It’s the New Year, and for many people who have been living in their home for a number of years it is time to upgrade their kitchens.

One of the most important considerations is the worktops, because they are probably the stand-out feature in most kitchens. They catch the eye, especially if they are beautiful. Sure, you can get plain old single-coloured laminates if you want something cheap and cheerful, but who wants “cheap and cheerful” when for a little more you can have something which dazzles? After all, whatever you choose is going to be with you for years.

At Marble & Granite, one of the types of natural stone that we get asked for very often is marble worktops in London because they have an amazing sheen that you just can’t seem to get with other stones. But it has other benefits too, not the least of which is that pastry chefs absolutely love it. This is because it is porous and is therefore a poor conductor of heat, which is perfect for mixing dough on.

It Needs A Sealant

However, there is one downside, and that is that because it is porous it is subject to staining. You can overcome that by using a sealant. But here is something that many people don’t know: some marbles are less porous than others! That means that they have different absorption rates, and in turn some marbles actually have lower absorption rates than certain granites, so it is worth checking on these.

With that said, if you do spill things such as vinegar, lemon juice, red wine, coffee, and so on, you should wipe them off as soon as you spot them. You also need to use a chopping board rather than chop foods directly on them, but that applies to most other worktop types too.

We can provide you with honed marble worktops in London, but most customers prefer polished marble which, apart from that amazing shine, is less porous than honed. Either way, both will require regular sealing, but it is not such a big issue. Sealant can last for up to 5 years, and a simple way to check if your marble needs re-sealing is to place a glass of iced water on it and leave it for a bit. Pick up the glass, and if water beads up on the surface from condensation, then it’s fine. It is still sealed.