In brief … granite, marble and composites are highly suitable for work surfaces and although marble requires more maintenance and is less resistant to most factors with care it provides a lasting beautiful work surface.

Material descriptions …

Granite … this is the commonly used name to describe a group of natural stones, which are igneous in origin i.e. formed from solidified molten lava or magma. The main constituent is quartz, which gives it its hard durable qualities, and it comes in a huge range of colours and textures. It is used extensively as a building material and it is highly regarded as a work surface material.

Marble … formed by the recrystallization of limestone and although not as hard or as durable as granite its beautiful veining and variations in colour means that it is widely used as a decorative surface especially in bathrooms.

Composites … in essence this is a man-made stone and although it does not have the aesthetic qualities of granite and marble it is purposely made for work surface and other similar applications. It comes in a wide variety of colours and finishes but the quality can vary dependant on the raw material source and manufacturer.  

Finishes … polished is the most commonly used finish although both granite and marble are available in honed [matt] and textured i.e. flamed, sanded and brushed. Some granites are now also available in a leather finish, as are some composites.

Dimensions … in general all three materials are available in large slabs thus minimising the number of joints required in the work surface. The most commonly used thickness is either 20 or 30mm with some composites at 12/13mm.  Greater thicknesses can be achieved in natural stone if required although it is normal practice to build up the standard thicknesses to give the impression of greater mass particularly with certain edge detail.