If you are unfamiliar with quartz or granite countertops, they can look and feel similar, yet they are VERY different. Quartz has seen a huge rise in recent years being one of the top materials people are choosing for their kitchen countertops. Granite has taken a bit of a back seat, yet will always reign as being a “tried and true” constant in the home interiors industry.
Technological advancements have allowed quartz to take on the natural look of concrete and marble, and can even exhibit textures of natural stone. With marble looks being on trend for both bathrooms and kitchens, this has created more options for people to choose from who want the look but don’t necessarily want the price or natural features of marble. Whether you want soft and subtle movement in your marbled look or you want strong contrasting veins, there are many styles and colors to choose from that will get you the look you’re after.
In order to choose what countertop is best for your kitchen, it really comes down to your needs. Before we start breaking down your needs in the kitchen, let’s go over the background of each material.
Granite is 100% natural and is formed within the earth. It is then quarried directly from the earth in large blocks, cut into slabs, polished on one side at the quarry, and ultimately shaped by a fabricator to fit your countertop specifications.
Quartz countertops are a man-made engineered stone product that is made by combing about 90% ground quartz and about 10% resins, polymers, and pigments. It is an extensive process that basically “bakes” the crushed quartz and resin together, and flattens it to form a hard surface that can be used for countertops.
What Are Your Needs?
Ultimately, the material you choose for your countertops depends on how you plan to use your kitchen. Do you love cooking and plan to spend a lot of time in your kitchen creating culinary masterpieces? Do you have children who will be doing art projects or their homework at your counters? Do you entertain a great deal and constantly have guests in your kitchen? Is using natural materials important to you and your environmental ethics?
So many things to consider in this coveted space.
With a lot of cooking, usually comes spills, so if you plan on using acidic foods or drinks (i.e. tomatoes, lemons, coffee, wine, etc), you might want to consider quartz since it is non-porous making it nearly impermeable to stains. However, if you are trying to get the timing down for the perfect meal for your next dinner party and leave a boiling pan on the counter, you’ll want to choose a natural stone, such as granite, that won’t warp or stain from the intense heat. If pens, paint, and markers are going to be present in your kitchen, they might leave a permanent work of art on that gorgeous River White Granite you chose. And if the environment is a strong factor in which materials you are choosing for your home, you’ll of course want to choose a countertop that was made by Mother Earth herself.
THE PROS
Quartz
- Non-porous so it resists staining and bacteria. Combats juice, oil, wine, tomato, coffee, etc.
- Wide variety of colors and styles, including: marble and concrete looks, solid tones, looks similar to granite, and even different textures or sheens.
- Extremely strong and durable material.
- ZERO maintenance required- no sealing ever again!
- Uses waste materials rather than quarrying new materials.
- What you see is what you get- quartz doesn’t have wavering styles that granite and other natural stones have.
- Scratch-, water-, and chip-resistant.
Granite
- Unique color and style choices since every slab is unique and unlike any other
- Can withstand high temperatures, so a boiling pot of water can be placed directly on the surface.
- No discoloration from natural sunlight.
- 100% natural and from the earth.
- “Tried and true” in the market and holds its value.
THE CONS
Quartz
- Discoloration from sunlight will occur over time, especially if your kitchen gets a lot of natural light.
- Less resistant to high heat, so a boiling pot of water can discolor the quartz if placed directly on the surface.
- Only about 90% natural and from the earth (this is a pro for some though!)
Granite
- Maintenance required- needs to be sealed from time to time.
- Softer, more porous material, so it can scratch or chip.
- Prone to staining.
- Can have flaws and imperfections since it is a natural product (this is a pro for some though!).
Is There a Price Difference Between the Two?
Not necessarily. At one point, quartz was more expensive than granite, but technological advances have lowered production costs, so it is now similarly priced to granite. As with most products, the ornateness of the material is usually what drives the price. So, you’ll find varying costs with both materials.
Design Tools at Your Fingertips
If you’re still having trouble deciding between which material to go with, come check out the quartz and natural stone samples in our Pillar Stone private label collection, as well as other well-known brands, in our showroom. Compare textures, weight, and colors of quartz and granite side by side to help narrow down the selection process. You can also visit the virtual kitchen designer on our website by clicking here.
Thanks for the terrific manual
Thanks to the terrific manual
I spent a lot of time to locate something like this
I’m trying to decide what kind of material I should use for my countertops. I love the perks of granite! It’s cool that it’s 100% natural.
Thanks, it’s quite informative
It works really well for me
Good interesting content …
I added your web into my favourites.
Keep up good work! Looking forward for upcoming updates!
