Like many homeowners, you’re probably feeling like it’s time for you to graduate from inexpensive, laminate counters to high-grade, investment counter materials. In other words, you’ve probably got your eye set on natural materials for your counter project. Commonly, your decision will come down to selecting granite, or selecting quartz as your counter material of choice.
But, what choice should you make? As you’ve already noticed, neither selection is cheap! And, both selections aren’t easily installed. You’ll need to ensure that you make the right decision for your home, the first time. You’re not going to be able to easily remove the counters if you don’t like them.
The good news is, granite and quartz are both excellent counter material choices for your home. They are both extremely durable. They both add style and character to your interior design plan. They’ll both probably outlast your stay in your current home. So, the selection between quartz and granite countertops will come down to detailed variables. You’ll need to consider the pros and cons of selecting both materials before you can make a final decision.
The Source Of The Material
The decision you’ll make about selecting granite over quartz might come down to how the material is sourced. Granite countertops are 100% naturally sourced, where quartz countertops are not. Granite is cut directly from the earth’s depths. It’s cut in slabs, and it’s delivered to processing centers where it’s cut down to specified sizes. The customized slabs are then delivered to customers, per their design and decorating requests.
While quartz is a natural stone, quartz countertops are comprised of crushed stone, mixed with a resin base. Therefore, a quartz counter isn’t 100% naturally sourced. It’s a manufactured product that is made primarily with natural material. The process of creating a quartz counter is very different that the process involved in creating a granite counter.
However, quartz counters aren’t cheaply-made products. They are very high-quality and they offer home owners immediate value, and value when the home owner decides to place their home on the open market. A quartz counter is a wonderful selling-point for any home owner.
Both Materials Feature Seams
Many home owners are under the impression that granite and quartz counters don’t feature seams, which is often a wonderful selling-point in their minds. The fact is, both types of counters have seams, especially if granite is being used to outfit an entire kitchen counter plan.
Again, since granite is sourced whole, it must be cut into succinct slabs. If you’ve decided to use granite as a counter material for a kitchen island, then you can purchase a seamless slab with no problem. However, if you’ve decided to outfit your entire kitchen with granite, you’re going to need to purchase several slabs. And, each slab will need to be custom-cut to fit the area they’ll be placed in.
So, your granite countertops will have seams. However, the seams aren’t an issue, especially when the slabs are installed by certified professionals. The slabs will fit into place just fine. And darker colored slabs do a great job at hiding the seams.
Granite counters will feature seams, too. However, a certified, professional installer can match the color of the seams to your counter, in order to minimize their appearance. And again, darker colored materials will do a great job of hiding their appearance. Bottom line: the seams will barely be visible to the naked eye, and they won’t cause a problem when you use your counters on a daily basis.
Color And Pattern Selection
Whether or not you select granite or quartz might come down to the color and the pattern of the material. If you’re a purist, you’ll probably gravitate towards selecting a material that features natural marbling. You’ll be keen to select a material that genuinely looks like a natural stone. If this is the case, you’re going to gravitate towards granite.
On the other hand, if you’re a person who wants the durability of natural stone, yet desires the flexibility of color schemes, then quartz is for you. Since quartz is mixed with resin material, it’s not uncommon to find quartz counter slabs that feature vibrant colors, such as red, orange, green, or blue There’s no right or wrong decision when it comes to color. This is truly a personal choice that will inform your final counter material selection.
Maintenance Issues
While both materials are extremely durable, quartz offers no maintenance to home owners, while granite is low maintenance. As long as granite is properly sealed and resealed, it will go the distance. However, quartz never needs to be sealed. In addition, it’s more flexible than granite, allowing it to resist chips and dings. Granite can be chipped and cracked over a period of time.
There are many other considerations to mull over, such as price per square foot, and the length of time you’ll stay in your home. But, both materials deserve your consideration, and they’ll add tremendous value to your home.