MARBLE, LIKE GRANITE, IS A NATURAL STONE.  UNLIKE GRANITE, IT IS A SEDIMENTARY, METAMORPHIC STONE WHICH STARTED AS LIMESTONE AND, ONCE SUPERHEATED, TURNS INTO MARBLE.  IT IS A SOFT STONE WHICH IS VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO SCRATCHES, STAINING AND ETCHING (CAUSED BY ANYTHING ACIDIC). ALTHOUGH MARBLE DOES NOT GET ALONG WITH ANYTHING ACIDIC, IT IS EXTREMELY HEAT TOLERANT. MARBLE IS A POROUS MATERIAL AND WILL BE SEALED WITH A 10 YEAR IMPREGNATING SEALER PRIOR TO INSTALL.  SEALERS WILL HELP PROTECT STONE AGAINST STAINING, BUT THEY DO NOT PROTECT STONE FROM ETCHING. IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH CHARACTER, MARBLE IS FOR YOU!