Marble tile backsplash - ok in kitchen?

[Anonymous]

We are doing our kitchen with white cabinets and white/light grey swirl countertops (typical, yes). I know marble is pourous and can absorb stains, but I can't stop loving every photo I see of a marble backsplash in pretty much any pattern. It's hard to find anything in ceramic or porcelain that I like as much.

If you have a marble backsplash, do you regret it? Is it easy enough to move stains with a poultice?

[Anonymous]

I almost did this too but hated the look of the two patterns up against each other where the back counter and backsplash meet. Loved the marble tile but didn’t like it next to quartz. It then made the countertop look cheaper or fake. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

We love our marble backsplash. Make sure to seal it and you should be fine if you clean up messes quickly. To the PP’s point about clashing patterns, we got Thassos marble which is solid with a bit of variation in tone and a lot of sparkle up close.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I almost did this too but hated the look of the two patterns up against each other where the back counter and backsplash meet. Loved the marble tile but didn’t like it next to quartz. It then made the countertop look cheaper or fake. YMMV.

The counter we plan to get won't have much pattern, mostly white with just a little bit of grey swirl. By marble tile, i dont mean swirly pattern tiles like is used in bathrooms, but a solid white/grey tile cut in a pattern such as herringbone or alternating Subway tile. I'v seen photos and floor models similar to what I plan to do and don't think it looks cheap at all but everyone's opinion is different.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We love our marble backsplash. Make sure to seal it and you should be fine if you clean up messes quickly. To the PP’s point about clashing patterns, we got Thassos marble which is solid with a bit of variation in tone and a lot of sparkle up close.

Thanks, how often do you seal it?

[Anonymous]

we have Calcutta gold marble subway tile backsplash in our kitchen and adore it. Have had it for 4 years and only sealed it once so far. No issues.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]we have Calcutta gold marble subway tile backsplash in our kitchen and adore it. Have had it for 4 years and only sealed it once so far. No issues. [/quote]

Thanks, that is good to know!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I almost did this too but hated the look of the two patterns up against each other where the back counter and backsplash meet. Loved the marble tile but didn’t like it next to quartz. It then made the countertop look cheaper or fake. YMMV.

The counter we plan to get won't have much pattern, mostly white with just a little bit of grey swirl. By marble tile, i dont mean swirly pattern tiles like is used in bathrooms, but a solid white/grey tile cut in a pattern such as herringbone or alternating Subway tile. I'v seen photos and floor models similar to what I plan to do and don't think it looks cheap at all but everyone's opinion is different.

From a wear standpoint it will hold up fine, but I agree with PP that marble up against quartz will make the quartz look plastic and bad. It looks fine in pictures but in person it will not.

[Anonymous]

Marble backsplash = fine. Marble with swirly countertop = not fine. You pick one star for your kitchen -- counter OR backsplash OR cabinets. If you have two stars that grab the eye, it looks lousy.

[Anonymous]

OP here - ok, design choices aside... We haven't officially picked any countertop or backsplash out yet, and any backsplash will be tested to see how it looks.So thanks, but I will figure out how it looks. The countertops we're looking at are predominant solid white with a barely there grey, but anyways...

All I really care to know is how hard it is to maintain and keep marble clean and stain free over the long term.

[Anonymous]

My marble counters are sealed and we have had zero issues with them. I am so glad I didn't listen to the naysayers and choose a fake marble looking quartz. For backsplash, I wouldn't think twice about maintenance issues

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My marble counters are sealed and we have had zero issues with them. I am so glad I didn't listen to the naysayers and choose a fake marble looking quartz. For backsplash, I wouldn't think twice about maintenance issues

NP here. I’m interested to hear more about your marble countertops. How long have you had them? What brand sealer did you use? Any other tips for choosing between marble of different qualities, installing without chips or cracks, and maintenance?

There seems to be plenty of naysayers against marble, and I feel pushed towards quartz

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My marble counters are sealed and we have had zero issues with them. I am so glad I didn't listen to the naysayers and choose a fake marble looking quartz. For backsplash, I wouldn't think twice about maintenance issues

NP here. I’m interested to hear more about your marble countertops. How long have you had them? What brand sealer did you use? Any other tips for choosing between marble of different qualities, installing without chips or cracks, and maintenance?

There seems to be plenty of naysayers against marble, and I feel pushed towards quartz

OP here - I haven't checked it out in person yet, but we were planning to look at quartzite which has a nice look in photos at least. Not sure how it looks in person. I think it's supposed to chip less than marble would.

[Anonymous]

OP- quartzite is very patterned and tends to be busy. If you want to do marble backsplash, a solid color quartz would work better.

We have had honed, sealed marble for 6 years now. It has zero staining. If you look closely, you can find some etching but because it’s honed, it’s not very obvious. Everyone tried talking me out of marble but I’m so glad that I listened to my friends who had it rather than all the naysayers (including DCUM). I’d do marble again in a heartbeat. Even if it were to stain, I’d prefer imperfect marble over the fake look of quartz or quartzite.

I have honed white quartz in my bathroom installed at the same time as my kitchen counters. It has stains and looks worse than the marble. The only reason I did quartz in the bathroom was bc I did marble floors and marble counters would have been too busy. I’m so glad I didn’t listen to my contractor who tried talking me into doing quartz in the kitchen. I have a friend with honed off-white Caesarstone quartz and she too complains about the staining of the quartz vs marble.

[Anonymous]

Is a white granite then a better option for durability and stain resistance than white anything else? We had light granite (cream with brown specs) and never had an issue with staining though I'm a messy cook and as have a kid.

I know you have to reaeal granite (though we never did) to maintain it but that's true with other stones anyways.

Why is granite out of style now?