Stone Type: Marble

Traditionally associated with memorials, marble is highly porous in nature and has a tendency to change colour over a very short period of time, needing frequent cleaning as a result. A metamorphic stone, marble’s crystalline texture comes from the repressurisation of existing stone. It is known for its white colour with veins of grey.

Marble Stone Information Card

Stone Type: Carrara Marble

Colour Range: White with veins of light to dark grey

Finish Options: Honed

Durability Level: Medium

Porosity: High (poor water resistance)

Weather Resistance: Medium (frost resistant but porous)

Maintenance Needs: Very high (very regular professional clean to improve appearance from weathering, avoid impact damage)

Longevity: Weathers over time

Example of Marble Stone

Why consider marble stone?

Carrara Marble, quarried in Italy, has had associations with monuments and memorials for centuries, being used to construct buildings such as the Parthenon in Rome and Victoria Memorial in London. Its white colour, when accompanied by black lettering, is probably what many people visualise when asked to describe a headstone or other memorial.

However, marble is extremely attractive to algae and moss and these develop quickly, changing its colour from white to green or brown in a relatively short period of time. It responds well to professional cleaning but anyone who is not prepared to commit to this upkeep should be reconciled to the appearance of the memorial changing quickly. For this reason, we tend to recommend an alternative option. It also retains painted inscriptions poorly, and therefore we recommend flush-filled characters as a first option. These have to be sandblasted and, when renovated, the inscription has to be recarved.

Although marble is often considered a traditional material for memorials, it is not permitted in churchyards due to the preference for muted, natural tones, which would be in contrast to its relatively stark appearance.

Pros

Traditional material with associations of antiquity

Striking appearance with contrast dark lettering

Simple, classic appearance with no need to use colour for a distinctive finish

Suited to memorials of all shapes and sizes

Cons

Growth of algae and moss due to porous nature

Weathering leads to change of shape and legibility in the long term

Has to be sandblasted and flush filled

Painting not recommended due to lack of adherence of paint

High maintenance needs with requirement for regular professional clean and recurving when lettering wears

Appearance is subject to variation as veining is naturally occurring and variable