals which give it color and veining. The most popular for use in marble countertops include:

⦁ Carrara: White or blue-gray, from Italy
⦁ Connemara: Green, from Ireland
⦁ Creole: White or blue & black, from Georgia, USA
⦁ Etowah: Pink, salmon or rose, from Georgia, USA
⦁ Murphy: White, from the USA
⦁ Parian: Very white, from Greece
⦁ Purbeck: Gray/brown, from the UK
⦁ Ruskeala: White, from Russia
⦁ Sienna: Yellow with various color veins, from Italy
⦁ Swedish Green: Green, from Sweden
⦁ Vermont White: White, from Vermont, USA
⦁ Wunsiedel: White, from Germany
⦁ Makrana: White, from India

Marble varies in the size of the grains and the amount of veining, so stone quarried from different parts of the world have a unique appearance. Fine-grained marble tends to be more consistent in color. Heavier grains produce more variation in color.
You’ve got finish options too. Marble surfaces popular for counters are:

⦁ Honed or Matte: The marble is sanded to be smooth, and it has almost a soft feel. A matte finish mutes the color somewhat while doing a good job of hiding scratches.
⦁ Polished: The surface is grinded and buffed to produce a rich luster that sparkles. A polished surface really brings out the color and veining, but it is also the most susceptible to showing scratches.
⦁ Leather: This finish is preferred on darker marble. It textures the finish to better hide scratches and fingerprints while still offering some gleam.

Which marble style you prefer is simply a matter of personal preference. Part of the fun of shopping for marble countertops is to find the right “look” for the design you’ve got in mind for your bathroom or kitchen countertops.
The team at El Dorado Tile & Marble has been Marble countertops for years and has the tools and experience to ensure that your Marble countertop is professionally installed.