Natural stone is the perfect selection when remodeling your bathroom countertops and vanities. Combining beauty, strength, uniqueness and utility, these materials are unparalleled in the natural stone market. But which one should you go with? They are equally beautiful and offer excellent benefits to enhance any bathroom, from master to guest, but there are also some key differences that you should be aware of.
Let’s go over the differences between limestone and marble so you can make the most educated choice.
1. Cost
No question, limestone is the more affordable of the two options. Marble is well known as being one of the most expensive decorative stones on the market, so it should come as no surprise. Not only is limestone more affordable, it’s easier to find than marble.
2. Sealing
You need to seal both materials regularly. This is because they are both porous stones that will absorb liquid if something is spilled on them. A tad more porous than marble, limestone isn’t quite as good at resisting moisture as marble. But while limestone should be sealed more often, both stones need regular sealing to avoid staining, so there’s no way around that.
You can bet there will be plenty of water accumulation on your bathroom’s sinks and shower surrounds, so you may have to seal them a bit more often than you would for stone found elsewhere in your house.
3. Durability
Durability is one of the most important factors to consider when installing bathroom countertops. They have to resist high usage and traffic, and nothing gets more use than a bathroom sink! Limestone and marble react with acidic substances, which can leave stains from anything from coffee and water to lotions and cosmetics.
In terms of hardness levels, marble and limestone are about even. Both stones are made up of calcite, a mineral, which gives these materials a hardness of three. That’s pretty good in the world of natural stones. Calcite, a form of calcium carbonate, happens to be one of the more abundant substances on the planet. Chalk, fingernails and seashells are comprised of this mineral.
4. Beauty
Ah, now for the looks category. Marble is definitely the most beautiful and elegant, thanks to its long history of being used in the creation of all kinds of sculptures and buildings. In fact, marble was the go-to building material of the Romans because it wasn’t as hard as granite and could be carved into many shapes.
That doesn’t mean the beauty of limestone should be underestimated. In fact, the original facing stones of the Great Pyramids of Giza were made of white limestone.
In the end, if you want a more natural look for your bathroom, limestone is a great choice because marble would not match a more primitive decor. If you’re going for elegance and class, go with marble.
Contact Granite Guy
Still not sure which one is right for your bathroom — limestone or marble? Get us in on the conversation and we’ll help you out. Just contact us at 508-460-7900.