Marble Countertops in North Charleston, SC

Thinking about marble for a kitchen or bath in North Charleston? North Charleston Countertops supplies and sets marble tops, and every job starts with us measuring your cabinets so each slab gets cut to fit.

How marble holds up to daily cooking

The U.S. Geological Survey says marble is made mostly of a mineral called calcite. The National Park Service ranks minerals on the Mohs scale, which measures how well a mineral resists scratching. On its chart, calcite sits at 3, below a copper penny at 3.5 and a steel nail at 6.5. On the marble we fit, we'd always cut on a board, because a blade can mark a stone that soft.

Why lemon juice and vinegar leave marks

The U.S. Geological Survey says calcite dissolves readily in weak acid, while granite is made mostly of minerals that resist acid. That's why, on any marble we fit, we'd wipe up lemon juice, vinegar, wine and tomato sauce as soon as they spill. If that sounds like too much fuss, we can price granite, quartzite or quartz next to marble.

Why no two marble slabs look alike

The U.S. Geological Survey says marble forms when limestone is heated and squeezed by natural rock-forming processes, so its grains recrystallize, or grow back as new crystals. It says marble is usually light colored, and the colored streaks in it are bits of other minerals. Since those streaks change from slab to slab, we can show you the stone and let you pick the exact piece before we cut it.

City permits if the sink or pipes move

If new marble means moving the sink, the City of North Charleston has a plumbing permit for that work. The city says no work can be done until the permit is issued. With the application, it wants a contract that lays out the scope of work, including the cost of materials and labor.

The city's fee chart lists a $30.00 filing fee that isn't refunded, plus $3.50 for each plumbing fixture. It says that chart leaves out the city business license fee. When we measure, we'll tell you whether your plans touch any pipes.

Stone dust and where your slab gets cut

OSHA says marble and limestone hold little or no crystalline silica, while granite can hold up to 50%. NIOSH, part of the CDC, says breathing in silica dust causes silicosis, a lung disease that can't be reversed. OSHA says the dust comes from cutting, grinding, edging and shaping stone. Its alert with NIOSH tells installers to do as much of that work as they can in a shop instead of at your house. Whoever you hire, ask where your slab will be cut and how they keep dust down.

Keeping marble clean

FoodSafety.gov says to wash countertops with hot, soapy water, most of all after raw meat, poultry, seafood or eggs have been on them. On the marble we fit, we'd use a mild cleaner made for stone for everyday wipes and set hot pans on a pad or stand.

What your written quote should cover

We price marble for your house once we've measured, and you get that quote in writing. Whoever you hire, check that the quote spells out:

• The name of the marble and how thick the slab is.
• A layout drawing showing each seam and every hole for the sink and cooktop.
• The edge shape you chose.
• Whether the stone gets sealed, and with which product.
• Whether pulling out and hauling off your old tops is included.
• Who unhooks and hooks back up the sink, faucet and cooktop, and who applies for any permit.

Questions about marble countertops in North Charleston

Get a marble quote

Call us, or fill in the quote form with your ZIP code and which rooms you want done. We'll measure, walk you through marble colors and edges, and send a written quote. We also handle countertop replacement, bathroom vanity tops and backsplash installation, and you can see everything else on the North Charleston Countertops home page.