Let us guess; you’re here because you want beautiful furniture but want to be practical, especially in making it last. That’s why you chose a marble table as the next part of your space.
But the challenge now is which of the many marble tables you will pick. Or do you prefer to have it customized?
Choosing the right marble table will require us to consider a few things, including the table you need. The size, number of seaters, color (type of marble), and finish are also essential. We can even choose between traditional and laminated marble.
The purpose of this guide is to help you set your preferences according to your needs, whether you’re:
- an interior designer helping your client select a marble table for the building;
- a business owner who wants to know more about the needs of their potential marble table customers or;
- a simple homeowner who plans to buy a marble table for your house.
In this article, you will also find the following:
- Reasons why you should pick a natural marble table
- Tips to determine if the stone used in the furniture is natural or artificial
- More about lightweight or laminated marble
- How to maintain and protect the furniture
Kinds of Marble Table
Before we begin with the factors you must consider when choosing a marble table, we believe it will help if you can see the kinds of tables first—specifically the ones we manufacture with marble.
1. Coffee Table. This is the best-selling type of marble table, and it serves many functions: from an actual coffee table where people relax to storage in the living room for magazines and appliances.
2. Dining Table. The first on the list is a marble dining table which is also in demand in Sinodec. The reason for this is the beauty and durability necessary for the kitchen.
3. Side and End Table. We can put these types of marble tables almost anywhere in the area if we always want an accessible place to leave our things or decorations such as figurines.
However, we commonly use marble side or end tables beside a living room couch or bed. This way, our essentials are within our reach, such as a phone or eyeglasses.
4. Pedestal Table. These are marble tables with a single column supporting them, although there can be many feet. Pedestal tables are versatile depending on the size, as we can use them for dining or coffee.
5. Desk. Whether for office or studying, marble desks are an aesthetic and functional addition to the room that we can customize with other features, such as drawers.
6. Reception Table. Commonly found in business establishments like hotels, offices, and luxury stores, marble is a popular material for reception tables because of its expensive appearance.
7. Bistro Table. You often see a marble bistro table in coffee and pastry shops, especially in France. It’s a small and round table, creating proximity between the users.
5 Things to Consider in Choosing Your Marble Table
Before you go to your local store or contact your supplier, please read this section carefully as we will teach you how to select the right marble table for your purpose and narrow down the choices.
1. Know What Kind of Table You Need
When selecting the right marble table, we have to think about the following:
- Where are we going to use the table?
- How big is the space allotted for the table?
- What is the interior design of the place where I will put the table?
Considering the current interior trends of the season will also aid you in deciding the kinds of marble tables to import if you’re doing it for business. In this way, you will be fulfilling the needs of your target customers.
Once we have decided on these crucial questions, we can start being more specific about the features of the furniture.
- If I want a marble coffee table, do I want it to be round or square? Do I want a plinth, bistro, two-legged, or four-legged?
- How many drawers should my marble desk have?
- What material should my table’s legs be made from?
- Other unique features that you want to add to the marble table (although we will have to consider if they are feasible)
There are many kinds of tables to choose from. If you need a bit of inspiration, you can refer to the list that we created just before this section.
2. Decide on the Marble Table’s Size
At this stage, you already know what kind of table you prefer and measure the allotted space. These two will play a role in deciding the marble table’s dimensions, especially the length, and width.
The kind of table will determine its number of users. If it’s a marble office table or a study desk, we can assume that there will be one user.
If there is only one user, we don’t have to worry too much about leaving a 3-feet space on all sides of the table, allowing people to slide their chairs in and out or get off the furniture. Notice how a room desk can be close to the wall because only the owner uses it?
If it’s a dining table, we recommend leaving at least 3 feet of space from the walls for comfortable use. This is where the space allotted matters because it’s not just the marble table we’re leaving room for, but also the allowance for passage.
Of course, together with determining the size of the table is the shape, which we will discuss next.
3. Determine the Shape of the Marble Table
Aside from choosing based on our preferences, the shape of the marble table will also help us maximize or minimize the space for the furniture.
