In the battle of quartz vs granite, it truly is a matter of personal opinion. There are plenty of good reasons why both quartz and granite are incredibly popular options for stone kitchen countertops. Both materials are sleek, stylish, practical and offer a wide range of choices in colour and finishes to suit any home.
On the surface, these two materials look very similar. However, when you delve deeper into the make-up of each, they are both different and unique in their own rights. If you are wondering which is best for you and your kitchen, we are here to help you decide.
Quartz worktops
Quartz is a natural stone and is actually the second most abundant mineral on earth. For this reason, there are many different forms of quartz; amethyst, rose quartz, onyx and milky quartz to name but a few.
Quartz becomes ‘engineered stone’ when used to make a worktop. To create a countertop from quartz, crushed quartz crystals are mixed with resin and pigments to produce a multitude of beautiful colours and finishes. The ratio of this mix of quartz and resin is anything but equal. In fact, most mixtures contain around 93% of quartz. The small portion of resin is added to ensure that your countertop is non-porous. This means that it will be totally sealed, so anything you spill will not penetrate the material and alter the colour to darken or stain.
Granite worktops
Truly one-of-a-kind, granite is a natural stone mined from quarries across the world in the form of blocks or slabs. In fact, granite is the most common igneous rock of the Earth’s crust, solidifying due to the cooling of magma. The mined slabs are then cut and polished, ready for fabrication into worktops. Unlike quartz, granite work surfaces are not formulated with any synthetic materials, such as resin.
The beauty of granite slabs is that they vary so much in colour. Granite worktops come in a wide range of calming neutral tones, to striking reds, greens and blues. It all depends on where the granite was quarried.
Does granite or quartz look better?
Both granite and quartz make for beautiful countertops. Which looks better is purely down to personal preference and what it is that you are looking for.
Some people see granite as the more luxurious of the two options as it is typically left in its natural state, meaning that each slab is completely unique. Wouldn’t it be nice knowing that you have a one-of-a-kind piece of natural stone in your home? Whilst this does mean that some slabs may have small ‘imperfections’ and seams between slabs may look more visible, we believe that is truly part of granite’s natural charm.
When opting for quartz surfaces, your countertop dreams are pretty much limitless regarding colour, pattern and style. Quartz can be dyed to any colour and many different patterns can be added. No matter what your personal interior style, you are sure to find the perfect piece of quartz to set your kitchen or bathroom off. The engineered element of quartz also means that a consistent look can be created to ensure that slabs look seamless when laid together.
Is quartz more durable than granite?
When choosing your perfect countertop, particularly for a kitchen, it makes sense for practicality to be at the top of your priority list. It’s fair to say that the majority of kitchen worktops see their fair share of traffic, so it’s important for them to stand the test of time!
The good news is that both quartz and granite are incredibly durable. You’d do well to scratch or chip either of these materials, but it’s still recommended to treat them with care. Using either as a cutting board, for example, would not be a wise idea!
Both quartz and granite are also relatively stain-resistant, however, quartz may be slightly more so. That being said, the artificial resins within quartz can react when they come into contact with certain substances. But don’t worry – as long as you wipe down any spills immediately then you shouldn’t have any problems.
You may be wondering about heat resistance. Both can handle fair amounts of heat, particularly granite. Whilst you can get away with accidentally placing a hot pan from the hob or oven straight onto your granite surface now and again, you may not be as lucky with quartz. It can cause thermal shock and fracture. We would always recommend using a heat pad or trivet – no matter which material you opt for.
Which is more expensive – granite or quartz?
There isn’t a dramatic difference in price between these two materials. This is why they are often compared side-by-side as viable options for your kitchen or bathroom worktops. There isn’t a simple answer to this question, as the price of each depends on a few different variables, such as the colour, style and thickness of the stone.
Being a more natural choice, you may assume that granite is more expensive. Perhaps typically, it is. It depends on the variation of granite that you have your eye on. Rare granite, for example, may set you back more as it can be more difficult to obtain.
However, some variations of high-quality quartz can actually work out to be more expensive than some granite, particularly if it has received a treatment or two during the manufacturing process, perhaps to give it an extra layer of durability for example.
Whichever option you choose, granite or quartz will give you a luxurious and high-quality worktop that will make a statement and ‘wow’ you and your house guests for years to come. If you aren’t sure which stone is best suited to you and your home improvement plans, then the expert Bellagio team are on hand to help you decide. Contact us via our online form or pick up the phone and let’s chat.
