Solid marble, quartzite, natural quartz or engineered quartz? Marble veneer, sintered stone, petrified wood or a resin marble look? Which lasts longest and gives the best value for money? Round, rectangle, square or oval? Our designers' guide to choosing a dining table you will love for decades, with the sizes and seating numbers to get it right the first time.
The Ophelia dining table by Boca do Lobo, in solid Carrara marble with cast brass in gold.
The dining table is the hardest-working piece of furniture in a home. It hosts birthdays, homework, long Sunday lunches and late-night conversations, and in an open-plan space it is often the first thing you see. That is why the top matters so much. Stone gives a dining table weight, presence and a surface no two homes share, but "marble" now covers everything from a solid quarried slab to engineered surfaces that look almost identical and behave very differently.
This guide walks through every top we make and supply, what each one is like to live with, and how to choose the right shape and size for your room and your guests. If you would rather talk it through, book a complimentary design session in our Port Melbourne showroom or online, and we will bring samples to the table.
In this guide
Eight types of stone table top · Marble vs quartzite vs quartz · Price compared · Which lasts longest and best value · Round, rectangle, square or oval · Sizes and seating chart · Dining tables to explore · The makers · FAQ
Eight ways to bring stone to the table
1. Solid natural marble and stone
What it is. A single slab, or a pair of book-matched slabs, cut straight from the quarry: marble such as Carrara, Calacatta, Arabescato, Nero Marquina, Portoro, forest green marble and travertine. Every slab is unique, so the veining on your table exists nowhere else in the world.
Why clients choose it. Nothing matches the depth, coolness and light of real stone. And although the initial outlay is higher, solid marble is the one top that can almost always be restored to its original condition. Marks and etching can be honed back and re-polished, and if a chip or crack ever happens, a stonemason can resin-fill and colour-match it so the repair is virtually seamless. That is why a solid marble table genuinely becomes an heirloom, and why it holds its value in a way few materials do.
Living with it. Marble is a natural, porous stone. Acids such as lemon, wine and vinegar can etch the surface, so we seal every top and recommend resealing about once a year, using coasters and wiping spills promptly; the Natural Stone Institute publishes excellent care guidance for natural stone. A honed (matt) finish disguises everyday marks far better than high polish. Solid stone is heavy, often 250 to 310 kg for a large table, so we plan access and delivery with you. Travertine, with its warm, softly pitted texture, is the most relaxed of the natural stones and suits modern organic, Japandi and coastal interiors beautifully.
Every slab is unique: the Agra III by BRABBU in forest green marble.
2. Quartzite
What it is. Quartzite is a natural stone, often mistaken for marble, that began as sandstone and was fused by intense heat and pressure deep in the earth. Varieties such as Taj Mahal, Patagonia and white quartzites carry the soft, flowing veining clients love in marble, sometimes with a beautiful translucency.
Why clients choose it. Quartzite gives you the look of marble with far more strength. It sits around 7 on the Mohs hardness scale against marble's 3 to 4, so it resists scratching and most everyday etching from lemon and wine, it handles heat well, and because it is a natural stone it does not fade or yellow in sunlight. It is the natural-stone choice for clients who want marble's beauty with fewer worries, including in covered alfresco dining.
Living with it. Quartzite is still a natural stone, so it should be sealed, though it is far less thirsty than marble. Some softer stones are sold under the quartzite name, so we confirm the material before you commit. It is very heavy, and its hardness makes it slower to cut and shape, which is reflected in the price of curved and sculptural edges. Like marble, a chip can be resin-filled and colour-matched by a stonemason, although re-honing such a hard surface takes more work.
3. Marble veneer
What it is. A thin layer of real marble bonded to a lightweight, rigid core. You see and touch genuine stone, with all its natural veining, but the table weighs a fraction of a solid slab.
Why clients choose it. Veneer makes real marble possible where a solid slab is not: long tables of three metres and more, sculptural curved edges, apartments with lifts and tight stairwells, and upper floors where weight is a concern. It is also more accessible in price for very large sizes.
Living with it. Veneer is a good choice, but it is less forgiving than a solid slab. The surface is real marble, so it needs the same care: sealing, coasters and prompt wiping. Sudden changes of temperature, such as a hot dish placed straight onto a cold top, can damage the thin stone layer, so always use trivets. And because the stone is only a few millimetres thick, a deep scratch or chip cannot be honed out; it can go through the marble and leave the top beyond repair.
