Marble Kithen Countertop and Backsplesh by DDF Granite

What is marble and how is it formed:

Marble is a metamorphic rock made out of limestone. When limestone is subjected to tremendous pressure for a long time (like if limestone is buried under a lot of other rock or an ocean) it gets squashed into marble. Marble is more beautiful than limestone and tougher, and so people like to use it for buildings.

But marble is also rarer, and more expensive. A lot of marble is white, but marble can come in all different colors. The color of marble ranges from the brilliant white of calcite to black, including blue-gray, red, yellow and green, depending upon the mineral composition. In ancient Greece and Rome, people used marble (especially white marble) to make statues, and they used colored marble in patterns to make hard floors that would last a long time. Marble itself can be of two types, one composed of calcite and the other of dolomite. Dolomitic marble is much more resistant to acid attack than calcite marble.

Kinds of marble:

Some historically important kinds of marble, named after the locations of their quarries, include:

  • Carrara (Italy)

  • Pentelicus (Greece)

  • Proconnesus (Turkey)


marble countertops for your bath and kitchen by DDF Granite

Uses of Marble:


One of the natural or inherent marble problems is weathering. Marble subjected to exterior exposures deteriorates due to weathering or the natural effects of wind, rain, and thermal change. Marble is extremely durable and because of its limited porosity does not absorb large amounts of water. But it does, however, absorb some water and, since it is highly reactive when exposed to acids or even mildly acidic rain water, it can suffer substantial deterioration. In short, while the porosity of marble is low, the shape of the pores (elliptical) allows greater dissolution than in typical round pores, and this fact coupled with marble’s inherent solubility in acids can result in two major problems:

1. Loss of polish 

2. Loss of detailing

The most common symptoms of weathering are a loss of the highly polished surface (where it exists) and loss of crisp edge details in decorative carved areas of the stone.