Picking Out A Granite Or Quartz Countertop

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t get asked  which are better – granite or quartz countertop surfaces?  There is no real right or a wrong answer here.  Simply put, both granite or quartz are great countertop options.  What you’ve got to ask yourself is what will work better for you.

Lost? Consider the following questions:

Are you looking for naturally occurring beauty that will be unpredictable or a consistent pattern and color?

Granite will be beautiful it is a statement and some patterns will be difficult to ignore.  You will have to consider what other items you want in your kitchen, often granite will be too busy for intricate designs in backsplashes.  Also I strongly recommend going to the warehouse and picking out your special slab.  So you can avoid any surprises that may arise.  Splotches may be bigger or smaller than at the showroom.  A tone or hue may be different.  You just don’t know what little change may happen in the rock from the time it was mined and put in the showroom.

Quartz will be more uniform.  What you see in the showroom is almost exactly what you get installed in your home.  The two biggest brands of quartz are Silestone and Zodiaq, each have between 30-50 different colors.  Some have small splotches others are bigger.  They  even come in different textures. Silestone has a line that reminds me of honed limestone or marble.  Because of uniformity and smaller splotches some colors in quartz work well with a heavily patterned kitchen backsplash.

How much upkeep are you looking for?

• Most granites require sealing.  There are some out on the market you do not have to worry about but the fact of the matter is that most do.  It will have to be sealed when installed and then you will need to keep up with it.  I recommend re-sealing every 1-2 years.
• Quartz does not need sealing.  It is nonporous.  This also helps with stain resistance.  Neither granite nor quartz is stain proof, but you have a better shot with quartz then with granite.  Quartz is also slightly harder than granite.

As I mentioned earlier there is no true answer for this question.  What it boils down to are the above questions, personal preference and which one looks best in your kitchen.  Either way you can’t chose the wrong one.