Marble Vs Granite Geology
As granite and marble became very popular materials for kitchen and bathroom countertops across the united states during the last decade home owners have become more and more interested to know the differences between these two natural stones.
Marble vs granite geology. When choosing countertops for your kitchen or bathroom granite and marble surfaces are popular choices. It has been in use extensively since the ancient times for both indoor and outdoor applications. An igneous rock that is coarse grained and overall light colored. Appearance of granite is veined or pebbled and that of marble is veined and shiny.
But in the parlance of the natural stone industry the definition of granite is expanded to include all igneous rocks as well as many metamorphic rocks like gneiss and schist. Marble is a metamorphic rock that forms when limestone is subjected to the heat and pressure of metamorphism. Granite and marble are the most popular choices when it comes to natural stone countertops. Many home owners want to know which material is suitable for kitchen countertops what is preferred for bathroom vanity tops what stone is good for.
It is composed primarily of the mineral calcite caco 3 and usually contains other minerals such as clay minerals micas quartz pyrite iron oxides and graphite under the conditions of metamorphism the calcite in the limestone recrystallizes to form a rock that is. A more precise definition is used by petrologists geologists who specialize in the study of rocks. And the definition of granite expands wildly when used by people who sell dimension stone such as countertops tile and building veneer. A simple definition is used in introductory courses.
Multiple definitions of granite. Granite is comparatively harder and stronger than marble. There are pros and cons to using each material so it s just a matter of deciding what s right for your needs as well as your budget. Marble is commonly used for sculpture and as a building material.
Granite countertops have risen top popularity over the past few decades while marble countertops have been a focal point of homes for years on end. They are natural stones unlike say engineered quartz silestone so both marble and granite surfaces are susceptible to chipping and st. The hardness of granite is 6 7 and that of marble is 3 4. Granite is available in black grey orange pink white colors whereas marble is available in black blue brown grey pink white colors.
Marble for example is elegant in appearance while granite offers a more natural look. Properties of rock is another aspect for granite vs marble. Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals most commonly calcite or dolomite marble is typically not foliated although there are exceptions in geology the term marble refers to metamorphosed limestone but its use in stonemasonry more broadly encompasses unmetamorphosed limestone. In geology granite is one specific thing.
The word granite is used in a variety of ways by different people. Quartz granite and marble are three of the best and most popular countertop options on the market.