4. Natural quartz and semi-precious stone
What it is. Genuine quartz crystal, formed in the earth over millions of years, in its most beautiful colours: rose quartz, white and clear quartz, smoky quartz and amethyst, alongside banded agate. The crystal is cut into pieces, polished and set together by hand, often framed with gold leaf or metal inlay, so every table is a mosaic of real gemstone.
Why clients choose it. Natural quartz is the jewellery of the dining room. Quartz crystal is one of the hardest natural materials used in furniture, harder than marble and on a par with quartzite, so the stone itself resists scratching, staining and acids. Its translucency means the surface glows and changes as light moves across it, and no two tables can ever be the same. It is not engineered stone, so it is unaffected by the Australian ban described below.
Living with it. The crystal is tough, but the joins between the stones, and any gold leaf or resin setting, are softer, so use placemats and trivets and keep hot dishes off the surface. It is an indoor piece, very heavy, and handmade to order, which places it among our most exclusive options. Because it is built from individual stones, a damaged area can often be re-polished or the piece repaired by the maker rather than replacing the whole top. Our Gladis dining table is made in rose quartz, white quartz or agate framed in 24ct gold leaf, and you can see the material across our quartz furniture collection.
Natural rose quartz and 24ct gold leaf: the Gladis dining table.
5. Engineered quartz
What it is. Engineered stone is a man-made slab of around 90% crushed quartz bound with polymer resin and pigments, made to imitate marble and other stones. It is not the same as quartzite or natural quartz, despite the similar names.
How it compares. Engineered quartz is non-porous, so it never needs sealing and resists stains and scratches well, and its pattern is uniform from slab to slab. Its weaknesses come from the resin that binds it: hot pans and dishes can scorch or discolour the surface, strong sunlight can yellow it, so it is not suited to outdoor or sun-filled spaces, and chips can be filled but the repair usually remains visible.
Important for Australian buyers. Since 1 July 2024, engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs can no longer be supplied, manufactured or installed in Australia, and their import has been banned since 1 January 2025, because cutting it releases silica dust linked to the lung disease silicosis. Porcelain and sintered stone are not affected. That is why we recommend sintered stone for a practical, low-maintenance marble look, or quartzite for a natural stone with similar toughness. You can read more on the Australian Government's engineered stone page.
6. Sintered stone and porcelain ceramic
What it is. Natural minerals pressed and fired at extremely high temperature and pressure into a dense, non-porous slab. The surface carries a marble design, such as Golden Calacatta, Portoro or Borghini, through the material's finish.
Why clients choose it. Sintered stone is the practical luxury. It is non-porous, so red wine, oil and lemon wipe straight off, it resists heat, scratches and UV fading, and it never needs sealing. That makes it our first recommendation for busy families, entertainers, hospitality venues and alfresco dining. Slabs are thin and comparatively light, which opens up large tables at a more accessible price.
Living with it. Its veining is more consistent than a quarried slab, so you lose a little of the one-of-a-kind character of natural stone. Its weak point is damage. Corners and edges chip and crack easily with a hard knock, and once sintered stone is cracked or chipped it is very difficult to repair: because the marble pattern sits in the surface finish, any repair remains obvious, and a badly damaged top usually has to be replaced. For that reason we recommend rounded corners and softened or bevelled edges. Our Carthy dining table is made with matt or glossy ceramic tops in sixteen Italian marble looks, in rectangle or shaped formats of 240 or 300 cm.
7. Petrified wood
What it is. Petrified wood is ancient timber that, over millions of years, has turned to stone as minerals replaced the wood fibres. It keeps the rings and grain of the original tree with the hardness and polish of quartz, in deep browns, taupes, rust, cream and charcoal.
Why clients choose it. Petrified wood is the most collectible top we make. It is extraordinarily hard and dense, each piece is a natural artwork millions of years in the making, and it bridges the warmth of timber with the permanence of stone. It is the piece guests ask about.
Living with it. It is very heavy and every slab is different, so tables are made to order around the material available. It is one of our premium options and is best seen in person. You can see the material now in our Eclipse Duo petrified wood coffee table, and we can make a dining table in the same stone to your size.
8. Resin and marble-look tops
What it is. Cast resin and composite surfaces that create a marble, pearl or crystal effect, often with inlays of brass or natural stone set into the surface.
Why clients choose it. Resin can be cast into curves, colours and patterns that stone cannot achieve, and it is lighter and warmer to the touch. It is the playful, design-led option, perfect for statement dining rooms, restaurants and bars, and it usually sits at a more accessible price point than solid stone.