Regards,
Michael
Thank you for visiting our blog- Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the great article
Thank you for the terrific article
obviously know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Great job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the article.
I like this post, enjoyed this one thanks for posting.
Normally I don’t read article on blogs, however I would like to say that this write-up very forced me to try and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thank you, quite nice post.
Thank you!
Hi I am so glad I found your blog page, I really found you by mistake, while I was looking on Digg for something else, Nonetheless I am here now and would just like to say thank you for a fantastic post and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to go through it all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also added your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read a great deal more, Please do keep up the excellent job.
Glad you found us! Thank you for the positive feedback.
Fantastic article. Great.
Thanks, it is quite informative
Thanks for the great post
Do you mind if I quote a few of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your weblog?
My blog site is in the very same area of interest as yours and my
visitors would definitely benefit from a lot of the information you
present here. Please let me know if this okay with you.
Thank you!
That would be just fine. Thank you!
Thanks for the terrific article
This is actually useful, thanks.
Thank you for the wonderful post
This website was… how do I say it? Relevant!!
Finally I have found something that helped me. Cheers!
Thanks for the excellent manual
This is actually useful, thanks.
Thanks, it is very informative
Hey there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok.
I’m undoubtedly enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
Hi there! We aren’t on Twitter right now but you can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pillarresources.
This is really useful, thanks.
Hi there! I just want to give you a big thumbs up for the great information you have got here
on this post. I will be coming back to your site for more soon.
Hello, I enjoy reading all of your article. I wanted to write a little comment to support
you.
My countertops are very worn so I’ve been thinking about replacing them. It’s so nice that quartz counters are durable, so it’s hard to damage them accidentally. Thanks for the great information on the benefits of quartz countertops.
Appreciating the time and effort you put into your site and in depth information you provide.
It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while
that isn’t the same outdated rehashed material.
Wonderful read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my
Google account.
I like how you mentioned that granite has been the constant in the homes interior industry. I could see how granite would be true throughout all of these years, as you mentioned. My husband and I want to remodel our kitchen because of how outdated it is. I’ll start looking for a remodeling contractor in the area to get help with this.
Good day very nice web site!! Man .. Excellent ..
Wonderful .. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds additionally?
I’m glad to search out numerous useful information right here in the put
up, we need work out extra strategies in this regard, thanks for sharing.
. . . . .
Also visit my web blog: answers – https://medium.com/@kanehcoid –
Great work! That is the kind of info that are supposed to be shared around the web.
Disgrace on Google for no longer positioning this publish higher!
Come on over and discuss with my site .
Thank you =)
my webpage; answers (Ross)
I blog often and I truly thank you for your content. This great article has really peaked my interest. I’m going to take a note of your website and keep checking for new details about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed as well.
Great post. I am going through a few of these issues as well..
Your style is so unique compared to other people I have read stuff from. Thanks for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this page.
Hello there! I just want to give you a huge thumbs up for the excellent information you have here on this post. I will be returning to your website for more soon.
Oh my goodness! Awesome article dude! Thanks, However I am experiencing difficulties with your RSS. I don’t understand why I can’t join it. Is there anybody else getting the same RSS problems? Anyone that knows the solution can you kindly respond? Thanx!!
I need to to thank you for this very good read!! I certainly loved every bit of it. I have you saved as a favorite to look at new stuff you post…
It’s hard to find educated people on this subject, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks
Hi, I do believe your web site might be having internet browser compatibility problems. Whenever I look at your blog in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it’s got some overlapping issues. I just wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Apart from that, fantastic blog!
I got this web page from my pal who shared with me regarding this web site and at the moment this time I am browsing this web page and reading very
informative articles at this time.
tank you pust admin
If some one desires expert view regarding blogging and site-building afterward i
suggest him/her to pay a quick visit this web site,
Keep up the good job.
Look into my website – answers
Najlepsze, najatrakcyjniesze i najbardziej sexy kobiety w Katowicach znajdziesz właśnie u nas. Dalej czekasz? One nie mogą bez Ciebie wytrzymać!
I blog often and I truly appreciate your content. This great article has really peaked my interest. I will book mark your site and keep checking for new information about once a week. I subscribed to your RSS feed as well.
Hello there! This blog post couldn’t be written much better! Looking at this post reminds me of my previous roommate! He constantly kept talking about this. I most certainly will send this information to him. Pretty sure he’s going to have a great read. Many thanks for sharing!
Howdy, I believe your web site may be having browser compatibility problems. When I take a look at your site in Safari, it looks fine however when opening in I.E., it’s got some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to provide you with a quick heads up! Aside from that, wonderful website!
It’s hard to come by well-informed people on this subject, but you sound like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks