Marble kitchen countertops made to your measurements

Is marble a good kitchen worktop?

A marble worktop works in a kitchen as long as you know in advance that acidic splashes will leave dull marks on it. The Swedish stone industry association’s consumer guide says acids, including the carbonic acid in fizzy drinks, etch marble, but the damage is purely cosmetic and does not weaken the stone. If you accept that, the association says, marble can be a good material for kitchen worktops too. In the Finnish stone industry association’s materials guide, polished marble is rated suitable for kitchen worktops and granite very suitable.

So marble is a deliberate choice for a kitchen where the look and feel of the stone matter more than a surface that never changes. If you want a worktop that looks the same years from now as on installation day, compare materials in the guide marble vs quartz. Marble is also widely imitated: makers of artificial stone copy Calacatta marble in particular. You can also choose marble for just the island or a baking area and use another material for the rest.

We make every worktop to your measurements, and because marble is natural stone, the veining and shade vary from slab to slab and even within one slab. No two worktops are the same, and the finished piece will not look exactly like a photo or another worktop. We make straight, L-shaped and U-shaped worktops, islands and splashbacks, with cut-outs for the sink, hob and tap. You choose the thickness, edge shape and finish with us, and if you want something else made from marble, ask.

Marble in the kitchen: etch or stain?

Acid etches and pigment stains. In a marble kitchen you will see both over time, and each is dealt with differently.

An etch is a chemical reaction: marble is calcium carbonate, and acid dissolves its surface. According to the Natural Stone Institute, a sealer does nothing to stop etching; it only makes the stone absorb more slowly. The chemistry behind it is explained in the guide to marble properties.

Day to day, a neutral cleaner, a chopping board and a trivet for hot pans are all you need; the reasons are in the questions below. Removing stains and polishing are covered in the marble cleaning and care guide.

Honed or polished marble worktop?

For a kitchen, a honed (matt) finish is usually the better choice. The Swedish stone industry association recommends a finely honed finish for marble kitchen worktops, because acids leave matt spots on a polished surface. Polished marble suits places where acids are not used, such as window sills, the association says.

A brushed (leathered) finish has a velvety texture and does not show scratches or smudges easily. Over the years small dull spots build up and the surface develops a patina. Marble can be honed and polished again, though, because only a little stone is removed each time.

How often should a marble worktop be sealed?

There is no single right interval: according to the Natural Stone Institute, the need to reseal ranges from every year to every ten years or more, depending on the stone, the finish and the sealer. So test rather than follow a calendar. Put a few drops of water on the worktop. If the spot darkens within a couple of minutes, the stone is absorbing water and it is time to reseal.

In food preparation areas, use a non-toxic sealer. Remember that sealing slows staining but does not prevent etching.

Living with a marble worktop: real experiences

The published experiences and tests we found show the same thing: marble picks up marks, and whether they bother you depends on the finish, the sealing and your habits.

• Finnish home blog, 2016. The blogger chose white marble with a honed finish for the kitchen, because everyday marks show less than on a polished surface. The worktop was made 2 cm thick and the sink-side section 73 cm deep, because in the blogger’s view the standard 60 cm is often too narrow. The baking area was left unsealed, and a separate removable marble board is used on top of the worktop. Cleaning is done with neutral (pH 6-8) or mildly alkaline (pH 8-10) products.
• Reader question on a Finnish news site. The owner of a marble coffee table said every stain, from red wine to marker pen, had come out. The expert pointed out that a large kitchen worktop is riskier: use a chopping board, wipe up spills straight away and watch out for juicy vegetables such as beetroot as well.
• Finnish home improvement magazine test. The magazine exposed 11 worktops for ten hours to chilli oil, lemon juice, pickled beetroot and red wine. The marble was left with a clear stain from the beetroot and the wine and visible damage from the lemon, and a knife left a shallow but clear mark. The magazine did not recommend marble for everyday cooking but rated it a good surface for kneading dough. The article does not say whether the stone was sealed.

If you like a surface that changes with use, marble is a good choice. If every dull spot would bother you, choose another material, or marble for the island only.

How thick and heavy is a marble worktop?

For kitchens, a marble worktop of at least 30 mm is recommended: the Swedish stone industry association advises this thickness for all stone kitchen worktops. The standard thicknesses, according to the association, are 20, 30 and 40 mm, and long 20 mm pieces are awkward to handle because they break more easily. Thinner is possible, as the home blog above shows, but for long pieces and islands 30 mm is the safer choice.

The association’s rule of thumb for weight is about 60 kg/m² for 20 mm, 90 kg/m² for 30 mm and 120 kg/m² for 40 mm stone.

Because of the weight, the cabinets must be firmly fixed in place and level before installation.

Marble kitchen island: how far can it overhang?

Without supports, a marble island can only overhang its base a little. A stone tool supplier’s conservative rule of thumb is about 15 cm for 2 cm stone and about 20-25 cm for 3 cm marble, which has a lower tensile strength than granite. According to a US stone consultancy, no more than a third of the worktop’s width should be left unsupported, and 3 cm stone can span about 90 cm between two supports. It stresses that these are recommendations, not mandatory standards.

A longer overhang, such as seating at the island, needs support: steel brackets, corbels, a steel frame or a waterfall end panel. Tell us in your quote request how far the worktop will overhang and whether people will sit at it. Remember the weight too: a 240 × 100 cm island in 30 mm stone weighs about 215 kg.

