What kind of marble coffee table can you have made?
You can have a coffee table made in exactly the size and shape your room needs: round, oval, square, rectangular or free-form. With us, a marble coffee table is never a stock model but a piece made to order. You give us the measurements, choose the marble style, the thickness of the top, the edge and the finish, and tell us what kind of base you would like. The measuring guide explains what to measure, and in the quote request you can describe your idea in your own words and attach photos.
Every table is unique, for two reasons. It is made to your measurements, and marble is natural stone, so its veining and shade differ from slab to slab and even within one slab. The Finnish stone industry association says lively colour and structure are characteristic of natural stone, and that aiming for a completely even colour goes against its basic nature. That is why the finished table will not look exactly like a photo or like another table.
Real marble or a look-alike: how do you spot a real marble coffee table?
The surest way is to read what the top is made of in the product details, because the word marble in a product name or colour tells you nothing about the material. In Finnish shops, a table sold as “marmori” may have a top of ceramic on MDF, painted fibre cement, or melamine-faced MDF printed with a marble pattern. A table sold as real marble may in turn be lacquered travertine: the stone trade calls limestone, dolomite and travertine marble too, even though geologically they are different rocks.
| Sign | What to check | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Material details | Does the top itself say marble, not just the name or colour? | In Finnish listings, marmorikuvio (marble pattern), marmori-ilme (marble look), marmorijäljitelmä (imitation marble), keramiikka (ceramic), sintrattu kivi (sintered stone), lasi (glass), MDF and melamiini mean the top is not marble. |
| Weight | 2 cm thick marble weighs about 54 kg/m² | A 90 × 90 cm top 2 cm thick weighs about 44 kg on its own. If the whole table weighs much less, the top is not 2 cm marble. |
| Touch | Does the surface feel cool? | Marble conducts heat at 2.08-2.94 W/(m·K), oak at 0.17. Wood and fibreboard do not feel cold, ceramic does. |
| Pattern | Does the same pattern repeat? | In one maker’s catalogue, a printed porcelain marble design comes in only 3-6 versions. In natural stone no two areas are the same. |
| Surface | Is the stone lacquered, waxed or sealed? | The top of a shop-bought stone table may be lacquered, which slows down how fast liquids soak in. Ask how the surface should be cared for. |
Weight is the easiest check. A marble-pattern MDF coffee table of 90 × 90 cm weighs 33 kg according to its seller, while a table of the same size with a 2 cm marble top weighs 92 kg. Price says nothing about authenticity: when we checked, the look-alike cost more than the marble table, which was on sale. Do not test an old table with vinegar or lemon, because acid etches a dull mark into real marble.
Our tables are natural stone: all the marble we use comes from Iran, and the Iranian marble page explains what kinds of stone come from there.
How high and how big should a coffee table be?
A coffee table is usually sized so that the top sits a little lower than the seat cushion, the table stands about 30-45 cm from the sofa, and its length is about two thirds of the sofa’s length. These rules of thumb come from American interior guides, so treat them as a starting point and measure your own sofa and room.
| Measurement | Rule of thumb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 2.5-10 cm below the top of the seat cushion, typically 41-46 cm | Seat 45 cm, table about 35-42 cm |
| Distance from the sofa | About 30-45 cm | Room for your legs, and you can reach a cup while seated |
| Length | About 2/3 of the sofa’s length | 210 cm sofa, table about 140 cm |
The guides differ a little: one says 2.5-5 cm below the seat, another 5-10 cm. A higher table is handier if you eat or play games at it. Made to measure, the height can be chosen to the centimetre, so include the seat height (measured on top of the cushion) and the sofa’s overall length in your quote request.
Round, oval or rectangular?
The sofa and the walkways usually decide the shape. In front of a long sofa, a rectangular or oval table fits the two-thirds rule, while with armchairs or a corner sofa a round or square table leaves room to walk on every side.
Round marble coffee table
A round table has no corners to knock your shins on, and it is easy to walk around. A top 80 cm across weighs about 27 kg at 2 cm thick, and a 100 cm top about 42 kg. If a round top is to sit on a single central base, read further down how far the stone can reach beyond its support.
