The daily email requests often show us that it is difficult whether to choose marble or granite.
Our company Marmi Rossi imports marble and granite blocks, which are cut into slabs and then finished to be sold to traders and architects (look at online warehouse).
Normally, we don’t sell our slabs to private customers, but we try to find time to read their requests and give them some helpful information.
At times, we receive requests, which are far too general so that we are not able to reply in detail, especially when the interested party asks which natural stone fits best in a specified area (bathroom, kitchen etc.) without giving further details about colour, architecture and budget. However, these data are decisive for a fitting choice.
In our business, the selection of natural stone often depends on the person’s taste: ask two different stonemasons which natural stone will fit best in your kitchen.
At best, they‘ll agree to prefer granite to marble. But they won’t reach an agreement regarding the granite type, the thickness or the finishing of the slab.
When it comes to choose a certain material, we all have our own personal taste and our own ideas. We have second thoughts too, when we choose one natural stone over another, because every material has many variations. Furthermore, you’ll never find two identically looking marble or granite slabs. In order to make the best choice, you have to choose carefully between all the different materials gifted by Mother Nature.
The industry of marble, granite and natural stone is really wide-ranging with a large selection of natural stones, so one can quickly lose track of them. In addition, nature doesn’t produce ‘mass produced goods‘ and every natural stone slab is unique and inimitable.
If you want to find the best marble or granite, you’ll have also to consider that granite and marble slabs, as every commercial product, depend on market rules, such as price-performance ratio. Another selection criteria is decisive: the aesthetic, which is usually perceived in a subjective way, plays a big role and determines considerably the price.
On the other hand, it’s difficult to value these unique materials created by nature over millions of years ago. They are real works of art, transformed into blocks and slabs by men who create then sculptures and furnishing. The many colour shades and ‘nuances’ of natural stone are unique and cannot easily be estimated.
The variety of material gifted by Mother Nature, is often bettered by human inventiveness and creativity. Technological innovations are constantly added to the traditional finishing, which means extending the application of natural stone in other areas.
You‘ll surely understand now, why the choice is so enormous in our business and why we got the idea of sharing a sort of guide. It may explain you the most important criteria whether to choose marble or granite and how to give them the right value.
In the next articles we’ll answer to these questions:
- When should I prefer marble to granite?
- Which material shall I choose?
- What factors can affect the thickness of a marble or a granite slab?
- Depending on the use, what kind of finishing works better?
Basically, we are taking you by the hand and give you technical advice in the world of natural stone.