It’s no secret that we love both granite and quartz surfaces as a choice for your worktops, and they’re both fantastic choices of material, but what are the differences, and how could they help you to decide on which is right for your home? Let’s find out…
We’ll start with granite. From our last blog post, which can be found here, we know that granite is an igneous rock with grains large enough to be visible with the naked eye. A robust and sturdy material that also looks amazing as a worktop in your home. Here are some of the characteristics of granite that you should consider when deciding which to use in your kitchen.
- LONGEVITY
Granite surfaces, when cared for properly, can last a lifetime. When installed, they could very well be the last worktop you ever need to buy. - HEAT & SCRATCH RESISTANT
Granite is heat resistant. It has higher heat resistant properties than quartz, and should not melt or blister when exposed to extreme heat. That said, proper care and maintenance of your surface recommends that you always use a trivet or pan stand. Granite is also scratch resistant, meaning there are very few minerals that would cause a scratch. Using a chopping board is recommended though, as cutting on granite won’t do much for your blades on your best kitchen knives! - POROUS
Unlike quartz, granite is a naturally porous material, which means they can be susceptible to stains and harbouring bacteria if not cleaned and maintained properly.
Quartz is actually a harder material than granite, making it a great choice for your worktops. Along with the hardness of the material, let’s take a look at some of the other factors that need to be considered when choosing between the two products:
- VARIETY
As an engineered stone, quartz offers many variations in design and colour, and more importantly, a consistent colour throughout the product, unlike granite which can have unpredictable changes in pattern and shade. - NON-POROUS
The fact that quartz is non-porous offers a big advantage when tackling stains and bacteria. The surface is much easier to keep stain and bacteria free than granite. This is especially important when used in the kitchen or bathroom, where bacteria levels in the home can be expected to be higher. - BE CAREFUL WITH HEAT!
A hot pan can damage your quartz worktop a lot easier than granite. Discolouring and blistering can be a problem if not properly cared for. Always use a trivet or pan stand in the kitchen! - OVERALL DURABILITY
As one of the hardest materials in the world, quartz is extremely scratch resistant and even less likely to chip or damage than granite.
We hope that gives you a bit of a better insight into two of the most popular materials for worktops these days, and as ever, if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call or pop down to our showroom to discuss.