For example, marble dining tables will have many users. It’s essential to pick the right shape with suitable dimensions for comfort and to foster great get-together sessions during meals. Below is a guide from Bassett Furniture.
| Shape | Dimensions | Number of Seaters |
| Round | 36″ and 44″ diameters | 4 |
| Square | 36″ and 44″ wide | 34″ and 36″ high | 4 |
| Rectangular | 48” long | 36″ and 40″ wide | 4 |
As we may notice, oval and round-shaped tables can be more fitting in small spaces and are suitable for promoting closeness between the users.
But of course, your preferences are also necessary for interior design. After all, the space should be more like you—meaning. It should reflect what you like.
Take a look at this customized Water Wave Carrara White Plinth. We recommend styles like this as side and coffee tables since the wave might not be suitable to put plates on.
We also have this Nordic Travertine Marble Coffee Table that is shaped like a cloud with minimal curves.
Once we settle on the size and dimensions, we can select the kind of marble we want to use for the table.
4. Pick Your Kind of Marble
Probably the most exciting part for everyone is choosing the type of marble for the furniture. While Sinodec has a lot of pre-made marble tables ready for use, you will have more control over the appearance if you will have the furniture customized.
The best feature of this natural stone is it can jive with any style and concept. That’s why interior designers consider it a staple. Below is a list of the kinds of marble with their respective colors.
| Name of Marble | Background Color | Color of Veins (Pattern) |
| Nero Marquina | black | white |
| Carrara White | white with grey undertones | light grey |
| Volakas White | white | grey and brown |
| Statuary | white | thick and heavy dark grey |
| Calacatta | bright white | thick dark grey, brown, beige, and gold |
| Hermes Grey | cloudy grey | bright and greyish-white |
| Crema Marfil | creamy beige | white, yellow, cinnamon, and goldish beige |
| Emperador Light | light brown | cream |
| Emperador Dark | dark brown | light brown |
| Rosso Marquina | burgundy | white |
| Rojo Levantina | bold red | light grey |
| Amarillo Triana | light yellow | dark brown to black |
| Forest Green | metallic to light green | brown veins |
| Emerald Green | white | jade green |
| Verde Indio | light to medium green | white and black |
| Spider Green | dark green | white |
| Ocean Blue | ice blue | grey and silver |
| China Blue River | greyish blue | white and greyish green |
| Blue Sodalite | cobalt blue | gold, white, and midnight blue |
| Rosa Levante | light pink | white |
| Rosa Portugués | light pink | grey and brown |
We know that marble tables are usually made of neutral and light colors like white and beige, but now you can see that there are other ones to choose from that will reflect your style.
Optional: Incorporating Marble Medallion as a Tabletop
Did you know we can also use a marble medallion as a tabletop? Not only it has the same durability as using a pure marble slab but it is a classic way to accentuate the area as a focal point.
5. Choose the Table’s Finish
After we pick the kind of marble, we also have to decide what type of finish we want to apply to the furniture.
To help you at this stage, marble tables usually have a polished finish because polishing minimizes the stone’s porosity. The latter is essential for tables where we put drinks, strengthening their resistance to liquid damage.
This is why Sinodec mainly exports polished marble tables out of the client’s instructions, but we also have other choices regarding finishes.
- Split Face Finish. The striking feature of this finish is the controlled chips or splinters that we achieve using a chisel. We describe it as “controlled” since they don’t negatively affect the quality of the marble but rather make it appear rustic.
An example is this Round Arabescato Plinth which is perfect as an outdoor coffee table.
- Honed Finish. A honed marble table will have a matte, smooth, and even surface. This has a natural and earthy look and is also the stage before we polish the table.
This Nordic Travertine Marble Coffee Table we used as an example earlier has a honed finish and mixes excellently with the living room.
- Polished Finish. One of the traits of marble is its translucence which is further seen when polished. This glossy Arabescato Marble Table can be a desk or a counter, and its surface beautifully reflects light.
