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March 11, 2008
The logisitics of Carrara countertops
I've read on this blog that, as a natural marble and therefore porous, Carrara can stain and/or dull with extended exposure to foods and liquids, even if it's honed. Would a drying rack by the sink inflict permanent damage on the stone? If so, what are alternatives? Even with a dishwasher, there are always a few items to clean by hand -- how/where would you let them dry?
Comments
I have a double sink. I have a drying rack that fits inside the second sink for the handwashing items. I love the setup. I hate having a drying rack on the counter. Each basin is about 15x15, the whole sink about 33x17. It's plent of room to wash a big soup pot.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 11:02 AM
you should be sealing your marble countertop every year.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 11:10 AM
Some of the most beautiful Carrera surfaces, like French baker's tables, and Victorian era table and dresser tops have weathered the test of time and still look great. Especially in regards to baker's tables, they have withstood food stains a lot tougher than the dripping water of washed dishes.
Although marble does stain, it is much tougher than most people think, and has a wonderful patina as it ages. If you are only putting drying dishes on it, just get a plastic mat, or even a cloth dishtowel and place it under a drying rack. It's really no big deal.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 11:11 AM
All countertop stones are to some degree porous and to some degree reactive to foods that might be put on them. With a light colored marble like Carrera, you should be particularly sensitive to making sure acidic food like tomatoes and red wine never sits on the counter for long.
Posted by: Smokychimp at March 11, 2008 11:21 AM
I put pots on the stove to dry. I also think it's ok for homes to look a little weathered from use. Isn't that part of the point of this website? It's not fedderers.com.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 11:30 AM
Just put them on a dishtowel. I've never had a problem with this. I use mostly a wet cloth to clean my honed counter anyway.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 11:56 AM
The only Carrera I would ever choose is white. If I were forced. I'm actually never getting anything marble or granite ever again. I'm so glad I have quarts in the kitchen. I have a dark grey Carrera countertop on a bathroom vanity and within mere months it was covered in milky white stains from water. It's disgusting and I hate it and wish I never got it. Sealing the countertop once a year wouldn't do any good because the water stains happened after only a couple months. And I thought I was good at wiping down the countertop.
I don't mind a weathered look either, btw. But the milky white stains on the dark grey aren't "weathered" or present as a nice worn patina. They just look bad. They make it look like the bathroom vanity top hasn't been cleaned. It's that unclean look I can't tolerate. Not when I do work hard to clean! Please. If I put in the effort I want it to show.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 1:10 PM
That should be "quartz" with a Z in my 1:10 post, sorry. I am full of typos today.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 1:27 PM
try CCS Stone in NJ....they fabricate pure white crystalized glass countertops in various thicknesses. I just did a job with them and they turned out great. They don't stain like marble and are harder than granite.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 3:30 PM
also...Caesarstone just announced a lifetime warranty on their materials...
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 3:31 PM
Marble - good for looking not for cooking.
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 5:55 PM
Be careful if you go with marble for anything but pastry making! The person who comment above saying table tops look great with a patina probably is not squeezing lemons over marble tabletops. Once you etch the top badly, you have to rehone the surface.
Marble will be a mess coming in contact with lemon juice, vinegar, tomato sauce, orange juice, wine...and absorb oils.
And yes, the plastic mat under the dish rack will probably end up leaving stains.
Then again, with granite, oils sink in too...
Sure, you can seal them like mad but to what end. It can make them look plasticated.
One way to minimize stains and lift them a bit is to slap down baking soda on the stain immediately after it has happened. Dampen it slightly and press the powder down into a light paste. Leave it to dry all the way. Brush it away the next day and repeat.
Whatever happened to Formica?...
Posted by: guest at March 11, 2008 6:38 PM
Caeserstone is manufactured on a kibbutz in Israel.
Posted by: Ysabelle at March 12, 2008 1:08 AM
Love it, 5:55.
Interesting about the Caesarstone being made in Israel, Ysabelle. Our Caesarstone countertop did remind me of a poured terrazzo floor my parents once had in Florida, with its chips that glint and glitter. I love poured terrazzo floors. I don't think you can even get those anymore. Only terrazzo tiles and those are hard to find too. Anyway, one sees terrazzo a lot in the Middle East and Mediterranean, so somehow it makes sense our countertop came from there.
Posted by: guest at March 12, 2008 2:02 PM
There are still places that do poured terrazzo. Expensive, but very lovely.
Posted by: guest at March 12, 2008 5:21 PM
We installed Silestone "leather" counters in our kitchen last year and absolutely love them. I would never trade them for marble or granite.
Posted by: guest at March 13, 2008 3:01 PM
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