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February 3, 2008
Tumbled Marble Countertops?
We're planning a kitchen redo and would love to find a way to put in countertops with the look of tumbled marble--i.e., the look of weathered stone/concrete. We already found some tumplbed marble tiles and a great farm sink in the material but can't seem to locate countertops to go with them. Any ideas?
Thanks so much!
Comments
You can do concrete or marble countertops. If thats the style you're looking for, then go with that.
I think anything made to look like some other material ends up looking cheap no matter how much you spend.
Posted by: Mrs. Limestone at February 3, 2008 12:37 PM
you can't "tumble" the whole countertop to get that same effect. go with a honed, non-glossy finish on a tone or do the concrete. Stay away from marble in the kitchen...it stains too easily
Posted by: guest at February 3, 2008 1:49 PM
A friend of mine in chicago had a cast concrete sink and counters made. Once it was sealed it was smooth and had a look similar to what you're describing. Much cheaper than Marble to.
Posted by: bunkerlabs at February 3, 2008 3:04 PM
We're already not on the same page, since I don't like tumbled marble or rustic kitchens--especially "pickled" wood cabinets, which to me are the kitchen equivalent of stonewashed jeans--but I don't like concrete counters because they have airholes (unhygenic) and often crack.
Posted by: guest at February 3, 2008 5:34 PM
That counter is going to be loaded with bacteria. Good luck with that.
Posted by: guest at February 3, 2008 10:16 PM
I'm not sure I have ever heard of tumbled marble used for countertops in a kitchen. I have seen "flamed" stone that turns out pretty rough but never tumbled. (Unless it was used for some type of decorative non food prep surface like a dining table using small mosaic pieces)
I can't imagine keeping them sanitary. What you may be thinking of is HONED marble. That is mable that does not have a glossy surface. You will need to find a stone supplier or finisher who can either supply you with stone that was never completly "finished" or someone who can remove the glossy polished surface from existing stone. This is hard to do as many times circular grind mark show up over time as the stone ages with dirt, ect. Honed marble is perfectly suited for kitchens as you never have to worry about food acids (citrus) etching the gloss off your counters as it has already been de-glossed. Honed marble, limestone, granite for example is often used in wet conditions =bathroom floors= where slipping is a hazard. Be careful not to over use tumbled marble. As the comment "acid washed jeans" is right on. I understand your feelings though. It can be very seductive in a kitsch kind of roman ruins sort of way.
Posted by: guest at February 3, 2008 10:51 PM
Honed marble still etches when in contact with acids - its just less noticeable when the marble isn't polished.
Posted by: Mrs. Limestone at February 4, 2008 8:56 AM
Thanks for the advice. I realize that not everyone shares this look, but we like it. Of course, the hygenic issues are paramount so we'll probably end up going with granite. Sigh. Anyway, thanks again.
Posted by: lah at February 4, 2008 10:27 AM
You can get polished or honed, and it will weather to your preferred 'tumble'
We have counters and a dining table with honed carrera marble. We sprayed it with sealer. It's held up very well for a few years, and looks pleasant, but not shiny.
The marble is perfectly hygenic if you keep the rest of your kitchen clean. Seal it, and don't leave raw chickens sitting on it. It will pit and stain over time and also probably chip a little over time. Lemon juice eats it away- as does orange juice, tomatoe juice, etc... but usually you can just wipe it with water before any damage happens. We like the weathering- and it looks better in my opinion than any overy shiney and cheezy granite.
Concrete can be sealed, and it won't crack if it's installed right
Posted by: guest at February 4, 2008 3:50 PM
We have soapstone countertops, which are beautiful -- and naturally hygenic.
A friend of mine has limestone countertops and they are beautiful, although I think they are pricy.
For both soapstone and limestone, there is a lot of characther in the stone so if there is a scratch or a stain, it really doesn't matter. And for soapstone, if the scratch bothers you, you just need to sandpaper it down and rub in some mineral oil. Easy.
Good luck!
V.
Posted by: luvtocook at February 4, 2008 4:35 PM
I had concrete countertops installed this summer. I would STRONGLY not recommend them. Granted I got white, but they stain very easily. Lots of invisible water stains. Go with something else.
Posted by: deepBTUz at February 7, 2008 10:39 PM
I was thinking about getting honed carrera marble for my countertops. I am not that worried about staining. I am worried about the white spots that come from dropping glasses or silverware on it. Can anyone give me some advice. I love the marble
from jj
Posted by: guest at February 15, 2008 8:21 PM
There are "leathered", brushed, and flamed finsishes available as well as ndulated finishes, which are all presealed. If you use a light colored limestone, especially one with fossils, you will never notice any etching. There is a line of coutnertops that DeZahra in DC and Allstone in NJ carry which provide this material. You will need to call as not information is available on their websites. I have a leathered Golden Alyssa limestone from DeZahra which is treated with a special sealer and it is very difficult to stain or etch. http://www.dezahra.com
Posted by: guest at March 12, 2008 4:00 PM
Do you know what the special sealer is or was called?
My husband and I are redoing kitchen and he wants limestone. Everyone here is trying to advise against it.
We love it and it suits our old home.
I appreciate your good help.
Posted by: guest at May 6, 2008 10:50 AM
They came pre-sealed from overseas, so you essentially need to buy it that way. It still looks beautiful today!
Posted by: guest at July 21, 2008 9:05 PM
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