Living with it. Resin is softer than stone, so use placemats and trivets and keep hot dishes off the surface. Our Matteo Cibic Nesso dining table pairs a pearly resin top with brass inlay. For a crystal-clear effect that will not yellow, our exclusive Glacier Crystal tables, such as the Double Peak and Black Stone, combine a crystal surface with real stone and are UV and weather resistant.
Marble, quartzite or quartz?
These four are the most often confused. Marble, quartzite and natural quartz are all natural stones from the earth; engineered quartz is a man-made product. Here is how they compare on every point that matters at the dining table.
| Solid marble | Quartzite | Natural quartz | Engineered quartz | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | Natural stone, quarried | Natural stone, quarried | Natural crystal and semi-precious stone | Man-made: crushed quartz and resin |
| Look | Soft, deep veining; every slab unique | Marble-like veining, often translucent; every slab unique | Translucent gemstone colour; every piece unique | Uniform, repeatable pattern |
| Hardness and scratches | Softer; can scratch | Very hard; highly scratch resistant | Very hard crystal; joins and gold leaf are softer | Hard; scratch resistant |
| Acids (lemon, wine) | Etches; dulls the polish | Resists most etching | Crystal resists acids | Resists etching |
| Stains and sealing | Porous; seal about yearly | Low porosity; seal periodically | Crystal non-porous; settings sealed | Non-porous; no sealing |
| Heat | Tolerates heat; use trivets | Excellent heat resistance | Crystal tolerates heat; protect the joins | Resin can scorch or discolour |
| Sunlight and outdoors | Can weather outdoors | UV stable; suits covered alfresco | Indoor only | Can yellow in UV; indoor only |
| Weight | Very heavy | Very heavy | Very heavy | Heavy |
| If damaged | Almost always restorable; resin-filled, virtually seamless | Repairable by a stonemason; harder to re-hone | Can often be re-polished or repaired by the maker | Chips can be filled; repair usually visible |
| Price | $$$$ | $$$$ to $$$$$ | $$$$$ | $$ |
| In Australia | Available | Available | Available | No longer supplied since July 2024 |
Our view: choose marble for unrivalled beauty and a top that can be restored for life, quartzite when you want a natural stone that shrugs off everyday wear, natural quartz for a one-of-a-kind gemstone statement, and sintered stone rather than engineered quartz for an easy-care marble look.
How the tops compare, including price
Price, from most accessible to most premium: resin and marble-look tops are the most accessible, followed by sintered stone, then marble veneer, then solid marble and quartzite, which are usually similar or with quartzite a little higher, and natural quartz and petrified wood the most exclusive. The exact difference depends on the size, the stone you choose and the design, so we always quote each table individually.
Think long term, not just day one. Solid marble costs more at the start, but it is the top you can keep restoring for decades. Sintered stone and veneer cost less up front, but if they are seriously damaged they usually cannot be returned to new, so a single accident can mean replacing the top.
| Top | Price | Look | Stains and heat | Weight | If damaged | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resin, marble look | $ | Marble, pearl or crystal effect | Softer; keep hot dishes off | Light | Surface marks can often be polished; deep damage is hard to hide | Design-led rooms, hospitality |
| Sintered stone | $$ | Marble look, consistent veining | Highly resistant to stains, heat and UV | Light to medium | Chipped corners and cracks are hard to repair and stay visible | Families, entertaining, alfresco |
| Marble veneer | $$$ | Genuine marble surface | Can etch; avoid sudden hot and cold | Light | Light marks refresh; a deep scratch can ruin the top | Long tables, curves, apartments |
| Solid marble | $$$$ | Genuine, one of a kind | Can etch with acids; use trivets | Very heavy | Almost always restorable: re-honed, resin-filled, virtually seamless | Heirloom formal dining |
| Quartzite | $$$$ to $$$$$ | Natural, marble-like veining | Resists most etching; excellent with heat | Very heavy | Repairable by a stonemason; harder to re-hone | Marble look with natural toughness |
| Petrified wood | $$$$$ | Fossilised timber, collectible | Very hard and durable | Very heavy | Extremely hard wearing; specialist repair | Statement and collector pieces |
| Natural quartz | $$$$$ | Translucent gemstone, every piece unique | Crystal resists stains and acids; protect the joins from heat | Very heavy | Can often be re-polished or repaired by the maker | Statement dining, collectors |
Price shown relative to each other, $ most accessible to $$$$$ most premium. Engineered quartz is not listed because it can no longer be supplied in Australia. On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Which lasts longest and gives the best value for money?
