What Causes Crystalline Fractures in Marble?

Marble has become a very popular type of stone inside the home due to its natural beauty. While marble can be a great option for floors and countertops, it is important to understand the risks involved with having a “softer” stone like marble. Unlike granite, marble is a “soft” stone that is much more susceptible to damage. Stuns and crystalline fractures are very common in marble and are sometimes not removable. Understanding how these spots are created is the best way to avoid seeing them on your surfaces.

First, it is best to know the difference between stuns and crystalline fractures. A stun is essentially a “bruise” in your natural stone caused by a sudden hard application of force (for example: someone drops a heavy mug from a wall cabinet onto the countertop). Stun marks normally appear as white spots on the surface of natural stone. They typically cannot be felt when you run your finger across them and they can usually be removed by honing or grinding with abrasives.

While stun marks can sometimes be fixed, they can often lead to crystalline fractures which are much more difficult to remove due to their depth in the stone. When an impact is made to the surface of the marble and a stun is created, it can splinter throughout the crystals in the marble creating fractures in the stone.  Since these fractures are usually deeper than 1/16 inch (which is about the max we can grind out of a material – depending on the thickness of the material), they are rarely removable by honing or grinding with abrasives.  Epoxy resins can sometimes be applied to “mask” the visibility of the crystalline fractures, but replacing the marble is usually the only option for a complete fix.

Do you need care for natural stone in your home or business? GK’s Custom Polishing, Inc. in Avon, OH offers cleaning, polishing and restoration for all types of natural stone including marble, granite, terrazzo, traverine, limestone, slate, sandstone and more. For more information about how we can help you, visit our website. To get a free estimate, give us a call at (440) 937-4457 or send us an email.