Quartz Alternatives to Marble

What is Marble?

Marble is a metamorphic stone that can be found in mountainous regions all over the world-North America, South America, Europe and Asia. It is one of the oldest stones available on the market for countertops with its origins dating back to ancient Greece and Rome where it was used to construct everything from buildings, pillars, and sculptures. It is comprised of calcium carbonate and is formed as a result of limestone being exposed to high temperatures and immense pressure over time. Marble comes in a variety of different colours and patterns ranging from neutral hues of white, grey and brown, to more bold and vivid colours like black, red, green, and pink. The colour and pattern of the veining is largely dependent on what kind of minerals are found in the stone. There are many different types of marble and each slab is unique- this can be both a good and bad thing when selecting your marble slabs.

Let’s Explore the 3 Most Popular Marble Choices

Cararra Marble: The most common type of Italian marble. It often has a slightly grey base with soft feathery veining throughout. It is one of the more affordable types of marble on the market.

Calacatta Marble: Has a much whiter base with thick, dramatic veining throughout the slab. The veins can range from grey to a beautiful brown/gold colour. Calacatta marble is recognized for its thick, predominate pattern and often comes with a premium price tag.

Statuario Marble: One of the most precious marble varieties found in Italy. It has a pure white background, with dramatic grey veining. Statuario marble tends to be more monochromatic compared to Calacatta, which pulls more warm tones and has more variation. Similar to Calacatta, Statuario marble is very expensive.

Drawbacks to Marble

Marble is a high maintenance surface, there is no way around it. It is soft and incredibly porous making it extremely susceptible to staining, scratching, and etching. Common spills that happen in a kitchen such as red wine, coffee, and oil, are easily absorbed into the stone making staining somewhat inevitable. Even leaving a glass of water can leave a permanent ring mark. That is why sealing marble countertops is an absolute requirement and something you have to do regularly. Stone experts suggest every 6 months if you cook in your kitchen often. Marble can also be quite expensive. Depending on what type of marble you choose, for example, Calacatta or Statuario, it can come with a premium price tag-we are talking upwards of $150/square foot installed! Marble countertops require a certain level of care and vigilance, so if you are looking for a low maintenance countertop, and are not willing to embrace the imperfections and patina, marble might not be the right choice for you.

Why HanStone Quartz is a Great Marble Alternative

Quartz is a great alternative to marble countertops for a number of reasons. HanStone Quartz countertops are engineered stone surfaces comprised of up to 93% natural quartz (a very hard mineral), mixed with resin and pigment. In fact, natural quartz rates seven out of 10 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. The only material harder are diamonds, sapphires and topaz. Through a manufacturing process, the quartz slabs are created, and each colour has a very specific “recipe” or formulation. The end result is a quartz slab that is extremely durable. There are many benefits to HanStone Quartz countertops. They are durable, heat, scratch, stain resistant, and non-porous which means you never have to seal them -something you have to do with marble.

HanStone Quartz is the perfect low maintenance countertop option for a busy family home, and for high traffic areas such as the kitchen or bathroom. With daily cleaning, hard-to-clean stains and spills will now be a thing of the past -you also don't need to panic is someone spills red wine on your quartz countertop. So, if you love to cook and entertain and don’t want to worry about making sure everyone uses a coaster, HanStone Quartz is the perfect option. For added peace of mind, HanStone offers a lifetime Residential Warranty. For cleaning recommendations please refer to our complete Care & Maintenance Guide.

HanStone Marble Alternatives

If you are looking for something marble-esque, HanStone Quartz has some great options. Let's take a look at our favourites!

Montauk

While we don’t like to pick favourites, there is definitely a reason why Montauk is consistently one of our top selling colours. It boasts a soft grey base with subtle charcoal veining, warm sandy dappling, and a delicate ivory marble pattern that creates a sense of depth and movement. Because Montauk seamlessly blends both warm and cooler tones, it pairs with almost any colour of cabinetry making it one of our most versatile colours. So, whether you are going with a more neutral cabinet colour, or something on the bolder side, Montauk will be sure to complement your design aesthetic.

Calacatta Extra

The name certainly speaks for itself. This colour is EXTRA! Inspired by the elegance and striking beauty of Calacatta marble, Calacatta Extra is one of the newest colours to grace our collection. It’s pure white base features dramatic ribbons of taupe and grey veining accented with delicate onyx veins for a truly captivating style. If you are looking to make a bold statement in your kitchen and want a more affordable alternative to real Calacatta marble, Calacatta Extra is definitely the way to go.

Calacatta Gold

Striking by design, Calacatta Gold’s sweeping grey veins stand proud against a warm white background. If you are looking for a colour that has soft directional veining and lots of depth, Calacatta Gold might just be the perfect choice. It’s warm white background pairs beautifully with warmer white cabinets and gold hardware.

Calacatta Venato

Inspired by the classic Italian marble style, Calacatta Venato features subtle notes of umber and charcoal that sweep across a warm cream backdrop for a look that’s soft and inviting. If you are looking for a countertop with more subdued veining, Calacatta Venato would make an excellent choice.

If you are interested in HanStone Quartz we always recommend visiting (if possible) one of our showrooms, or a local HanStone Dealer to see the quartz slabs in person. Looking for a HanStone Quartz Dealer? Visit our Find a Dealer page!