What they are
Marble is natural rock, mostly calcite. Quartz worktops are made in a factory from about 90% crushed quartz held in resin. In a brochure they can look alike, but in a kitchen they don't behave the same way.
Guests and lemons
Lemon, vinegar, white wine, tomato sauce and most descalers leave dull marks on marble. A sealer slows stains, it doesn't stop that. In your own house you learn to wipe up. In a gîte with a new family every Saturday, someone will cut lemons on the worktop. Quartz doesn't mark, and that's the main reason people choose it for rentals.
Heat and sun
The resin is quartz's weak point. A pan straight off the hob can scorch or crack it, and the makers ask for trivets. Strong sun through a south window can change the colour over time, and most makers exclude outdoor use.
Marble doesn't mind a warm pan, and sun doesn't fade it. Outside, though, frost in the Aube is a problem, see marble tables.
An empty house in winter
Many second homes are shut from November to Easter. Cold on its own doesn't hurt either material indoors. The risk is a burst pipe under the sink. Turn the water off and leave cupboard doors open when you go.
Hard water
Champagne water is hard, and the products that remove scale are acid. They mark marble, while quartz isn't affected. See marble and hard water.
Looks
Marble has depth, and the veins go through the slab, so edges and cut-outs show the same pattern. Quartz often looks flatter on the edge. In an old house with beams and lime walls, honed marble looks at home from day one. Quartz suits a clean modern rental kitchen.
Repairs
Marble can be honed and repolished on site, which takes off marks and fine scratches. On quartz, deep burns and chips are harder to hide.
Granite
Granite is a dense natural stone that isn't bothered by acid, heat or sun. The pattern is grainier, not veined. For a holiday home with guests and a sunny terrace kitchen, that's often where people end up, and it's what we'd suggest. Dekton is another option, see kitchen worktops.
Before ordering
- Who cooks here most weeks, you or paying guests?
- Is the worktop under a south or west window with no blind?
- Will a cleaner use whatever spray is in the cupboard?
- Would you go honed? It hides marks on marble far better.
Some owners split it, granite or quartz by the sink, marble on the island where people sit.
Side by side
| Marble | Quartz | Granite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lemon, vinegar | Marks | Fine | Generally fine |
| Hot pans | Fine, trivet advised | Trivet needed | Fine |
| Sun, outdoors | Fine | Usually excluded | Fine |
| Repolish on site | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Sealing | Yes | No | Depends |
See both
In 2023 we had Black Marquina and Armani Grey both as natural marble and as quartz. Call to check stock, then come on a Saturday between 10:00 and 16:30 and look at a slab next to its quartz copy.
