Dina Kahrimanovic
Granite and Quartz Countertop Expert
Granite countertop Vs. Quartz countertop
There are all these speculations on which product is better, granite countertop or a quartz countertop. Which is more stain resistant or which is more durable in heat, all are relevant speculations. How can one compare two different materials that are not even of the same caliper? The only reason we could even consider this product the same in any way is that both of them are used for countertop application. Specifically that of the more luxurious form of countertops.
Lets see what the differences and similarities are in both of these surfaces, granite countertops and quartz countertops.
Granite Countertops
This is the only material that is available which is directly mined from the ground. When I say this is the only one, I am more referring to all natural stones. As we all know we could break down the granite material into various sections such as shiest stone, basalt, feldspar, mica, quartz to name a few, however we do not do this. In general we call it all granite. So therefor in this I am also including various other types of stones such as the famous marble, slate and quartzite. The question still remains which one is better granite countertop or quartz countertop, to put us back on topic let’s see the pros and cons are.
Pros
-Fully natural material – 100% the only part of you granite countertop that will be of artificial matter will be the seams otherwise you will have a solid slab of rock as your granite countertop.
-You have natural beauty in your home. Your neighbor and you may have the exact same name of granite countertop. Even with this noted, they will be different, unless of course you purchased them from the same bundle. 🙂
-It stays a steady temperature allowing you to be able to put you hot pots and pans right on your granite countertop. This is not always recommended depending on your specific stone formation. This is why we encourage you to ask these specific questions to your fabricator. Please ask them before making any decisions on your granite countertop.
-They will outlast the lives of you and I. This is guaranteed instantly when purchasing granite countertops. Does a guarantee get better than that?
-Maintenance is as simple as cleaning the stone. We know that sealer is something that has been spoken about in the granite countertop industry since I can remember. At first they were not good, now they have made them to last 20 years or more. The way that I feel about it is that granite countertops are natural and just as with other natural material there is a level of acceptance amongst things. Say wood for example, we consider its natural “flaws” as normal, nicks and nacks as well as its durability and simply knowing that over time it may not be as sturdy as it was originally. With granite countertops as well another natural material that may have natural “flaws” it is often not given the same acceptance as it should. This gets us to the cons of having a granite countertop.
Con
-The color is not solid throughout the slab. Which can make designing a little more challenging as one has to take the whole slab into consideration of the granite countertop placement in the kitchen. Some slabs will have more movement on one side, some may have unique spots that will make it look less uniform. With this noted the placement of seams may have to be planned during the design stages.
-Slab sized can vary quite a bit. This is more of a situation for a fabricator to incorporate into their process but I feel it is an important one. Why would this be important you may ask? Slab sizes will determine where your seams may have to be. Specifically, if you are looking to have an island that may be bigger than your slab (which I have seen happen. In this case the cabinets were adjusted so they could keep their selected slab). All of these cases will have to be discussed on a project bases to give you the best granite countertop.
-Fissures are small imperfections within the stone that were at some points some kind of weakening. Perhaps caused by trickles of water or an earthquake that broke the granite formation within the ground. This is all how the natural movement of granite is formed within the slab. This can also be the cause of fissures appearing once this “huge rock” is cut down into a 3cm (1 ¼”) slice to serve as your lovely new granite countertop.
-Price of granite countertops can be a reason why some choose not to even consider granite countertops. However, compared to Quartz a man-made product – I would say granite countertops are the ones I would spend my money on instead of quartz.
This brings us to your new potential quartz countertop.
Quartz Countertops
Quartz countertops are fairly new in the world of kitchen improvement and the like. I first started seeing them appear in the market some 15 years ago. Keep in mind that I am here in Iowa and so we may be a little behind on the trendiest new countertop. Anyway – they blew my mind. Instantly, I very much enjoyed how simple it was to design with them. This brings us to the first pro for quartz countertops.
Pros
-Design simplicity is something we all look for. We created swatches for paint as well as wood samples for cabinets. Granite countertop has a harder time with samples as you are generally hauling around a chunk of your very own slab. Even that is not always sufficient considering all the variation in the natural stone. Quartz countertops on the other hand provide you with that simplicity. The colors may be so uniform that even a small 2”x2” sample can be enough to design your whole kitchen with.
-Maintenance on quartz countertops is almost none existent. Simply clean them with warm water and dish soap and they should last you for a very long time. We do not know how long this very long time is, as it is surely not as long as for granite countertops.
-Slabs usually come in a uniform size allowing the fabricator to have more room within one slab. This does not mean that some slabs do not have funky sizes say 115” x 50”. Why is this a funky size? Well, it would only fit one length of a standard cabinet width of 25.5” leaving the fabricator with 24.5” to do nothing with unless it will be used as a backsplash.
Cons
-Often the products are made overseas which can be a good economical move. It can also be damaging if tariffs are increased or the wait time to bring in the material. This also applies to granite countertops in general terms as majority of mines are located in various parts of the world such as Brazil, Italy, India just to name a few.
-Quartz countertops are not natural however they do use some percentage of crushed granite. This helps them achieve the stated durability, with each brand having their own unique process. These numbers are usually always available if requested.
-Not heat resistant and will not outlast your life, maybe, unless you are superman (or superwoman). Do not put hot pots and pans, always remember to use a hot pad. Though I have not seen any particular issues with this. Majority of quartz will have a rating of 300 – 400 degrees. This will drastically be different from one brand to another, ask your fabricator in case you are analytical and like to know these things.
In conclusion
As you can see they truly both have their pros and cons and we all have our own reasons for selecting the particular countertops that works for our life. No matter if that may be a granite countertop or a quartz countertop. I enjoy them both equally, the uniqueness of the granite countertops is unlike anything else. The simplicity and the smooth look of quartz countertop has fascinated me for years just as well. This really depends on the look that one is wanting to achieve in their home. As with everything during this process, ask all the questions and get familiar with your own personal style of countertops.
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