Why Choose Natural Over Artificial Marble Table?
Wherever we look—online or in physical stores—there are tons of cultured marble products, especially on tables. Money-wise, they can be less expensive than natural marble tables, perfect for those on a budget or unwilling to spend much on furniture. Please read our blog “5 Things to Consider in Choosing a Marble Table” if you are going to know more about protecting marble tables.
But if you’re looking for a material whose quality doesn’t deteriorate despite heavy usage for years, we encourage you to select a real marble table, and here’s why.
More Heat Resistant
We’re talking about a piece of furniture where people eat food ranging from warm to hot; having a high resistance to heat is a non-negotiable trait.
What’s good about natural marble tables is they can handle a temperature up to 200 °C or 329 °F. While the stone can likely take more than that because it’s made from the earth’s extreme heat and pressure, 200 °C is the limit we set for precautions.
Some will claim that a marble table can handle hot pans without saucers or trivets, but we encourage using them to avoid marks and preserve the beauty of the stone.
This is what engineered, or artificial marble tables don’t have because they are a mixture of glued materials. They also have a gel coating that can melt when exposed to high or fluctuating temperatures, such as boiling water.
Sustainable
As mentioned, an engineered marble table is created by combining stone powder, plastic cement, sand, quartz, synthetic resin, dye, and acrylic glue.
Aside from using clean water, mixing these components emits more greenhouse gasses than manufacturing a table out of natural marble, potentially harming our environment.
On the other hand, manufacturing natural marble tables does not involve artificial products and uses less water. Even in creating medallions as tabletops, the abrasive waterjet machine reuses water and efficiently cuts the slabs to ensure no marble is wasted.
Now, the sustainability of a natural marble table will also depend on the following factors:
- Usage. We encourage using it for long since a marble table can last centuries. Because if you’re planning to change your table in 5 years, it will take away the idea of sustainability.
- Source. It’s best to source the marble table locally because that will lessen the need for heavy shipping. But if you plan to import in bulk, the energy will be efficient.
- Quarry Permits. The factory must have integrity by only quarrying in places they have permits. The inspection and consent of the government departments caring for the environment are necessary to ensure that we don’t harm natural resources.
Non-toxic and Non-allergenic
Natural marble tables do not absorb allergens that can make you sneeze and trigger your asthma. That’s why marble is one of the top materials in making our places allergy-proof, not only with furniture but also with floors, stairs, and walls.
Natural marble tables are also non-toxic, as they don’t contain artificial materials that may cause harm to the users, especially in food handling.
This is where you should be wary of selecting an artificial marble table; if you plan to acquire one, ensure it’s from reputable brands or suppliers.
Cultured marble uses a material called “polyester resin” that may contain cobalt, a toxicant that may be carcinogenic and disruptive to reproductive systems.
Provides More Value
Marble is a stone rich in durability and luxury, and the realm of real estate is aware of this. That’s why a house with a wall, floor, or a marble table and countertop—will have a higher value.
Although the value of a property is assessed strictly and we look at the place as a whole, marble is a natural stone that people adore, even as a table.
Is My Marble Table Real or Fake?
Here comes the question of caution buyers ponder when acquiring marble tables—either as a professional, businessman, or homeowner: how do we know if a marble table is real or fake?
Well, here’s how.
Does It Reflect Light?
We have mentioned earlier that polished marble tables can reflect light because they are translucent. But remember that this only applies to a glossy finish, as honed or split faces do not have the kind surface and texture to reflect light.
What we noticed about artificial marble tables is they are very glossy because of their gel coating finish—maybe even shinier than natural marble—but they are not translucent. They can’t reflect light beautifully as natural stone does.
Does the Color Look Realistic?
Natural marble has a wide selection of colors, from neutral and black to chromatic. We have yellow, pink, blue, green, and red because of the minerals that combine with marble during metamorphism.
However, we don’t have teal, orange, or violet colors. These are too monochromatic, pigmented, and stark that look like dye (because they are!). Remember, even marble’s swirls and veins are unique from each other.