Sink, hob and joints: what goes into the worktop?

A sink is mounted under the stone, on top of it or flush with it, and the cut-out sizes always come from the appliances’ own installation instructions. The Swedish stone industry association distinguishes these methods:

Give us the make and model of your sink, hob and tap. The cut-out size, corner radii and minimum distances come from the appliance’s installation sheet, not from the old worktop. A Finnish kitchen planning guide recommends leaving at least 400 mm of worktop on each side of the hob.

A single piece can be about 2,400-3,000 mm long depending on the stone, or about 2,400 mm if it has a sink or hob cut-out. Longer runs and the corners of L-shaped and U-shaped kitchens are made from several pieces. You will see the size of each piece, and so where the joints fall, in the order confirmation before making starts.

Marble splashback: what should you consider?

A splashback can be made from the same marble as the worktop, so the worktop and the wall are the same stone. A splashback is typically about 500 mm high, but measure yours at both ends and in the middle, because the worktop and wall cabinets are not always perfectly parallel. A slab splashback weighs the same as a worktop: about 60 kg/m² in 20 mm stone.

Tell us where the sockets, switches, window and cooker hood are, because cut-outs are made for them or the slab is shaped around them. Splashes reach the splashback too, so the same care rules apply. If you would rather have tiles there, see marble tiles.

Which marble suits a kitchen?

Any colour works in a kitchen, but the finish and pattern decide how much everyday marks show. On a dark, polished surface a dull etch mark stands out most; on a light, even surface a coloured stain does. Strong veining or a cloudy pattern hides small marks better than a plain surface. Colours, veining and finishes are covered in the guide to marble types and colours.

All our marble comes from Iran. Looks that sources confirm are available from Iran include cream and ivory, beige with reddish and yellowish veins, silver grey with fine white veins, dark grey with white veins, black with white veins and nearly uniform black. One supplier says the dark grey stone with white veins is used especially in dry interiors, so next to a sink we would rather suggest something else. We do not promise a white, Carrara-like Iranian marble with grey veins: tell us what you would like and we will tell you the options. There is more about the stones on the Iranian marble page.

Black marble in the kitchen

Black marble makes a striking kitchen, but when polished every acid mark shows clearly, so a honed finish is the safer choice. Both black marble with white veins and nearly uniform black marble come from Iran. The supplier of the white-veined black stone says it pales in the sun, so it is not a good choice in front of a sunny window.

Green marble worktops

Many stones sold as green marble are geologically serpentinite, for example an Indian stone sold as Verde Guatemala. Green and pink stone from Iran is usually onyx, which is not marble and which even its supplier describes as soft and fragile. If you would like a green tone, tell us and we will tell you what is available.

What does a marble kitchen worktop cost?

The price depends above all on the area, thickness and stone, plus the edges, cut-outs and installation. We work out the exact price from your measurements in the quote. The price is affected by:

• Area and number of pieces: every joint and corner adds work.
• Thickness: a 30 mm worktop contains half as much stone again as a 20 mm one.
• Stone and finish: the variety, pattern and surface finish.
• Edges: how many edges are visible and their shape.
• Cut-outs: for the sink, hob, tap and sockets. An undermount sink cut-out takes more work, because its edge stays visible and is finished.
• Splashback and installation.

These figures give an idea of the Finnish market. According to a renovation tendering service, stone worktops usually cost €120-500 per m², plus cut-outs, sink, tap, freight and installation, and stone worktops tendered through the service have cost €3,864 on average. According to another renovation service, the material alone for natural stone such as granite or marble costs about €150-400 per running metre. These are market prices quoted by others, not our prices.

How does ordering work?

1. You measure the space with the measuring guide and send the measurements, photos and your wishes with a quote request.
2. You get a quote. Payment terms are set out in the quote and the order confirmation.
3. Before making starts, you get an order confirmation listing the measurements, stone, thickness, edges and cut-outs. You check it and accept it in writing.
4. Making takes about 6 weeks. Nothing is waiting in stock: every worktop is made to order from Iranian marble to your measurements.
5. When the worktop is ready, we agree a day and come to install it.

The whole process is described step by step on how to order.

Household tax credit for the installation

The installation work can qualify for the household tax credit (kotitalousvähennys), but the marble cannot. In 2026 the credit is 40% of the price of the work including VAT, up to €2,100 per person per year, with a €150 deductible (omavastuu). The credit requires the work share to be itemised on the invoice, and it does not apply to new construction. Check your own situation on the Finnish Tax Administration’s website (vero.fi).

Can a marble worktop be returned?

A made-to-measure worktop cannot be returned, but your statutory rights still apply. We make the worktop to the measurements and choices you give us, and you decide its size and shape. That is why made-to-measure work has no 14-day right of withdrawal under the Finnish Consumer Protection Act: the Act excludes goods made to the consumer’s specifications (chapter 6, section 16(1)(3)). Before making starts, you get an order confirmation listing the measurements, stone, thickness, edges and cut-outs, and you accept it in writing.

• Cancelling: you can still cancel the order before delivery. You then pay compensation for the real costs the order has already caused, and the amount depends on how far making has gone (chapter 5, sections 25 and 28).
• Defects: liability for defects applies. You can always report a defect within two months of noticing it, and you choose whether the worktop is repaired or replaced.
• Installation: because we install the worktop ourselves, faulty installation also counts as a defect in the product.

On top of your statutory rights, we do everything we can to make sure you are happy with the result. Read more in our order terms.