The cheapest table to buy is not always the cheapest to own. The way to judge value is the cost of the table over the years you will live with it, and whether it can be brought back to new if something goes wrong. Here is how the tops rank, from the longest lasting down.
| Top | How long it lasts | Value for money |
|---|---|---|
| Solid marble | Generations | Best long-term value. Higher outlay, but it can be restored again and again, so it never needs replacing and holds its value. |
| Quartzite | Generations | Excellent value. A little more to buy, but so hard-wearing it rarely needs more than a reseal. |
| Petrified wood | Generations | Collector value. A natural artwork that lasts as long as stone and is bought as much for its rarity as its use. |
| Natural quartz | Generations, with care | Collector value. The crystal is enduring; protect the joins and it remains a one-of-a-kind heirloom. |
| Sintered stone | Many years, until a serious chip | Best value up front. Low maintenance and practical, but a badly chipped top usually means a new top, so choose rounded edges. |
| Marble veneer | Many years with care | Good value for the look of real marble, but one deep scratch or heat shock can end its life, so it suits careful households. |
| Resin, marble look | Shorter in heavy daily use | Most affordable. Ideal for statement and hospitality spaces you plan to refresh, less so as a lifetime family table. |
The bottom line. If you want one table for the rest of your life, solid marble is the best value for money: it costs more on day one, but it is the only top that can almost always be restored to its original condition, so you buy it once. Quartzite is the close second for those who want natural stone with less care. If you want the lowest outlay and the easiest everyday care, sintered stone is the smart buy, as long as you choose rounded corners and treat the edges kindly. Engineered quartz is not included because it can no longer be supplied in Australia.
Round, rectangle, square or oval?
Round tables are the most sociable shape (see our guide to the round dining table): everyone can see and talk to everyone, and there are no corners to bump into. They suit square rooms, open-plan kitchens and smaller spaces, and a single pedestal base means more legroom and an extra chair squeezed in when you need it.
Rectangle tables are the classic for long dining rooms and larger families. They seat the most people for the floor space, sit neatly against a banquette, and give you room down the middle for platters, candles and styling.
Square tables create an intimate, symmetrical setting in a square room. A generous square of 150 cm or more seats eight with two chairs on each side, which makes it a beautiful alternative to a round.
Oval and oblong tables give you the seating of a rectangle with the softness of a round. Without sharp corners they are easier to move around in tighter rooms, feel more relaxed, and often fit one extra guest at each end.
Sizes and seating capacity
Allow about 60 cm of table edge for each person, or 65 to 70 cm for armchairs and generous dining chairs. As a guide:
| Shape | Size (cm) | Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Round (diameter) | 90 to 100 | 4 |
| 110 to 120 | 4 to 5 | |
| 130 to 140 | 5 to 6 | |
| 150 to 160 | 6 to 8 | |
| 180 to 200 | 8 to 10 | |
| Rectangle (length, 90 to 120 wide) | 150 to 160 | 4 to 6 |
| 180 to 200 | 6 to 8 | |
| 220 to 240 | 8 to 10 | |
| 260 to 280 | 10 | |
| 300 and over | 10 to 12 or more | |
| Square | 90 to 100 | 4 |
| 120 to 130 | 4, generously | |
| 150 and over | 8 (two per side) | |
| Oval and oblong (length) | 160 to 180 | 6 |
| 200 to 220 | 6 to 8 | |
| 240 to 260 | 8 to 10 | |
| 280 to 300 | 10 to 12 |
Leave room to move. Plan at least 90 cm between the table edge and a wall or cabinet so chairs can slide out, and 110 to 120 cm where people need to walk behind seated guests. Standard dining height is 74 to 76 cm, with about 30 cm between the chair seat and the underside of the table; our dining table height guide goes deeper, and our space planning guide shows how designers plan the whole room. Under the table, choose a rug that extends 60 to 70 cm past the edge on every side so chairs never catch the border; our luxury rug guide covers the best materials for dining rooms.
Mind the base. A pedestal or central base lets you fit chairs anywhere around the table, while legs at the corners fix where seats can go. On long tables, check that the base sits far enough in that end chairs are comfortable.
Dining tables our clients are choosing now
Solid Carrara marble with cast brass in gold; also Nero Marquina or Portoro. Rectangle, 300 × 146 cm, seats 10 to 12. New.
Forest green marble on black lacquer and polished brass. Rectangle, 280 × 110 cm, seats 10. New.
Marble with polished gold-plated brass, standard in Nero Marquina. Round, 160 cm diameter, seats 6 to 8.
Marble and polished brass in an asymmetric sculptural base. Rectangle, 240 × 110 cm, seats 8 to 10.