So, if you see a marble table with an unrealistic color and strangely uniform pattern, it’s most likely artificial.
How Expensive Is It?
It’s helpful to know that choosing artificial marble tables can also be expensive, primarily if the manufacturer is known because of quality products. The complexity of the furniture also affects the price, so it’s not always “fake marble is cheaper than natural one.”
However, it’s true and a known fact about natural marble products that they are expensive. It will depend on the type of table.
So if you see an offer, always check the price. A marble dining or coffee table with a cost that matches a small side table (usually more than $250.00) is enough to raise suspicion if the product is made of natural marble.
Is It Heavy?
Another fact you should know before you choose a real marble table is they are heavy. But again, it will depend on the type of table.
We can’t simply rule out the furniture as fake marble because you find them light; the table may be lightweight marble (more on later!). Also, you could carry a small plinth that isn’t as heavy as a dining table.
However, if two (2) people can carry a marble dining table all by themselves, that’s where it becomes doubtful. It can take 4 to 6 people to move around this big and heavy marble furniture, and they should perform it cautiously.
Can You Put Hot Pans On It?
We can always ask our supplier or the store about the dos and don’ts for the marble table we will acquire from them.
If they state that you can’t put hot pans, casseroles, pots, or any cooking utensils on top of the marble table, then there’s a chance that the furniture is artificial. The gel coating can melt, and cultured marble can’t withstand fluctuating temperatures.
Manufacturers of natural marble tables encourage the use of protection such as saucers or trivets to avoid burn marks. Still, they won’t disallow you to place anything hot on the table as the material is supposed to be heat-resistant.
Advantages of Laminated Marble As Our Furniture Material
As promised, we created a section dedicated to laminated marble, or “lightweight marble” as we call them. This material is changing how construction and manufacturing work, including marble furniture.
Laminated or lightweight marble are two (2) materials combined using aerospace epoxy: a natural marble sheet as thin as 5 mm and a backing panel that is 10 to 15 mm thick that is usually made of aluminum honeycomb or ceramic.
Lightweight marble is a stone composite material; we use natural stone, only thinner. Hence, this is not similar to engineered or artificial marble.
We know this made you curious, and you’re wondering how using laminated marble for tables can be advantageous or even more beneficial than using traditional stones.
Lighter Weight
Tables that use lightweight marble will also have less weight than traditional marble tables.
| Variants of Marble | Estimated Weight |
| Lightweight marble with aluminum honeycomb | about 30 kg/Sqm |
| Traditional marble | 58kg/Sqm (20 mm thick) |
The heaviness of traditional marble will depend on how thick the slab will be, but the gap between their weight is evident.
If we use lightweight marble for the table, transportation will be lighter, and moving it around the place will be easier.
Water Resistant
Picking either a traditional or lightweight marble table will give you the benefit of water resistance. However, natural marble’s porosity may worry some, so we recommend a polished finish and sealers to protect it from water penetration.
We don’t have to worry about liquid penetration with a lightweight marble table, especially if we have an aluminum honeycomb as our base panel; this material is waterproof and corrosion-resistant. Ceramic is also resistant to water, making it another excellent backing choice.
Weathering Resistant
If we choose natural marble tables, this doesn’t mean that the furniture will instantly break or show wear and tear when it becomes subject to weathering, especially when used indoors. Still, there’s a possibility that we place it outdoors without protection or maintenance.
In contrast, a laminated marble table will not be affected by weathering. Using the aluminum honeycomb backing as an example, this material is resistant to the elements of weathering: water, wind, snow, and heat.
Increased Heat Resistance
Since natural marble tables are already highly resistant to heat, we can relax about serving freshly-cooked dishes or even placing hot cooking utensils on top. However, we encourage taking precautions to avoid the occurrence of burn marks.
The surprising news about laminated marble tables with an aluminum honeycomb base is the latter can handle up to 660.3 °C, compared to the 200 °C limit of traditional marble. This makes it more resistant to heat.
