Many homeowners compare granite countertops with quartz surfaces for the kitchen. These two types of countertops are the most common choices with their easy maintenance and long lasting beauty. Their pricing is similar, depending on the color of granite in consideration, which makes the comparison even more valid. With many similar properties between these two type surfaces, the differences become a personal choice in most cases.
The kitchen countertops typically receive the most wear and tear in a home with food prep, frequent cleaning, and the center for miscellaneous type uses such as science and craft projects. In the bathroom, the countertops do not usually receive as much wear as a kitchen, however the tub or shower surround must resist and hold up to high amounts of water, humidity, soap scum, and mildew.
For these reasons, granite or quartz surfaces are the best choices since they eliminate grout lines and are easy to maintain and clean.
Granite holds up well to the abuse of a kitchen or bathroom. Granite countertops for any room in the house are a simple solution and function benefit. Granite is a natural stone that offers unmatched beauty with the color and veining found in the stone. Granite has far more options with color and pattern then quartz surfaces.
There are over 500 color options found in the world, and most of them are distributed to all major markets making them readily available at local granite and marble retailers. Although granite can range drastically in color and vein movement, it maintains it’s strength and durability among the different color types. Granite by nature contains large amounts of feldspar and quartz which are within the top four natural minerals on the hardness scale.
Quartz surfaces also hold up well to high use in the kitchen and bathroom. Quartz surfaces are engineered stone made from natural minerals. Quartz is naturally found in the earth in solid pieces ranging from sizes from small to large stone formations. Quartz is mined, broken down to shavings, and then mixed together with other minerals and a binding agent to create the slab products.
Quartz is extremely hard, making it resistant to etching and bacteria growth, giving it natural clean properties that make it ideal for kitchens. Quartz is found naturally either white or transparent, so the color options available in quartz surfaces were added with a pigment during the manufacturing process. The overall styling or patterning of the engineered stone is nearly solid and lends itself well to modern spaces. The color range is smaller than granite, but the colors are more vibrant and consistent in quartz surfaces.