Honed Italian Arabescato marble on sculptural pedestals. 183 and 213 cm seat up to 8; 244 cm seats up to 10.
Bertoia Oval by Essential Home
Polished Nero Marquina marble with a gold-plated brass ring. Oval, 280 × 110 cm, seats 10.
Solid travertine on a sculpted pedestal. Round, 152 cm diameter, seats 6 to 8.
Solid travertine, 6.5 cm thick top. Rectangle, 240 × 110 cm, seats 8 to 10. Custom sizes available.
Sintered ceramic top in sixteen Italian marble looks. Rectangle or shaped, 240 or 300 × 120 cm, seats 8 to 12.
Rose quartz, white quartz or agate framed in 24ct gold leaf. 240 × 100 cm, seats 8. Fully customisable.
Pearly resin with brass inlay in grey, beige or mint. Square 150 × 150 cm seats 8; rectangle up to 300 cm.
Solid American oak, made in Melbourne. Round, 150 cm seats 6; 180 cm seats 8. New.
Solid American oak on an elliptical base, made in Melbourne. 270 × 120 cm seats 10; 300 cm seats 12. New.
Prefer timber with the warmth of home-grown craft? The kwerk tables above are part of our Australian made collection, designed and handcrafted in Melbourne and shipped worldwide. See every design in our dining tables collection, and complete the room with dining chairs, a sideboard and statement lighting above the table.
The makers behind these tables
Cocolea is an authorised Australian retailer for some of the world's most respected design houses, and every piece can be tailored to your size, stone and finish.
Boca do Lobo is the Portuguese atelier behind the Ophelia and Stonehenge tables, known for collectible design made with foundry, stonemasonry and metalwork by hand. Visit the maker at bocadolobo.com, and read about our partnership with Boca do Lobo.
BRABBU designs bold, earthy pieces such as the Agra III, pairing rare marbles with lacquer and brass. Discover more at brabbu.com.
LUXXU brings gold-plated brass and fine marble together in pieces like the Littus round table. See the collection at luxxu.net.
Essential Home reinterprets mid-century design, as in the Nero Marquina Bertoia tables. Explore more at essentialhome.eu.
Scarlet Splendour and designer Matteo Cibic create the playful Nesso table in pearly resin and brass. Visit scarletsplendour.com.
kwerk designs and handcrafts its solid American oak tables in Melbourne, part of our Australian made collection, shipped worldwide.
Further reading
Planning a dining room? These guides from our design team go deeper: how to choose the right stone for a designer stone table, commissioning a bespoke dining table in Australia, bespoke dining tables in Melbourne, custom dining tables in Sydney, solid timber dining tables, ideas for a luxury dining room, finding the right dining room furniture and the luxury rug guide. Browse the full dining room collection and our marble tables.
Frequently asked questions
Which dining table top lasts the longest?
Solid marble, quartzite, petrified wood and natural quartz all last for generations. Solid marble offers the best long-term value because it can almost always be restored to its original condition, with chips resin-filled and colour-matched so the repair is virtually seamless.
Is marble or quartzite better for a dining table?
Marble has unrivalled depth and can be restored for life, but it is softer and etches with acids. Quartzite looks similar but is much harder, resists most etching and handles heat well, so it suits busy households that want natural stone with less care.
Is sintered stone better than marble?
Sintered stone is easier to live with day to day, because it is non-porous and resists stains, heat and UV. It costs less up front, but corners chip easily and damage is hard to repair invisibly, while marble can almost always be restored.
Can I still buy an engineered quartz dining table in Australia?
No. Since 1 July 2024 engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs can no longer be supplied, manufactured or installed in Australia, and imports have been banned since 1 January 2025. Sintered stone, porcelain and natural stones such as quartzite are not affected.
What size dining table seats 8?
A rectangle of 220 to 240 cm by around 100 to 110 cm, an oval of 240 to 260 cm, a round table of 180 to 200 cm, or a square table of 150 cm or more with two chairs per side.
What size round dining table seats 6?
A round table of 130 to 140 cm seats 5 to 6 comfortably, and 150 to 160 cm seats 6 to 8.
Made to your size, in the stone you love
Almost every dining table we sell can be made to order: your length and width, your shape, your edge profile and your choice of stone or finish. Our designers will help you choose the right top for the way you live, send samples so you can see the stone in your own light, and plan delivery and placement so your table arrives ready for its first dinner party.
Explore our dining tables, or book a complimentary design session. Prefer to talk? Call 1800 855 665, email sales@cocolea.com.au, or visit our showroom at 400 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne. Trade and project pricing is available.