Cost-Effective
Is a lightweight marble table cheaper than the traditional one? The answer is, it depends. The production of lightweight stones can be rigorous and expensive, especially if they have outstanding quality. The costs of traditional marble will also vary if it’s luxury or cheap.
But lightweight marble tables will be cost-effective because they are lighter and less fragile to transport.
- Since weight and density (among other factors) affect shipping costs, we can lessen the latter because of the lower weight of laminated marble tables.
- The packaging materials also contribute to the weight and price; the more fragile the table is, the more protection we need to apply. Since a lightweight marble table is less fragile, we can save money from packing it.
This is very beneficial for you if you’re acquiring the furniture in bulk for a business—either you will resell them or use them for an establishment like a restaurant.
Laminated or Traditional Marble: Which One Should I Choose for My Table?
Laminated marble tables are better for outdoor setups because they have stronger resistance against natural elements. Therefore, we will have no worries about weathering.
But when it comes down to choosing between these excellent furniture materials for indoors, it will depend on your preferences. Some prefer traditional marble tables because of the following reasons:
- out of enthusiasm for natural stones;
- the value they can offer homes or establishments and;
- simply because their durability has been proven through the years.
How To Protect Your Marble Table
Once we choose a marble table for our home, office, or commercial space, we must also be willing to maintain it to prolong its life and beauty.
That’s why our last section will discuss ways to protect the furniture that are easy enough for every marble table owner.
Regular Cleaning
The golden rule for marble tables is to clean them when we see any dirt or spill any liquid. Because the fact is, water won’t hurt the stone unless we let it dry on the table. With that said, here are some cleaning tools that we recommend:
Wiping Tools:
- Microfiber Cloth. This is a mild cloth that soaks up liquid and dries quickly. We recommend using this for absorbing spills, but we can also use it to clean dust and dirt from the table.
- Chamois Cloth. Another soft cloth we can use is the chamois, which we recommend for drying out the marble table after cleaning it with water and solution.
Cleaning Solvents:
- Warm Water. Water is the best and mildest solvent that we can use for cleaning marble, using it for rinsing, or mixing it with cleaners.
Cleaning Solutions:
- Dish-wash liquid mixed with water. The vital requirement for our soap is it should be non-abrasive and has a neutral pH of 7. If not, it may damage the marble table.
The ratio will be 1:5 (dish soap: water), but we can add more soap to make the solution more robust.
- Stone or marble cleaners. There are available cleaners specialized for marble in the market, so don’t be afraid to check them out. Some of the good products include:
- MarbleLife Marble and Travertine Cleaner
- MB Stone Care MB-5 Stone & More Spray Cleaner
- Granite Gold Daily Cleaner
The instructions for usage may vary per product, too, so make sure you read them before applying them to the marble table.
Sealing
A polished marble table is less porous compared with other finishes. However, we recommend sealing them for extra protection and maintaining the gloss.
Penetrating sealers are excellent in protecting the table from unpleasant stains and scratches, and the frequency of sealing will depend on the following:
- sealer’s brand and;
- color and quality of the marble.
Generally speaking, we recommend sealing at least twice a year for marble furniture like tables and countertops. But some sealers also last for 3 to 5 years, so it’s best to contact your manufacturer to be specific.
Avoiding the Sunlight
Marble tables can fade under the sunlight because of the ultraviolet (UV) rays. For this reason, we urge our clients to take precautions, such as placing the table under a shade if they will use it outdoors. We have another article about “7 Safe Ways to Protect Marble Tables From Stains“.
Conclusion
There are a lot of choices when it comes to selecting the right marble table for us, and it can be too much to think about them when not in order. That’s why to help you decide about your furniture. We encourage you to follow these steps:
- Determine the kind of table you need
- Decide on its size
- Think about the shape
- Select the marble type for color and overall appearance
- Choose the table’s finish
We can also dive away from the usual tables and use a waterjet medallion as the tabletop. Moreover, we have the choice to incorporate laminated stones in our furniture.
