Ottawa Kitchen Counter Choices: Granite or Quartz? |

Ottawa Kitchen Counter Choices: Granite or Quartz?

When looking for the right kitchen counter top for your Ottawa kitchen, there are a ton of options – including the huge selection to be found at TNT in our showrooms serving Ottawa, West Ottawa, Carp, Kanata, Stittsville, West Carleton, Dunrobin, and Arnprior. But let’s examine two, natural granite and manufactured quartz.

Natural Versus Manufacturing
While granite forms naturally from from minerals and stones pressing together deep within the earth. Quartz on the other hand is a man-made product manufactured from quartz crystals and resin. While it looks like a natural stone, it has gone through a manufacturing process that resembles the natural process that forms granite… pressing, heating, etc.

The Look
Granite kitchen counter tops will offer more variation in colors and patterns while quartz counter tops are typically uniform in color and pattern. The random patterns you get from granite that make each piece unique won’t be found in quartz. It really comes down to personal preference as some prefer the natural beauty of granite while others prefer quartz’s consistency and uniformity. And when you are selecting a material for your Ottawa kitchen counter tops, consider that quartz sections are easier to match up at the seams whereas granite can show variation at the seams due to its natural design.

The Features
As strong and durable granite counter tops are – being formed in the earth tends to do that – the manufacturing process of quartz counter tops yields an even harder and more durable slab than granite. Even though quartz counter tops are stronger and manufactured, quartz cannot be repaired if chipped or scratched. Damaged granite counter tops can often be repaired to minimize the appearance of scratches or damage. And while both quartz and granite counter tops provide a similar level of heat resistance, granite is much more porous and susceptible to staining (and trapping bacteria) than quartz counter tops.

The Effort Required (Maintenance)
Because granite counter tops are more porous, they are more difficult to keep clean and more vulnerable to stains. Granite counter tops need to be sealed upon installation and at regular intervals, typically once a year. because quartz counter tops are non-porous, they require no sealing.

The Investment
Quartz and granite kitchen counter tops are pretty similar in cost, between $50 and $100 per square foot installed.

When choosing kitchen counter tops, it can be easy to get confused by the many different material options that are available. Stone products like granite and quartz are among the more popular materials used for counter tops due to their strength and durability. By comparing the features and benefits of granite and quartz, you’ll be able to select the right material to meet your family’s needs.

Manufacturing

Granite is a natural product that is formed from minerals and stones. These materials are pressed together at extremely high pressure and temperatures deep within the earth, and eventually form granite stones as we know them. Quartz is a man-made product made from quartz crystals and resin. It is pressed, heated and colored to resemble natural stone, but is actually an engineered product.

Appearance

Granite tends to have much more variation in its appearance than quartz. Quartz counter tops are fairly uniform in color and pattern, while granite has random markings that are unique to each piece. Some buyers prefer the natural beauty of granite while others prefer the consistency of quartz. When it comes to counter tops, quartz sections are easier to match up at the seams, while granite can show variation due to its natural design.

Features

Granite is naturally hard and strong, and offers a high level of heat resistance. Because quartz is engineered, it tends to be even harder and more durable than granite, though it offers a similar level of heat resistance. Granite is much more porous than quartz, which can trap bacteria within the surface. Quartz is not porous and is much easier to keep free of germs and bacteria. While both materials are strong, quartz cannot be repaired if chipped or scratched. Damaged granite can often be repaired to minimize the appearance of scratches or damage.

Maintenance

The porous nature of granite means that it is more difficult to keep clean, and is also more vulnerable to stains and spills. It must be sealed upon installation and at regular intervals, often once a year. Quartz is non-porous and requires no sealing. It is naturally resistant to moisture and stains and requires no maintenance.

Price

According to the Bob Vila Home Improvement website, both quartz and granite counter tops cost between $50 and $100 per square foot installed. The difference in cost between the two is often a matter of your proximity to natural granite sources or stone yards.

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