Quartz, Granite, Marble, Soapstone etc. for High-End Countertops. Why?
Real granite that needs to be sealed annually
Manufactured granite with built-in seal (like Granite Transformations)
Real quartzite
Manufactured quartz with built-in seal (like Silestone)
Marble
Soapstone
Butcherblock
Other
Pros/cons of each? Resale value? Horror stories? Success stories?
Commentaires (25)
nancycronk
Auteur d'origineil y a 10 ansI'll start.
I've been researching new countertops. My brother, who installs tile in Traverse City, MI, says he prefers silestone since many of the countertops that he pulls out because of chips and stains are not quartz. He thinks quartz is very durable. I also don't want to have to seal it annually, so I thought a product like Silestone was the way to go. I went to Lowe's last night and they have a granite countertop that is permanently sealed (you never have to seal it). Anyone have experience with that?
I also was amazed at how beautiful formica and solid surfaces have become these days. The only way I could tell the difference between countertops last night was to knock on them and feel their temperature. Everything looked like real stone. So many choices!ruth2287
il y a 10 ansHi, Nancy! I chose the quartz composite by LG Viatera because I don't want to worry about stains or sealing, ever. Also, with quartz composite, what you see on the sample is what you get. A couple of reliable sources of mine have said quartz composite is the most practical, in terms of upkeep (none) and toughness. It will probably outlive the rest of the house! With a busy kitchen that actually gets used a lot every day (it isn't just a showpiece - LOL!), it seemed like the way to go for us! If you want granite (my second choice) go look at slabs and select one you like, because of the variations in the stone. -Ruthnancycronk a remercié ruth2287
Holly Thomas
il y a 10 ansI am currently remodeling and am going with solid surface over quartz or granite. The price is good and the look is very nice. I like that the countertops will be seamless. Also I was told many restaurants choose solid surface.nancycronk a remercié Holly Thomasnancycronk
Auteur d'origineil y a 10 ansHi Ruth, I did look at granite, but am afraid of the variations being too variable. The Lowes ones looked more uniform than the ones at Granite Depot. I was all set to order the Lowe's Allen and Roth ellensburg last night (looks identical to VIatera Royal Teak) until I saw the permanently sealed granite. That looked beautiful, too, and a little more natural. Decisions, decisions. I know whichever way I go I'll be happy. We need 75 square feet, so it is a huge chunk of change!nancycronk
Auteur d'origineil y a 10 ansI'm just wondered if anyone here has had the permanently sealed granite from Lowe's. Sounds too good to be true.ruth2287
il y a 10 ansAsk about how much more the various edges will cost. I think the "eased" edge is always free ..the ogee edge would have added something like $1400 to our countertops.nancycronk a remercié ruth2287ruth2287
il y a 10 ansI am skeptical about the permanently sealed granite until I hear otherwise from someone like Consumer Reports! I would definitely ask Lowes if it ever needs resealing, even though it is permanently sealed.nancycronk
Auteur d'origineil y a 10 ansRuth, I did ask Lowes and they said it never needs resealing. Hard to believe, I know.
PRODesign Details
il y a 10 ansGranite is my main material of choice for countertops, though all have their place. The industry controversy over sealed and non sealed surfaces is mostly hot air. While it's true that some granite is porous enough to stain, I've found that an annual wipe with a VOC free sealer is all that most stone countertops need and it takes all of 10 minutes.
With that said, the graining in natural stone is something that engineered products can only copy but if you're going for a uniform look the manufactured product likely to be the correct choice.
Quartzite, marble, glass, limestone, and serpentine are more suitable for furniture tops than hard working kitchen surfaces although they do make a dramatic statement.
Soapstone is also somewhat of a luxury material but it acquires a beautiful patina over time. It is definitely one of the highest maintenance surfaces but all the oiling and sanding just make is look better. A quarryman once told me that he loved soapstone because it recalled the memory of all the repetitive tasks done on it over the years.
