At first glance, you probably thought the white countertop in the photo was exquisite white marble. Well, the surface is exquisite, however it’s not marble.

Supreme White, also known as Super White, countertops by Cathy Stathopoulous, CKD. Photo via Houzz.

Everyone loves the timeless and luxurious look of marble. But not everybody enjoys the extra maintenance or the “lived with” look that inevitably develops with marble over time and continuous use. In these cases, white granite is a wonderful substitute.

Marble is a calcium-based surface, so it does tend to stain and etch far easier than granite. By selecting granite in a shade of white, such as those shown here, you can achieve that timeless look of luxury, but in a material that’s less likely to break, chip, crack, scratch, or stain. In fact, with proper care and maintenance, white granites and quartzites will hold onto their look of glossy perfection for far longer than marble will.

Andromeda White 3cm polished granite; photo via Marble and Granite, Inc.

Himalaya White 3cm polished granite; photo via Marble and Granite, Inc.

Valley White 3cm polished granite; photo via Marble and Granite, Inc.

Think you can tell the difference between white granite and marble? Visit us at one of our two New England showroom locations and we’ll put your natural stone knowledge to the test!