Wednesday, August 5, 2009

The Lincoln Kitchen?


Well, not exactly the Lincoln kitchen, but I'm using the same marble.
Alabama White.

Isn't it lovely? After much debate, I decided that if I used anything else, I'd not be satisfied.

In a way, it's a "greener" kitchen because of the stone selection. By choosing a regional stone, not only am I supporting a local industry, but also reducing the consumption of fuels used in transportation. Don't you think we should all try buy local?


Here's the exact slab that we will have cut. It has an antiqued finish. It has a bit more tooth than honed and no shine at all.



We've had honed granite in another kitchen for almost 10 years. We've loved it. It shows nothing and truly seems indestructible. I say all of this because I've gotten used to basically not caring for it, other than routine cleaning. So, I was a bit concerned about selecting marble.

I did my research and decided to do an experiment on a honed sample slab. I sealed half of it with a stone impregnator. I put coffee, water, cooking oil, cranberry juice, and lemon juice on it.

On the unsealed side, the oil, cranberry and lemon were the worst.
The oil soaked in and appears deep. The cranberry and lemon etched
the surface, causing it to appear more matte than before.

On the sealed side, the lemon and cranberry were still problems. The lemon was the worst. Anything with acid will cause etching. It certainly appears that stains can be avoided by using a good impregnating sealer. Etching on the other hand, will happen with acids even on a honed marble--therefore, I chose the antiqued finish.

Any of you have experience with marble in a kitchen or bath? I'd like to hear about it. Even better, send me pictures!