Kitchen remodeling quartz services in Colorado Springs, CO? Both marble and granite countertops are quite durable, but ONLY if they are properly sealed every one or two years. Granite and marble are porous, so without a seal, liquids will penetrate and stain. When the seal fades and is not replaced, these stones can be easily marred by oil, wine, juice and anything acidic. Marble is especially vulnerable to acidic foods and liquids, so be very careful to keep them off the marble or to clean up immediately after contact.

A marble countertop in a kitchen where cooking happens won’t always look pristine, no matter how well you maintain it. But that’s part of the beauty of natural stone, says Bruno; over the years it acquires a patina that lends character, and many people consider that an asset. But there are still some things you can do to protect and preserve it. We asked Bruno for his advice on the best way to care for a marble countertop. Start with a good sealant. “Marble is one of the more porous stones, so you have to protect the surface by keeping it well sealed,” says Bruno. “When you buy the countertop, there’s no sealant on it. You could ask the installer to apply the sealant, but you can easily do it yourself once the countertop is in place.”

Because marble slabs are usually smaller than granite slabs, you may need more pieces to complete a full kitchen if using marble. Granite counters range in cost from $40 to $75 a square foot on average. More exotic stones, such as stones colored blue, may range in cost as high as $500 a square foot. For a 30-square-foot counter, the average material cost is around $1,000 to $1,500. Fabrication and labor add around $330 to the cost of the stone, a sink cutout adds another $100, and edging adds about $10 a linear foot on average. This makes the 30-square-foot granite counter cost between $3,000 and $3,500 installed. Fabrication, installation, cutout, and edging costs for marble are around the same cost. Material costs for marble are higher, starting at around $60 a square foot and going as high as $100. This makes the material costs for a marble counter of the same size between $1,800 and $3,000 making the total range $3,800 to $5,000 on average.

Don’t forget about your kitchen ceiling! Add a fun hit of color, wallpaper, or wood paneling to add dramatic flair to your space. If you’re installing custom cabinets, opt for a rough-hewn, reclaimed wood. And good news if you’re going pre-fab, companies such as IKEA are moving to more natural, eco-friendly materials for their kitchen cabinets. From bamboo to even recycled plastic bottles, cabinet companies are taking this revival of reduce and reuse very seriously. While wallpaper has become less scary to the general population over the last five years or so, folks are still reluctant to hang it in the kitchen. If you’re scared about the permanency of wallpaper, try something less, well, permanent. There are plenty of peel-and-stick papers in trendy designs that are incredibly easy to install and remove. Hot tip: Opt for a graphic design that mimics the look of tile. Discover more details at #1 for Countertops in Colorado.

Maintenance: Sealants are used on both granite and marble to prevent staining and etching. Marble requires sealing much more frequently i.e. twice a year (recommended by professionals) whereas for granite sealing once every two years is sufficient. The actual requirement for resealing depends on how heavily the surface was used and how regularly the stone’s cleaning was done.