Black, white or green marble?
A marble style comes down to three choices: colour, veining and finish. The veins can be bold, fine or almost invisible, and the surface polished, honed or brushed. From Iran come, for example, cream and ivory marble, beige with reddish and yellowish veins, silver grey and dark grey with fine white veins, and black either with white veins or nearly uniform. Tell us in your quote request what style you would like and we will suggest suitable stones. Colours and vein types are covered in more detail in the guide to marble types and colours.
Black marble coffee table
Black looks deepest when polished. According to the Finnish stone industry association, a polished surface shows the strongest colour and a rough one the palest, so honed or brushed black is lighter than polished. A polished surface does show the dull marks left by acids more clearly than a honed one, though, and on black stone they stand out. Of the Iranian stones, black with white veins, nearly uniform black and dark grey with white veins suit a black coffee table. The supplier of at least one black Iranian marble says its shade can fade in the sun, so mention it if the table will stand in a sunny window.
White marble coffee table
Stains show on light marble. The Natural Stone Institute says oil darkens the stone, while coffee, tea, wine and fruit leave a pinkish-brown stain. Sealing helps with stains: in a stone-care maker’s test, untreated white marble was strongly stained by coffee within an hour, while the sealed surface stayed unchanged for four hours, but sealing gives no protection against acid etching. From Iran you can get light marble in cream and ivory shades, for example. If you would like a pure white background with grey veins, say so in your quote request and we will tell you plainly whether such a stone is available.
Green marble coffee table
Green decorative stone from Iran is usually onyx in the trade. Britannica describes so-called onyx marble as calcite or aragonite deposited in caves and around springs, and says it is strictly speaking neither marble nor onyx. One stone supplier calls onyx soft and fragile and unsuitable for surfaces such as dining tables. If you would like a green coffee table, tell us and we will explain the options and their limits honestly.
How much does a marble coffee table weigh?
A marble top weighs about 2.7 kg per square metre for every millimetre of thickness: about 54 kg/m² at 2 cm and 81 kg/m² at 3 cm. The figure comes from the density of marble, which published measurements put at about 2,640-2,770 kg/m³.
| Top size | 2 cm thick | 3 cm thick |
|---|---|---|
| 60 × 60 cm | 19 kg | 29 kg |
| Ø 80 cm | 27 kg | 41 kg |
| 90 × 90 cm | 44 kg | 66 kg |
| 120 × 60 cm | 39 kg | 58 kg |
| Ø 100 cm | 42 kg | 64 kg |
| 140 × 70 cm | 53 kg | 79 kg |
The weights are calculated at 2.7 g/cm³ and do not include the base. A mitred edge gives a thick look without the full weight: a 120 × 60 cm top whose edge looks 6 cm thick weighs about 47 kg when made from 2 cm slab, whereas a solid 6 cm top would weigh about 117 kg. You do not have to carry it, either: when the table is ready, we agree a day with you and come to install it.
What kind of base suits a marble coffee table?
The base decides both the look of the table and how the top is carried, because stone only tolerates a short unsupported overhang. A conservative guide from an American stone tool supplier gives about 15 cm for 2 cm stone and about 20-25 cm for 3 cm marble. If a round top 100 cm across rests on a central base 40 cm wide, the edge reaches 30 cm beyond its support, so the top needs a support plate underneath or a wider base.
- Marble base or stone block: solid and heavy, and the whole table is one stone.
- Metal frame: a light look, and the frame can support the top right out to its edges.
- Wooden base: a warm partner for cool stone, and much lighter than stone.
- Central pedestal: suits a round top, as long as the overhang stays moderate.
- Four legs: with the legs near the corners, the overhang stays small.
Describe the base you would like in your quote request and attach a picture if you have a particular design in mind. We will tell you the options and how the top you have chosen should be supported.
Thickness, edge and finish
How thick should the top be?
