Granite and marble are the natural stones most used in the interiors and exteriors of buildings.

When comparing Granite and Marble, texture, color and appearance play an important role in determining the type of stone. Both are different in terms of aesthetics, degree of hardness, ability to resist stains and overall durability and, of course, cost.

Not all stones that come out of the marble quarry are «marble». It is necessary to classify and group, depending on physical properties, shape, size, pattern, structure and color.

On the other hand, this does not happen in the case of granite.

In this article we will present a difference between granite and marble, which will help you make the right choice for your projects.

Granite
Granite is an igneous rock formed from molten magma.

Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock made of limestone due to the extreme heat and high pressures to which it was subjected..

Granite
Granite is used in floors, coverings, steps, kitchen counters, parapets and sills, baseboards, benches, columns, fireplaces, and more in homes and public buildings, public squares, etc.

It is a hard stone and, although sculptures are seldom used, the finer-grained granite allows for beautiful stonework, as is very common in the North of Portugal, in the area of ​​Alpendorada.

Marble
Marble is used on floors, steps, counters, table tops, wall cladding, sinks, jars, soap dishes and other decorative objects, both in residential and public buildings, including temples, monuments, etc.

It is a soft stone, easy to shape and is widely used for sculpture and as a decorative material. Hence it is more common in temple

Granite
Granite consists of many small grains. All the spots appear in different colors, which gives the shades of blue, gray, black, white, yellow, pink with different patterns.

Marble
Marble has the vein pattern, which also comes in different shapes, sizes and colors. There is also a wide variety of colors in earth tones, including green, blue, gray, pink, white, red, red and, of course, stunning pure white.

Granite
Gray granites, blue, black, and yellow granites are the most popular (existing granites in Portugal) and used worldwide. For each color there is a scale of tones that varies from the lightest to the darkest.

Marble
White marble (from Estremoz, Portugal or Carrara, Italy), gray, black, pink (from Estremoz, Portugal), beige, are the most popular colors. But there are absolutely fascinating colors, like blue, green and gold.

Granite
It is available in limited options in patterns and colors.

Marble
It is also available in limited options, but has more patterns and colors.

Granite
It has more finishing options than marble. Depending on the purpose for which it is intended, granite may have the following finishes: polished, honed, sawn, bush-hammered, flamed, chopped, cracked granite.

Marble
The most common finish on marble is polished. The honed finish will be the second option.

Granite
Requires less maintenance compared to marble.

Marble
Requires more maintenance to keep it shiny.
Demands immediate cleaning in spills to avoid permanent stains.

Although there are limits of magnitude, both granite and marble can be cut to size.

Granite
Cheaper than marble, the price varies according to the type, thickness, finish and size.

Marble
It is usually more expensive than granite, the price also varies according to the type, thickness, finishes and size.

Granite

1. Granite is very easy to clean and maintain.
2. It is suitable for high traffic areas.
3. Granite does not look as cold as marble.
4. It is not affected by the climate.
5. Polished granite will last for many years without scratching, staining and chipping.

Mármore

1. Marble has a translucency that makes it shine, which makes any environment where applied more clear.
2. Marble is also known for its versatility in the art of sculpting monuments and walls and floors. Remember the Tajmahal, considered one of the wonders of the world, made with white marble.
3. Marble is used in bathrooms.
4. It has a smooth appearance compared to granite.
5. The joints of the marble tiles can be easily combined.

Granite

1. In some cases the edges at the joints do not match perfectly, which makes it look misaligned.

Marble

1. The great disadvantage of marble is its high porosity, which absorbs liquids.
2. Marble is sensitive to acids such as lemon juice and vinegar; it may not be the preferred stone for kitchen countertops.
3. You may need a new polish to recover the shine, depending on the intensity of use and care.
4. It is not suitable for areas of heavy traffic, as it can lose shine in addition to faster wear.
5. Marble is affected by climatic conditions and turns yellow because it contains iron oxide content in the composition.
6. It may be necessary to have extra pieces, because after a while, similar types of marble are difficult to obtain.

From the above information about Granite and Marble, we can conclude that both stones, although similar, have different aesthetic, physical properties, cost and useful life.

The choice depends mainly on the visual effects you want to give to your home interiors and how and where you want to use these natural stones and, of course, your budget.