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Kitchens Design Dilemma Remodeling

Granite vs Quartz

last year

So in doing research on YouTube, decorating blogs, I'm finding that quartz seems to be a better fit due to its durability and low maintenance. Is thus really true? I've had formica for over 20 years, so I want to make sure I'm using the right countertop? What do you suggest?

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Comments (4)

M Miller
last year
last modified: last year
This decision is solely a matter of aesthetic preference. Which appearance do you like better. Quartz is not more durable and lower maintenance than granite. There are granites that never need sealing, and are impervious to staining and etching. Realize that skyscraper buildings, city plazas, and statues are made of granite. As well, there are some granites that do need sealing and can stain - you need to do your research like you'd do for any big-ticket item. By that same token, there are plenty of tales of woe on this forum about problems with Quartz staining or chipping, and also plenty of tales of Quartz that are impervious to that and very low-maintenance.

Whether it's Quartz or granite, you need to do your research on the maintenance and durability of the particular ones you are considering. But most of all, this decision should be based on which appearance do you prefer for your kitchen.

"doing research on YouTube, decorating blogs"

Be careful of that; most of those are paid endorsements by somebody - whether the estone industry, granite distributors, or any manufacturer. Take those "decorating blogs" and YouTube videos with a grain of salt. Better to ask questions on forums like this one with real people.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
last modified: last year
In the end, it's going to come down to whether you prefer the look of natural stone or the many different quartz options for color and pattern. I rarely spec natural stone for kitchens for maintenance and durability reasons. I'm a big fan of Silestone and Dekton, both made by Cosentino. Here's a kitchen we did with Silestone Charcoal Soapstone:

Bernal Heights Sustainable Kitchen · More Info

Bernal Heights Sustainable Kitchen · More Info

And here's a wet bar we did with two different colors: Dekton Luna for the waterfall counter and Dekton Sirius for the perimeter counter:

Pandemic Playroom on the Peninsula · More Info
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Sorry Blondelle - Not tryin to bust your chops here... but.... I am going to have to..... go ahead and...... disagree with you on the "Quartz counters are harder than Granite" statement - Remember who is making that claim - the Quartz producers..... The fact of the matter is this: Quartz crystals are in the same range of hardness (as tested on the MOHS hardness scale) as components of Granite (which are primarily Feldspar, Micah and QUARTZ).... The resins that bind the quartz crystals together in Quartz products (polyesters) are much softer than most of the geological components of Granite.. I work with both products, and they are BOTH GOOD PRODUCTS, so I am NOT trying to dissuade anyone from using one or the other. BOTH products have great benefits, and likewise - each have their drawbacks - the end user has to decide which qualities are most important to them.... Just remember that the claims that any producer makes about their product are just that - claims. Facts on the other hand - sometimes get omitted when a sale can be made - on EITHER product. hth kevin
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Hi Eugenie- I'm guessing you're in FFC since you were at Ring's End and based on your post about your son's car. ;) I was totally sent on absolute black honed until I started reading about it here. (actually I shouldn't say totally set I've been all over the place...marble, granite, soapstone). Anyway, I finally put a deposit down on leathered jet mist granite. I LOVE it! It's not a solid black like AB.I was going to do jet mist honed until I felt the leathered slabs...I don't know the best way to describe it, but they feel almost soft. Anyway, I don't know how they're going to do w/dust and fingerprints b/c I haven't had it installed yet, but I'm pretty sure every post I've read here from someone who has it loves it. Everest Marble in Norwalk has some great slabs of Jet Mist right now. I don't think there were any more leathered ones, but I know they have a lot of honed (I was there last Saturday). If you're looking for a fabricator so far I've been really happy with La Pietra in Brookfield (ask for Fabiana). I'll try to post a picture of my slabs. http://s222.photobucket.com/albums/dd251/avaowensmom/Kitchen%20redo/?action=view&current=photo-18.jpg" target="_blank"> Here is a link that might be useful:
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Joseph Corlett - please note that there are some granites than have extremely low absorption rates and therefore will not stain. My granite counters have been in place for 10 years, and look like the day they were installed. I have used spices like turmeric on the counters, spilled lemon juice, wine, tomato sauce, and nothing shows. In fact, I was cleaning silver the other day, and spilled silver polish (an abrasive) on the counter, didn't notice, and it stayed there for several hours. Wiped up, counter showed nothing, because it did not absorb. While there are many stone counters that will show stains, it would be ignorant and misleading to say that all the thousands of granites are that way. As Crl_ said, I would like to see what happens to your favorite solid surface counters when toilet bowl cleaner is left on them. I once left a bit of mustard on my mother's Corian counter; I think she still hasn't forgiven me. If the OP is interested in granite, s/he should go to a stone yard, and ask the people there which granites have low absorption rates, and then bring home samples of those and test them with home spices to see what happens.
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"Quartz and man made stones are now more expensive because of demand." Not always... Some exotic granite slabs can cost more than quartz. Granite prices vary because you have cheap china slabs to mid grade to exotic.. But popular/overused low to mid grade granite is typically cheaper than quartz. I agree that Quartz is popular right now and demand is driving prices up. When I was searching years back, I saw a blue granite slab with big swirls in it - 7k a slab...
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M Miller
last year
“I rarely spec natural stone for kitchens for maintenance and durability reasons”

@Sabrina Alfin Interiors - please do not paint such a broad brush. There are thousands of ”natural stones”, and to say they all have “maintenance and durability reasons” is wrong. Many stones need no maintenance at all, no sealing, they won’t stain or etch, they are very dense. You are a ”Pro” and should be aware of this.
PRO
Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
@M Miller, I should have clarified. A lot of people want marble in their kitchens. I try to dissuade clients from that for maintenance and durability reasons. As for granite, I don't like the look of most of it and choose not to specify it for aesthetic reasons. Hence my preference for quartz and ultra-compact surfacing.

Obviously, different people like different things. But if I'm the one designing your kitchen, I'm going to steer you toward materials I know and like.

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