Someone with a trained eye will be able to look at a quartz and granite countertop and immediately tell the difference. However, for most homeowners who are new to the world of stone worktops, it’s not so easy.
While these materials have many similar properties, there are some distinct differences that separate them. And some of these qualities will impact your choice about which option to choose for decorating your home. In this post, we use our many years of combined experience with these materials at Marble & Granite Ltd to explore what these aspects are.
Why the Confusion?
When looking for stone materials to use in your home, the most common choices you’ll find in showrooms, or when looking online, are typically granite, quartz, and marble. All these are often referred to as stone tabletops but come in various different designs and at varying price points. As marble generally has a distinct look from other materials, it is usually between granite and quartz that many people get confused.
Quartz, which is an engineered material that can be manufactured in a way that very closely resembles granite (and also marble for that matter), is available from many merchants and sellers. Some would argue that it’s just as good, or even superior, to 100% natural products, while others would strongly disagree.
On your journey to finding the perfect stone worktops in Stevenage, or wherever you are located, you will undoubtedly have to make up your own mind about whether granite or quartz is better. Many of our customers at Marble & Granite Ltd come to us with this very dilemma.
You may end up making your mind up because of personal aesthetic preferences, or simply what products are being promoted at the time. Nevertheless, it’s good to know the precise difference between these two options.
What is Granite?
Granite is the most common igneous rock found at the Earth’s surface. It is a light-coloured rock with large grains that are visible to the eye. Unlike other rock types, it is formed through the gradual crystallization of magma below the Earth’s surface. This type of rock is composed mainly of quartz and feldspar, as well as smaller amounts of other minerals like mica.
You will have encountered it more times than you probably realise in your day to day life as it’s commonly chosen as a material in construction and home improvement. As well as a countertop in kitchen and dining areas, granite is also used to make floor tiles and slabs, curbs, building veneers, monuments, and many other products.
The type of granite used in countertops will be more refined and carefully chosen for its style and aesthetic quality. This will make is more expensive than standard granite slabs that could be used for things like floors or paving. As such, other man-made materials are sometimes chosen over granite because they are cheaper.
What is Quartz?
Quartz is another kind of material used in construction and home decoration applications, much like granite. Products or items that are referred to as quartz are usually manufactured using 90-95 percent natural quartz with the rest made up of resin. This is why people refer to quartz as engineered stone and should be differentiated from pure natural quartz slabs that can also be quarried from the earth.
In terms of countertops, quartz will be made from a crushed, ground material and specially chosen resin to create a specific effect and finish. It is also through this process that different aesthetics styles can be achieved, many of which replicate other stone materials like granite and even marble.
Quartz can be used in many of the same applications that granite can. Today, it’s extremely popular as a home decoration material. The way quartz can be manufactured also gives it more flexibility for design styles, making it preferable to granite for some people. Also, because of the way it can be cut and formed, you can achieve amazing large, smooth surfaces that would be harder to achieve with granite.
How to Choose Between Quartz and Granite?
Both quartz and granite are durable and long-lasting. They look great in a number of settings and offer prestige where other materials such as plastic simply wouldn’t be able to. But generally speaking, granite will come with more prestige and natural credibility than quartz, and although the colouring of the material might be less uniform throughout a granite countertop, this unique quality is what many homeowners prefer.
To find out more about the unique patterns and installation options for both quartz and granite, get in touch with us at Marble & Granite Ltd and we’ll help you choose the most appropriate material for your preferences and budget!
