QUARTZ OR GRANITE WORKTOPS – WHICH IS BETTER?

Granite worktops – Quartz worktops: Many of the most frequent questions have to do with the differences between them.  

Ever since “quartz” (engineered stone) worktops came onto the market, we have had the same questions come up about the differences between quartz and granite. Here are a few of the most common ones.

Not so much a question as an assumption!

Are quartz worktops much cheaper than granite? Or are granite worktops much cheaper than quartz? We hear both those questions and other worktop price queries all the time.

The truth: Granite worktops and Quartz worktops vary in cost, with a huge range of prices and largely overlapping price ranges. In our traditional 5 price bands, we have granite and quartz options in all bands.

Only at the extremely high-priced end of the market does Granite exclude Quartz – exotic stones like Lemurian Blue or Blue Eyes would make a quartz buyer’s eyes water.

Again, an assumption that often comes with a question mark

There is some truth in this one, but it needs filling out. Here are the facts:

• Quartz is made from mineral and other hard materials stuck together with around 7% plastic resin. As such, it is non-porous and cannot be stained beneath its surface – but the surface itself can be stained.
• Some materials which are sold as granite but which may be various kinds of metamorphic rock can be quite porous. If porosity is combined with having a light colour (and they often do go together) a stain can not only get below the surface but be very visible. So for these materials compared with quartz, the assumption is true, generally speaking. However…
• Igneous rocks – including true granites – tend to be less porous and are often dark in colour. They don’t easily stain beneath the surface, and even if they did, it wouldn’t be easily visible. Quartz has no advantage over them in the staining department.

“I hear you can put anything on granite or quartz”

Well… no, you can’t, not really. As we have written before, all stones for kitchens have limitations when it comes to extremes of temperature – or sudden changes in temperature. We do not recommend putting a pan from a blazing oven or hob straight onto any stone worktop. However, as a rule of thumb:

• Quartz worktops should not be exposed to intense heat above about 160 degrees C, or regular heat on the same spot above around 100. That means that it is worth having some kind of mat or trivet underneath even an electric kettle, and other appliances should be checked for hotspots which may damage the stone.
• Granite worktops of all kinds should be fine up to well over 200 degrees C, but watch out for very rapid heating or cooling which can cause crystals to pop or delaminate.

Which scratches worse, granite or quartz? 

The short answer is that neither scratches easily… but (rules of thumb):

• Cheaper quartz worktops can scratch more easily than top class ones – more plastic content
• Light coloured quartz tends to scratch to a light colour = invisible scratches
• Dark quartz worktops tend to scratch light too = visible scratches. We have found that black quartz samples last only 1/3 as long as black granite samples.
• Granites of all kinds tend to be very hard to scratch (though your diamond ring will scratch any of them!)
• Black granite worktops tend to scratch dark, so lose their shine more slowly than quartz worktops

This is the $64000 question (and you must be OLD to remember that!)

To be honest, both quartz and granite are top of the tree products – you are buying the best when you invest in solid stone worktops. Because of all the various factors above, our rule of thumb goes like this:

• If you want a light-coloured stone, go for quartz worktops
• If you want a black or dark-coloured stone, go for granite worktops

That said, it will depend also on the kind of look you want. A love for wild patterns like Cosmic White or Terra Bianca will keep you looking at natural stones, even in light colours. And if you want that classic jet black with a brilliant sparkle, then a black sparkly quartz like Silestone Negro Stellar will suit your kitchen.