Onyx
Like marble, onyx is a soft material often used in installations where backlighting creates a glowing, translucent effect. These qualities make it ideal for use in jewelry and decorative objects. Onyx is best for low-impact areas like powder baths, furniture, and wall installations.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of onyx Countertops
Advantages
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Onyx is quite rare in the kitchen when compared to natural stones like marble and granite, but it can flourish in bathroom settings with applications like vanity countertops or walling. Colorful veining and gorgeous swirling patterns make onyx a truly unique addition to the home.
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Long Lasting if properly cared for and maintained, onyx can last upward of 100 years.
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Onyx is its translucency, which means the stone can be backlit.
Disadvantages
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As mentioned, onyx is soft, brittle, and fragile when compared to some other natural stones. Onyx slabs tend to come with a fiberglass mesh backing to help strengthen and hold them together.
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Onyx can be scratched or scraped easily, which makes it prone to taking on damage from everyday use in the kitchen.
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Since onyx is a calcium-based stone, it reacts to acidic substances and will likely etch from these types of spills (wine, lemon juice, vinegar, etc.), or if an acidic cleaner is used.
