Avoid Thrift Store Marble Furniture If You Spot This Flaw

Marble is a trending stone in home design, yet again, and it's no wonder. Marble furniture has an undeniable 'it' factor, epitomizing a luxurious elegance that many homeowners look for in classic pieces. The material's timelessness and, quite frankly, its often steep price point, makes it a highly soft-after find in thrift stores and second hand shops; spotting a marble side table, coffee table, or dining table at the thrift can feel like an absolute score. Getting marble at bargain prices is like striking gold — that is until a closer inspection reveals an irreparable issue. While many thrift store flaws can be repaired or cleverly disguised in different kinds of furniture, stained marble isn't so easy to deal with. Dark rings, cloudy patches, and discoloration are all reasons to set that marble piece down, no matter how inexpensive.

Interior designer, Debb Daley of Debb Daley Designs, loves marble side and coffee tables, but she offers a firm warning (per Martha Stewart) when it comes to these secondhand pieces: "...if it's stained, you are never going to get that stain out," she says. Unlike wood that can be sanded or metal that can be refinished or buffed, marble is a porous natural stone that soaks up the pigment and oiliness of stains. Once a stain penetrates the stone, it can become a permanent part of the material itself, rather than a removable blemish. No amount of scrubbing, polishing, or DIY cleaning hacks will fully erase it, much to the sadness of any upcycler.

The problem lies in marble's chemistry and make up. Marble reacts easily to acidic substances like wine, soda, coffee, citrus, and vinegar, likely culprits on furniture items like tables. These liquids don't just stain the marble's surface, but they chemically etch the stone, eating away at its finish and dulling the stone and its color. It's safe to assume that many stains on marble tables in the thrift store may be several years old, meaning they've been deeply set over time as well. While professional stone restoration may help lighten the stain or possibly remove it, it can be a costly process, with some small projects costing hundreds of dollars while larger ones reaching into the thousands.

When you find a marble table at the thrift, be sure to inspect it thoroughly since it may look charmingly aged under store lighting, but once it's in your home, those stains can become far more visible in natural light. For homeowners with an attention to detail, this can be a bothersome visual reminder that you didn't see the stain in the first place. It may be a better option to shift your focus from secondhand marble pieces to furniture made with other stones that are less susceptible to permanent stains, like quartzite, granite, or soapstone to ensure staining isn't an issue.

All hope is not lost, however, particularly if you're in love with the piece you found at the thrift. For instance, some natural ingredients can clean stains out of marble if you catch the stain fresh enough. If it looks like a relatively new piece with a mark on its surface, then you may be able to take a chance. However, it's also easy to make some common cleaning mistakes with your marble surfaces, so if you're not a careful cleaner, then it may not be worth the risk.

There is one easier way of working around stains on thrift store marble, though. Daley points in the Martha Stewart interview that if the marble stain is confined to just one spot on the table top, then you can flip the marble top over as a work around.  Some vintage marble tables are finished on both sides, meaning the underside may be pristine or at least much less visibly damaged. This option can make a stained thrift store score worthwhile after all, but only if the table's construction allows for it and the underside is truly salvageable and stain-free.

That said, not all marble furniture, or furniture in general, is designed to be flipped. Some tabletops have unfinished backs or the tops are secured into the table base, which makes reversing the top impractical. Before purchasing, it's a good idea to inspect the entire piece, not just the surface. Ultimately, thrifting is about shopping smart, and while marble tables can be an incredible score, stains may make it a tough save.