Quartz vs. Granite, Which One Is Better For Countertops
Feb 10, 2022
When narrowing down your bathroom or kitchen countertop options, it often comes down to two materials: quartz (artificial stone) vs. granite (natural stone). It wasn't an easy decision because the difference between the two countertop materials wasn't obvious. After all, both quartz and granite are loudly touted by their respective manufacturers as all-natural, straight from the earth, and hard as stone. What the difference between them?
Composition
Granite is a pure natural stone sourced directly from a quarry, then cut into sheets, polished, and made into countertops.
Quartz countertops are engineered stone products that may contain large amounts of natural quartz, but may also contain other minerals. Instead of quarrying slabs, they are formed from stone by-products that are ground up and formed into slabs for countertops and other products.
Appearance
One advantage granite has over quartz stone is that each granite slab has a slightly different mineral pattern and color, meaning your countertops will be unique. As an engineered product, quartz countertops are more uniform in appearance, though available in many colors and unique patterns, including forms that don't look like granite at all.
The choice here is a matter of personal preference. If you really want the look of natural stone, go for a real natural product - granite. But many people find that quartz countertops look different and better than natural stone.
Maintenance and Durability
Quartz has distinct advantages over granite, although both materials are extremely durable. Granite is a relatively porous stone and needs to be sealed at installation, followed by regular ongoing sealing. Granite slabs can have inherent flaws that make them prone to cracking. Quartz, on the other hand, does not require sealing, thanks to the resin used to make the slab; and the material is homogeneous, meaning it rarely cracks.
The resin in quartz countertops makes it more stain-resistant than granite. According to some reports, quartz is also less prone to bacteria, again thanks to resins that make the surface less porous.
