Care of Marble, Sandstone and Granite tables

Stone has been used in furniture for hundreds of years and when compared with other materials used for table tops, such as wood, metal, glass and laminates, it will perform well. Stone has a very high heat resistance, a good resistance to scratching and staining and gives an easy wipe clean surface.

Marble and sandstone are more porous than granite and can absorb liquids if allowed to rest on the surface long enough. There are two forms of marking that are possible: -

1. Pigment staining (e.g. a damp teabag left on a white marble table might leave brown stains).
2. Acid etching - this happens when the acid in consumable liquids dulls the polished surface of the stone (e.g. white wine, champagne, citrus juices, vinegar etc.)

In order to help prevent both types of marking we recommend waxing the surface of the table with clear wax in a tin (not a spray wax).

Granite is one of the hardest materials in general use. A table top of the same size and thickness as marble will weigh about 10% more. The additional density of granite gives a virtually maintenance free surface. It will not etch with acids that are in normal foods and the density makes it difficult to absorb liquids that might stain it.

Cleaning should be done with a cloth and warm soapy water. Stubborn marks and mild stains can be removed using white spirit. This may remove the wax as well, so re-wax after using white spirit.