The usual thicknesses for stone slabs are 2 and 3 cm. A 2 cm top is lighter and looks slim, a 3 cm top can take a longer overhang. A thick-looking edge is made either as a mitre or by gluing an extra strip under the edge. For a mitre, most fabricators prefer 3 cm slab, because the thin tip of a 2 cm mitre chips more easily.
Edge options
| Edge | Look | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Straight | Clean and modern | The edges and corners of stone tops can chip when knocked |
| Bevelled | Straight edge with the arris taken off | Softens the sharp line |
| Rounded or half-round | Soft | A rounded edge is safer than a square one |
| Mitred | Looks thick, the vein runs over the edge | Lighter than a slab that is truly thick |
| Laminated (glued build-up) | Looks thick | A horizontal seam shows on the edge |
The edge you choose is written into the order confirmation, so you see it before making starts.
Polished, honed or brushed finish
| Finish | Look | In daily use |
|---|---|---|
| Polished | Glossy, colour and pattern at their strongest | Acid etching shows most clearly |
| Honed | Matt and satiny | Etch marks and scratches show less, needs sealing slightly more often |
| Brushed (leathered) | Matt, velvety, slightly textured | Scratches and fingerprints show little |
For a family home or a hard-working table, a honed or brushed finish with a rounded edge is the most forgiving choice.
Is marble a durable material for a coffee table?
Marble suits a coffee table, as long as you know its two weak points: harder materials scratch it, and acid etches it. In the Finnish stone industry association’s table, calcite has a Mohs hardness of 3, against 6.5 for steel and 7 for the quartz in sand. A fingernail will not scratch marble, but a rough object or a grain of sand dragged across the top can. Lemon, vinegar and other acids leave a dull etch mark, which is different from a stain.
Daily care is easy:
- Wipe the table with a neutral stone cleaner or mild washing-up liquid and warm water, rinse and dry with a soft cloth.
- Blot spills instead of wiping them across, and use coasters for glasses and cups, especially for alcohol and citrus juice.
- Avoid acidic cleaners and abrasive scouring powders.
- Check whether the stone needs sealing with a drop of water: if it darkens the stone within a couple of minutes, the surface needs treatment.
Marble is an indoor stone, so keep a marble table off the terrace. Stain removal, sealing and polishing out etch marks are covered in the guide to marble cleaning and care.
What makes up the price of a marble coffee table?
When a coffee table is made in marble to your measurements, the price depends most on the size of the top, its thickness, the stone you choose, the edge profile, the base and installation. A larger area and a thicker slab mean more stone, and a mitred edge takes more work than a straight one. The exact price is always calculated from your measurements and choices, and you see it in the quote. If you are still unsure about the size or the stone, you can ask for a quote on two options.
How does ordering work, and why does it take about 6 weeks?
- You measure the sofa and the space and send a quote request with the measurements, the shape you want, the marble style and a description of the base.
- You receive a quote. Payment terms are given in the quote and the order confirmation.
- Before making starts, you receive an order confirmation listing the measurements, stone, thickness, edges and cut-outs. You check it and accept it in writing.
- Making takes about 6 weeks.
- When the table is ready, we agree a day and come to install it.
The making time comes from the fact that nothing is in stock: every table is made to order from Iranian marble to your measurements. See how to order for every step from quote to delivery.
Can a made-to-measure coffee table be returned?
A made-to-measure table cannot be returned, because it is made to the measurements and choices you give us. Goods like this have no 14-day right of withdrawal under the Finnish Consumer Protection Act (chapter 6, section 16(1)(3)). That is why, before making starts, you receive an order confirmation listing the measurements, stone, thickness, edges and cut-outs, and accept it in writing. You can still cancel the order before delivery, and you then pay the costs the cancellation has actually caused us, such as stone already cut for you and work already done (chapter 5, sections 25 and 28). Liability for defects applies as normal: you can always report a defect within two months of noticing it, you choose whether the table is repaired or replaced, and under the law faulty installation counts as a defect in the product. We do everything we can to make sure you are happy with the result. The full terms are in our order terms.
If you would like a smaller table in the same stone next to the sofa, see marble side tables.