Twenty years ago, we processed and saw mostly granite countertops, such as black gold sand, blue hemp, green star, Indian red, dark green hemp, Shanxi black, fantasy red, fantasy hemp, fantasy green, brown diamond, red diamond, Jaguar red, British brown, G657, G652, etc. The countertops processed by these materials are really beautiful with unique star points on the surface, shining mica, and faint light, which are very popular among Chinese consumers and European and American countries.
However, with the development of marbre and the surge in the number of marble applications and the substantial increase in marble processing companies in the past 10 years, the previous granite countertops have been basically replaced by marble countertops. Therefore, the processing volume of marble countertops has increasingly exceeded that of granite countertops and has replaced granite countertops. In addition to the above factors, there are also the following factors for the reason why the sales volume of marble countertops exceeds that of granite countertops.
(1) Marble has a wide variety of varieties
Marble has completely different colors and textures, some are unrestrained and romantic, some are like rolling clouds, some are quiet and contemplative, and some are like rainbows. They fully reflect and show the charm of marble’s unique colors and textures, and are ideal materials for processing marble countertops.
(2) Marble has a large output
Because marble is a soft material, its mining technology and methods are diverse, and its mining efficiency is much higher than that of granite. Therefore, the output of marble is much higher than that of granite. In the stone slab market, we see more marble than granite. Since the slab market displays an overwhelming and dazzling array of marble, naturally, people choose marble when choosing countertops. The rich variety of marble varieties and huge quantity provide a convenient door for the selection of marble countertops.
(3) Marble cutting accuracy and high efficiency
The material hardness of marble is much lower than that of granite, and the cutting accuracy and efficiency of marble are higher than those of granite. Therefore, the processing efficiency of marble countertops is much higher than that of granite. When cutting some granite with high hardness, due to the quality problem of saw blade, the flatness of the cut granite countertop is poor. During processing, the straightness must be corrected manually, which greatly affects the processing efficiency and product quality of granite. If the countertop is a thickened countertop, the edge collapse of the bottom of the granite is more serious than that of marble, and the quality of the added edge is very poor, which affects the quality of the thickened countertop.
4) Marble is easy to shape and convenient to process various shapes
Marble has low hardness, and various complex edge shapes can be processed with a forming knife. The processing efficiency is high and the quality is good. The cost of edge shape processing with a forming knife is much lower than that of granite. On the contrary, because of the high hardness of granite, the cost of edge shape processing with a forming knife is high, and the processing efficiency is much lower than that of marble. The edge shaping of marble, especially the shaping of special-shaped countertops, is easier to achieve mechanization and automation than granite, and the assembly line production of marble countertops can be realized.
(5) High efficiency in grinding and polishing of marble countertops
Because of its soft material, marble countertops are much more efficient in grinding and polishing than granite, and can be easily automated and assembled using mechanical equipment. Conversely, because of its great hardness, granite is far less efficient in grinding and polishing than marble; mechanical grinding and polishing of granite sometimes produces wear marks, grinding circles, and low gloss. Equipment-polished counters still must be handcrafted to satisfy standards for quality.
(6) Marble is easier to match with wall and floor stones
Nowadays, buildings’ walls and floors are decorated with marble, and designers’ countertops mostly match or reflect the stones of the walls and flooring. In this sense, Marble has more and wider matching stones, which indicates that the countertop material chosen in the Marble material environment is more likely to be Marble than granite.
(7) Marble countertops are easier to carve and show details
Granite has more brittle quality and hardness than marble. Marble thus has an advantage over granite if you wish to handle some higher-end countertop products, such carving the edge of the countertop and processing more intricate designs. Showing pattern elements and details makes the edge pattern and countertop relief more vivid and energetic.
(8) The surface texture of marble is more delicate and crystal-clear than granite
Marble comprises elements, thus the snowflake-like crystal particles on the surface make many marble materials crystal-clear and have a strong jade texture; some marble materials are more popular because of their unique texture and color, like natural landscape paintings. With good decorative effects and great product artistic value, some marble materials are naturally fit for countertops due of their unusual texture and color.
Marble countertops have become the preferred material in the market due to their diverse varieties, high output, processing accuracy and efficiency, easy shaping and processing, high efficiency of grinding and polishing, easy matching with wall and floor stones, advantages in carving and detail display, and their delicate and crystal clear surface texture. These qualities not only satisfy consumers’ needs for practicality and beauty but also satisfy modern design ideas’ requirements as well as production technologies. Marble counters will keep ruling the market of kitchen countertop materials with their special appeal and benefits as consumer tastes and technology develop.
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