Buying a Marble Dining Table

A marble dining table is a very nice addition to your home. However, they can be tough to buy, and require some maintenance. I will guide you through buying and maintaining a marble table, with types of marble, and tabletop sealants to keep your marble insulated and seep free.

Finding a good table

If you ever go to a quarry, you will see marble chipped off the side of a quarry, and then sliced with a massive, oil-cooled blade, that oscillates very quickly. In this process, the quarrymen try to slice off marble that is not cracked, and inspect for internal cracks in the marble. There are many different cuts and sizes, and if you are not careful, you may end up buying a table with seepage. At my old apartment, we had this same problem. Our marble countertop and table, no matter how well we insulated it, continuously seeped. Little did we know, acidic substances and laziness (not cleaning up spills), contributed to an already bad quality slab.

When going and shopping for a table, bring a little bit of water with you. This is useful for apartment or house hunting too. Ask the vendor if you can spill some water on the marble. See how well it is maintained, and whether it seeps. Usually, seepage is a bad sign. If you have one, bring an infrared light, or some light source. Inspect for tiny cracks that are signs of bad quality marble. Streaks are also a bad sign, as they can damage the marble even further after use.

There are also many types of marble tables. The more money you spend, the better the slab. Also, the finishing quality on the side may increase. There are many finishes:

The bevel: An cut resulting in an angled edge

The chamfer: An angled edge, resulting in a top face, a bottom face, and a perpendicular edge attached to an angled edge

The round: A rounded edge on the outside.

Run your hand through them, and see how even they are. If there is some resistance, or some rough edges, the finishing may not be complete or well done. Make sure you check these items before purchasing.

Maintenance

A marble table requires more maintenance than other tables, such as glass or wood. Whereas a wood table might need a little bit of Pinesol, and the glass table some Windex, a marble table needs to be cleaned regularly, and have applications of sealant to ensure that water does not leak through. There are three predominant types of sealant: topical, penetrating and impregnated. An impregnated sealant is better suited to last against stains, spills, and other household messes. A topical sealant is generally suited for floors, and builds up over time (the lining material is not equally distributed after wear, so it tends to bunch up). An impregnated sealant lasts for a much longer time, but costs more than a topical sealant. A penetrating sealant can help against leaks, but is not as strong as an impregnated sealant.

However, a sealant will not fully protect your marble. Also, beware for etching. Etching can occur, when an acidic substance damages the polish (caused by the oscillating blades), by bonding with the calcite in marble. Try taking some acidic drinks, and sampling the marble on the table. Also, topical sealants appear to be very desirable, but can ruin your marble in the long run. You may need to sand down or hone the marble after many applications.

Applying sealant is also an important consideration. Depending on the kit, such as SenGuard, Surface Treatment Technologies and other brands, you may need to prep the table, then clean off the table before applying the sealant. Once you apply the sealant, you will need to dry it off, and then let the table sit out for a bit. You also have the option of hiring a professional to do the job. Depending on the brand and type of sealant, the reapplication dates differ.

If you read this far, you are probably interested in buying a table. Given that I have actually used this table, there is only one brand I can guarantee, without a doubt in my mind about it's quality.

Saarinen Tulip Marble Table

Before you buy, here is a little history lesson. Eero Saarinen is a very well respected and famous architect, who is known for designing ergonomic chairs, and tables. His tulip chair was the inspiration for the Star Trek chairs (being a Star Trek fan, I appreciate his work). He is also the architect for the Gateway Arch in St. Louis.

The marble tables from his company are very well made. It is a simple round table with a water-drop like support column that blends into the round support stand on the bottom. The marble is very well finished, and nicely made. The design is simple, yet elegant. This is my first suggestion. They do come in many different stones and materials, but since this article is about marble, that is the one that you are looking for.

The price vary depending on size. In DWR, the 42" dining table sells for around $3,000 to $4,000, the 47" sells for around $3,000 to $5,000, and the large oval tables sell for around $8,000. At hivemodern, there is an option for a marble table, with the marble dining tables starting at $2,456, and increasing in price as the size increases. Both the links are provided below. The prices on DWR and hivemodern are the same, but hivemodern offers a larger variety of material and size. However, shipping costs may apply, and are different for each vendor.

Glass Tops

An option for a marble table could be a glass top. Instead of having to deal with sealants, a glass top can be cut or bought for certain marble tables, making it easy to maintain them. This does alter the table, and covers up the beauty, variation, texture and colors of the marble. However, it may be cheaper in the long run, if you use expensive sealants or professional services.