countertop granite quartz vs corian

6 years ago

in the long run is granite a better choice for kitchen countertop or corian for the purpose of low maintenance, safe..etc.. All these choices and decision on a countertop is driving me mad.. i was looking at quartz too. i originally was die hard on corian but everytime I walk in a showroom or in a fabricator they keep insisting on quartz. So my head is speeding like the tasmanian devil between granite, quartz and corian. I want low maintenance cause I'm a low key person. the size of my countertop is like 72"x16" and 40"x26" HELP!!

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Joseph Corlett, LLC

6 years ago

Between this ring holder and the cleaning lady, they managed to put these spots on some vintage Glacier White Corian that could not be removed without abrasion:

You could feel these. Were the top granite or engineered stone it may or may not have been repairable. I had this fixed to invisibility in less than 10 minutes:

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Comments (10)

Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real
6 years ago
I much prefer white Corian to quartz. Whenever a sales person pushes something on me I am pretty certain he/she has a financial incentive.

I would choose Corian over a low grade granite. White Corian does not pretend to be something it is not. It is hard wearing and classic in looks.

The people pushing quartz today will be pushing something new soon enough.
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palimpsest
6 years ago
What are your expectations of a material?
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amberjen thanked palimpsest
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andreammd - I'm afraid I can't help much with stone yards in BC, I'm in Ottawa and I had to go to Montreal to get the quartzite. That said, I'm sure Vancouver must have a couple of great stone yards with a good enough selection to stock quartzite. I doubt you would find it anywhere other than in the lower mainland generally, but who knows? The quartzite goes by a few names, I've seen Luce di luna from most of the US posters, at Ciot (the stone yard I visited in both Mtl and Toronto) it is called Quartzite Bianca. There are other white/grey quartzites out there that seem to hit that combination of a marble feel without the granite look and yet more movement than quartz, so definitely call a few yards and ask to see everything they've got. I have also seen here on Gardenweb a few white/grey granites that I actually like - it would probably be worth looking at all of the white/grey quartzites and granites in case you see a granite you like as well. I saw lots of the more common white/grey granite slabs at Ciot, but nothing that really did it for me. Good luck!
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Thanks, Linelle. I do love the kitchen. Here is my favorite thing of all: At night I turn the dimmer on the sconce over the sink just so and I have the halogen lights in the VentAHood on low, I have all my little night lights on, and it is magical. I am transported to the very best place as I do my dishes in the sink. Making a little magic, isn't that what it is all about? As to where I have been. Well my kitty who has a lot of health issues was diagnosed with diabetes when we were just finishing our kitchen . I've been trying to figure it all out. Most important to me is giving him a good quality life. I think I've been down the rabbit hole long enough... there are ALWAYS more questions.
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Noting that we put in granite counters when we reno'd the kitchen, I still have to plug laminate. Our laminate was installed in 1971 and I'm pretty sure it was never actual Formica. It was white. Not only did we do lots of cooking and baking on it, we also used the peninsula for a myriad of arts and crafts projects. All the little dresses and shorts and quilts were made there. I clamped my wood carving project to the counter and chiseled away right there in the kitchen! After 40 years I had exactly 2 tiny chips in 47 sq. ft. of counter and no stains. A little 409 or whatever and a sponge took everything right out: red paint, cranberry juice, tumeric, anything. Right at the end we had a bit of de-lamination on the vertical piece right next to the stove. We also had a couple of edge chips from DW installation (the floor got higher over the years). On the day we ripped it out it was as pristinely white as it was when we moved in in 1974. Talk about a workhorse! We did put in granite and I love it, but I would have no problem installing laminate again. In your case because you have an entire tribe of kiddos who might not be as careful as your are, I would give it real consideration. Granite is good, quartz is good, but it's possible that laminate might be best in your case.
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One mistake you are making in your thinking is a common one - that all granites are lumped together in one group. There are thousands of granites. Some are carefree and will not stain and can take all kitchen tasks for years and years without showing anything. In the other extreme are granites that are more stain-prone, require sealing every few months and can be etched and/or stained. My granite counters are more than 10 years old. They have not been sealed. I do not baby them, and have spilled things like wine and tomato juice on them while cooking. They look like the day they were installed. I have never in all this time grown tired of their natural beauty. Go to a stoneyard, and ask to see granites that have "low absorption rates", i.e. they are dense, and therefore won't stain. If you see a granite you like, and can't find information on its durability, get the name, and also take a photo, and post on this forum. Likely someone will have information on it.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
6 years ago
There are tradeoffs to all surfaces. You just have to educate yourself as to what they are. From what you've described, you'd probably be quite happy with a light Corian.
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cpartist
6 years ago
Get what YOU love and will work best for you, not what someone says is the latest and greatest. In 10 years there will be a new latest and greatest.
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amberjen thanked cpartist
AJCN
6 years ago
Sorry to jump on, but I am struggling with this same question. I am helping my Dad remodel a vacation home that is used about a third of the year by family and friends. It's not a rental but may return to the weekly ski rental market in 5 to 10 years from now. So we want a no-fuss countertop. I thought that would be quartz, but reading reviews, people say it chips around the sink, etc. Is Corian a better choice for a vacation home that is a sometimes-rental? My Dad does not want granite, so it's quartz or corian.
PRO
Anglophilia
6 years ago
Corian is pretty much indestructible - no hot pans on it but none of the other surfaces can take them either. The good thing about Corian is that if someone does set a hot pan down and make a mark, there is a good chance it can be repaired quite easily. Not so with quartz or granite.

Stick with white Corian (I like Glacier White) as dirt will show and if it's a rental, the cleaners will see it and actually clean the countertops.
PRO
Granite City Services
6 years ago
I am a fabricator. Pick the look you like 1st and then evaluate the different materials. With respect to chipping; either quartz or most granites are very chip resistant if the top corner of the edge is radiused at 3/8" or greater. I believe the vast majority of chipping complaints for either material are due to a sharp top radius. Any of the options you are considering should be durable.

I have to disagree with others that assert that granite can't take hot pans. In 18 years I've only had one countertop failure due to heat and that was a lady that had four "lefse" burners set out for a party so the stone was subjected to hot spots for several hours. I move hot pans directly from my stove and oven on to my granite all the time with no ill effects.
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lucky998877
6 years ago
I agree with oldryder, my granite has been pretty much bullet proof! 4 kids, cooking multiple times a day, never baby it...and after 5 years it's still exactly like it was at installation.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
6 years ago
With all due respect, oldryder's comments do not comport with the 70-year-old trade association of the stone industry, the Natural Stone Institute, which recommends trivet use for all natural stones, soapstone included.

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countertop granite quartz vs corian

Joseph Corlett, LLC

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Rita / Bring Back Sophie 4 Real

palimpsest

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