Sippy_south, you may want to start a new thread with that question so everyone sees it. Otherwise only people reading this countertop thread can see it. As for the various brands of quartz - I don't know that there's really any difference, other than the various colors available and what each manufacturer considers a quality or warranty issue. One person on this forum had problems with Cambria - there was major "resin pooling" on her countertop (do a search for that term), and Cambria wouldn't replace it. I bought Zodiaq because I liked one of its colors the best.

Agreed! The best part of quartz surfacing (aside from all those other great qualities) is that the pigments can be mixed to create truly unique colors you can't find in nature, even though the quartz itself is completely natural (sand or silica). You mentioned Caesarstone so I had to share the news that their color Apple Martini was PantoneâÂÂs top pick for the season along with their color of the year. I think it looks great installed residential like in Miles Redd's kitchen, or even in special applications like the custom vanity.

I'm still a newby in terms of experience in use, but I can speak about shopping around for a countertop. I think many people choose natural stone, including granite, marble, and soapstone because they have this beauty that comes from within. It comes from nature and there is just no way to reproduce what nature made. There are probably a little more maintenance to each of these, but some very little, and others worth it or even enjoyable. I would have thought with my art background, that I would then have chosen one of them, but instead the caesarstone. (guess I should learn how to spell it since I have purchased it!!) I think that I wanted something different. I wanted a very practical and very neutral surface....I guess I would say when I see it though that is a clean, pretty, light in color, and either slightly contemporary or even retro. I am hoping to put more focus on a colorful backsplash and to enjoy my beautiful cabinets. The caesarstone price, where I live, was just a little more than the price I was quoted for a more common granite. Like rubyfig said though, it is not all about the look. Research the differences and think about what will suit your home and your kitchen function.

byronroad, you make a good point: our house is somewhat rural, and I'll bet most would agree that a more "organic" material would fit the house better. Even though the interior is going to be much more contemporary than the last time I built, there is still a "lodge" feel about the profile of the house. I don't think my fabricator was pushing a particular choice; I asked him if he could get the primary orange Caesarstone - when he realized I was only thinking of using it on a bath vanity, he educated me about the fact that quartz is purchased by the slab just like granite. In my mind, I'd thought of Caesarstone/Silestone, etc. as more of a man-made product (I automatically attach "engineered" to it in my head) and as such, could be purchased in amounts closer to the area needed (like tile.) Der! I hadn't done my research, and he was simply pointing out that in the five years since he did my first house, granite no longer held the title of "MOST EXPENSIVE." Truly? I don't think price will be the deciding factor, because it sounds like you all have been quoted prices that - while more than some granites - aren't actually twice the cost. Especially since I have verrrry expensive taste in granite. ;) francoise47: that's an interesting question posed by your architect. However, should we adjust our thinking to reflect the fact that Caesarstone/Cambria/Zodiaq, etc. are almost 100% quartz, which is a natural stone? To me, what dated older materials was obvious areas of wear and age: laminate that separated or showed cut marks, for instance. I can't imagine the quartz products aging at all, really - from what I understand, they are more difficult to "hurt" than most granites. Corian is something I'm very interested in for the aforementioned bath vanity top: they offer a solid primary blue (close to the LEGO blue I'm shooting for), but I'm still not quite clear on the true nature of Corian. Man-made, yes. Solid surface - esp w/the concern of color throughout the entire depth - yes. But I'm not really sure what it's made of! That decision will come down to color, no doubt: I'm trying desperately to convince DH that an orange Caesarstone counter in DS's bath could be "LEGO-like" now, yet easily updated by changes in cab pulls, accent tiles, and the acrylic inserts in center panels of four cabinet doors. I had almost talked myself out of even visiting a slab yard this time, because I knew I would see something amazing and all thoughts of my pure white countertops in the kitchen would be thrown away. And sure enough, that's what happened yesterday: Crazy Horse, Aurora Borealis/Amadaeus, River White, Stillwater Gray, Snowdrift ... so many beautiful granites and not enough surfaces! But I wanted to gather opinions from the people who literally saved my sanity while building my first house. I value the opinions here so highly! I guess I came looking for reassurance that the (now) more expensive surfaces I didn't even consider last time, weren't somehow superior to granite on every level. Clearly there are advantages/disadvantages to every surface choice (hence the agony of the decision process!), and I need to choose the product that will best serve my family & my kitchen well, for manymanymany years to come. skyedog,yakkinyetti,dar5: I'd LOVE to see pictures, if you have any!!