5 Tips to Decide Between Granite and
Quartz Worktops

It’s been known for some time by the interior design industry that the two best surfaces for kitchen worktops are granite and quartz. However, when it comes down to choosing materials for your new kitchen worktop, which one is the overall winner?

Here are some tips to help you decide and make an informed decision.

Tip #1: Appearance

Granite worktops have a unique beauty, with a look that varies upon where they are quarried; there is a wide array of options to suit any kitchen. However, they are covered with imperfections, which whilst appealing to some consumers, is a negative factor for others. On the other hand quartz is a more artificial surface, consisting of around 93% crushed quartz and 7% resin, to bind the quartz together and to ensure that it is non-porous and impervious to bacteria. This makes a quartz worktop more versatile and easier to find a perfect match for your kitchen.

Tip #2: Resilience

Both granite worktops and quartz worktops are almost equally durable. Both are scratch resistant, tough and robust. Furthermore, a granite worktop doesn’t only not depreciate in value but can also bolster the property value of the home. However, quartz is even tougher, one of the hardest materials in the world, and so doesn’t crack or chip, which can blight granite over a period of heavy use.

Tip #3: Stain & Heat Resistance

Granite is fully stain resistant, as it doesn’t absorb liquid but it does need to be professionally sealed. Furthermore, granite worktops are heat resistant and placing extremely hot pans on the surface will not leave a mark. Quartz worktops by contrast are non-porous, meaning that not only liquids but also bacterial microbes can’t penetrate it, making it more hygienic, and there is no annual sealing required.

Tip #4: Seams

Despite their beauty and uniqueness, granite stone’s perfect imperfections are it not being consistent when cut. Seams are difficult to hide, undermining the aesthetic and lowering its value. Conversely, quartz slabs, especially black ones, have almost invisible seams, and because they are artificially coloured, it makes hiding the seams on a quartz worktop easier.

Tip #5: Cleaning

You have to be careful when cleaning quartz worktops, ensuring that a pH neutral detergent is used, or as an alternative, warm water. If a mistake is made and a strong alkali cleaner is applied, then it can serious affect the granite surface. Quartz is the preferred choice in this area, as quartz worktops need a simple non-abrasive scrub with soap and warm water.

Conclusion: What does this Mean?

In today’s hectic world, having less time to maintain a kitchen, quartz kitchen worktops are of greater value. Quartz is not only versatile in appearance and design, but they take less time, and are easier, to maintain. Their non-porosity makes quartz more hygienic and impossible to stain and as long as you’re careful, can resist most intense heat it comes across. Granite worktops, whilst having a lot of the same core advantages, cannot quite match granite’s versatility and ease of use.