Michelangelo nearly lost his life moving marble from the Carrara mountains to Rome, and hundreds of labourers he employed risked their lives daily. Rope would snap, stone would fall and men would die. The whole process from selection, to excavation to transportation could take a year or more, and cost ten times more than the marble itself.
Pope Julius the II had authorized Michelangelo to choose the finest stone, and the Master was keen to spend months hand selecting the cuts and pockets to be quarried. Despite having the financial ability to acquire the best marble that the Carrara mountains could produce, imperfections and flaws threatened to surface once his chisel was hammered deep.
Marble counter tops look better when the stone has a ‘marbled’ colour… that is, swirls of varying tones and shades…. This will enhance the appearance in your kitchen…
Veins in the marble can distract the eye
A stone without faults is best, but if they are present (and most affordable stone will have at least one) mapping out the fault line, and then working around them is critical if you don’t want your hard work shearing off in unexpected directions. This has happened to us all and nothing feels worse…. I would rather pummel my thumb then crack my statue along a fault….
