Marble is a beautiful stone that has been around for thousands of years. It’s no wonder that it’s seen on so many buildings, statues, and sculptures. But how does this material stand up to the elements like the sun? Is marble even safe to use in areas where it will be exposed to the suns’ hot temperatures, such as an exterior patio or kitchen countertop? In this article, we’ll explore the answers to this topic.
So does marble get hot in the sun? Marble surfaces that get direct sunlight can absorb the heat quickly but will continue to feel cool to touch due to how dense the marble is and its ability to conduct heat a lot quicker. However, during higher temperatures, marble may feel slightly warm.
To learn more about how sunlight affects marble surfaces keep reading this article.
The Density Of Marble Makes It Feel Cool In The Sun
One of the reasons marble can seem cool to touch when it’s in direct sunlight is because of how dense the material is. Due to how dense marble is, it is able to conduct heat quickly from the sun but the heat is quickly dissipated and transferred to other items in its surroundings, making those areas cooler.
So why doesn’t this happen with other materials? Glass and metal don’t really have much density so they’re not very good at conducting heat which means that glass will get hot more easily than something like stone or porcelain.
Marble has been used for centuries as kitchen countertops because of how well temperature changes affect them, but now there are also some newer options such as concrete counters made with fiberglass-reinforced crushed volcanic ash.
Marbles are used as countertops in bathrooms, fireplaces, outdoor seats, stairs, etc because of their heat-retaining qualities which are perfect for those environments.
It’s important to know how stone responds to temperature changes before installing it somewhere like a fireplace where you won’t even heat distribution.
Marble Is A Natural Insulator
Another reason why marble feels cool in the hot sun is that it is a natural insulator.
Marble surfaces that see a lot of direct sunlight are cool to the touch in hot weather because they store heat from sunlight, and it slowly releases that energy when temperatures go down at night.
This is why you will often find a lot of outdoor marble installations. They stay cool during summer and warm during winter – this makes them an excellent option for outdoor seating or stairs where you want something durable that will last through years of extreme weather conditions without degrading over time.
How Does The Sun Affect Marble?
There are a few ways direct sunlight can affect marble. Below are a few ways the sun can affect marble surfaces that get in its way.
The Sun Can Discolor Marble Surfaces
Sunlight can also affect the color and appearance of marble, making it fade or causing discoloration in some cases. Marble is more susceptible to this when it has not been treated with sealants that have UV filters (a common way for sealing marble) are not durable enough – if they wear off over time due to high levels of sun exposure.
Another factor that can contribute to discoloration is the age of your marble so it is important not to attribute all discolorations on marbles only to direct sunlight.
Older marble will be more susceptible in this case because it may have absorbed more UV rays over time, which breaks down the pigments and makes them unstable.
This leads to a smooth surface with subtle dark patches where there were once light areas. A notable example: many older Greek sculptures show these stains on their surface from prolonged exposure to sunlight over hundreds or even thousands of years.”
The sun also causes colors like yellow and orange to become stronger than they would otherwise, while colors such as blue and green may tend to fade away under direct sunlight conditions without protection – leading some viewers to believe that those colors had been painted onto the surface by a later artist.
How To Ensure Your Marble Stays Cool
Use Outdoor Umbrella
Using an outdoor umbrella to protect your marble from the sun is one of the simplest ways to keep your marble cool.
The umbrella should be designed for use outdoors and have a long enough pole that you can place over your outdoor marble furniture or other items susceptible to direct sunlight so that they stay shaded all day – with an additional canopy if necessary.
A good rule-of-thumb is to install overhead lighting under the umbrella, too, so there’s always plenty of light in any area where people may want to work outside throughout the evening hours as well.
This way you’ll never lose time on projects due to sun exposure during summer evenings – plus you won’t need expensive air conditioning systems installed either!
If using an outdoor umbrella isn’t something feasible for whatever reason, then another good option is to use table and chair covers.
Use Solar Shades
Try using solar shades that can be bought at Amazon can be installed right onto the windows in order to keep out damaging rays of sunlight while providing some privacy for those inside and outside of the home.
The best way is by installing solar shades directly at the window between the inner room and outer wall. This will help reduce heat gain without blocking natural light completely. Solar shading solutions provide protection against harmful UV waves, reducing glare during sunny days with up to 99% blockage on either side of the glass (depending on which one you select).
Install Shading Devices
Install shading devices in the form of blinds, curtains, or shutters to help keep your marble cool. This is a great way to ensure that your living space remains cooler than outside and you don’t have to worry about sun damage any time of day.
Shade screens are also an excellent choice for those who live in warmer climates where it’s too hot all year round! Shade screens can help minimize the direct sunlight coming into homes during warm months while still allowing natural light inside.
This should be applied only on south-facing windows for maximum effectiveness as sunlight travels from east to west across our planet.
This then reduces the heat entering through these specific windows and will considerably lower temperatures indoors.
Also, installing such louvers over windows or pergolas near patios where you plan to use marble flooring can reduce heat without reducing sunlight levels significantly.
This is often enough on their own due to how quickly sunlight changes during different times of day in any particular location – even if it doesn’t get all day long sunshine! However, this won’t work with indirect or reflected sunlight.
How Do You Protect Marble From The Sun?
One of the best ways to protect marble from the sun is by applying a natural stone sealant. Applying a natural stone sealant on your marble every 3-6 months will provide a protective barrier that will help keep your marble cool and prevent it from becoming stained or damaged from the sun’s rays. This can be as simple as wax or oil varnish.
This will provide some protection from the sun’s effects and also help to keep your marble looking its best for longer by providing a protective layer that blocks out dirt and other substances that would otherwise stain the surface of the stone.