Acrylic solid surface (Corian) is also a wonderful material that can be shaped, seamlessly joined, and fitted with integral sinks. It can also be repaired, which is a good thing is case of heat damage or deep scratches, since it's much softer than stone.
Butcherblock? That's a whole other subject, and probably one of the nicest accents you can add to a kitchen. Now I'm not talking about that old maple island... There are so many choices from teak to jatoba to zebrano, and they can be planked, edge grained, end grained, hand-planed, oil finished or polyestered. It's not what I'd usually choose for whole kitchen but I rarely do a kitchen without some wood top component.
Have I covered everything? Probably not, but the only thing I will never use is ceramic tile... except maybe in Mexico.Laura
il y a 10 ansI would recommend visiting a stone yard! A good family run one is even better! I found the most knowledgable people there vs the big box stores. Your choice also may depend on your style. A busy granite would not have worked for me as I have a more modern design in my kitchen. I went with marble on the perimeter and honed black on the island (soapstone look without maint). I wouldn't get hung up on the permanent seal as I believe most sealers nowadays are good for many many years. You'll be tired of it before you need to seal again!qam999
il y a 10 ansDernière modification :il y a 10 ansI have never heard a horror story with engineered stone (often called "quartz"). Consumer Reports rates it as the highest for resisting all kitchen hazards such as stains, scorches, chips and scratches.
Granite can be very beautiful. A good piece has a natural drama that engineered stone does not yet replicate and perhaps never will. Granite is a natural material. The lighter colored ones are much more susceptible to staining. Learning this broke my heart relative to a piece of Kashmir White. Every type of granite, and every individual slab within a type, may show variable properties.
Any material can be made horrid by poor choice for the application or incorrect installation.dawncarter1968
il y a 10 ansGranite does not need to be sealed yearly. They actually have a 15 year sealant. Here is my opinion natural stone vs man made if you have OCD go man made it is a more consistent pattern if you love the unexpected of things natural go natural. Man made is more expensive than natural. No matter what top you get I always recommend using a trivet for hot pots and cutting boards when cutting. Choice should be by what one you fall in love with that goes with your cabinetry.
auntthelma
il y a 8 ansOne advantage to solid surface is the possibility of integral dish drainers and trivits.
I loved my dish drainer in my Corrian countertop in my previous house.
Regina Beck
il y a 7 ansI installed Cambria quartz in my kitchen and both baths in June 2016 and I love it!! It still looks new, is very easy to care for and I found a pattern with all the color variations I was looking for. I will say I have always used cutting boards and hot pads while cooking. I spoke with the manufacturer regarding care and he said it is a very durable product and only quartz or diamonds can scratch the surface. I paid $79 a square foot installed and had many edge profiles available. I hope this helps with your decision.
PROJoseph Corlett, LLC
il y a 7 ans"...and only quartz or diamonds can scratch the surface."
Ha. He's not married to my wife, who put a permanent divot in our quartz top with a common kitchen knife while cutting a pill in half with no cutting board.B T
il y a 7 ansWhen it came time to choose the countertop for our new kitchen, we consulted an expert ... our cleaning lady. Who better to know ... someone who has cleaned homes for years and years. Her first comment was, "Don't get granite." Beyond that, she wasn't fussy. We ended up choosing quartz countertops and have been very happy with them. We asked the installer (who has been in the business for years) how best to clean them. He said, "water." It's when people use harsh, abrasive chemicals that they get into trouble. I, too, have a cutting board and I never set hot items on the quartz.
PROBellagio Kitchens & Baths
il y a 7 ansHere at Bellagio we stock all of the above stones and are very familiar with all. For a high end look, Marble would definitely be at the top of the list, but if you're looking for low-maintenance, it falls right to the bottom. Marble is the softest stone which means it scratches and stains very easily. Then you have Quartz and Quartzite which would be our second choice for a high end look. Since Quartz is man-made you have hundreds of different color and pattern options, most of which are very up to date and can have that expensive look you're going for, all the while, being extremely low maintenance. As far as pricing goes, the average cost for quartz surface is $85/sq.ft
Regina Beck
il y a 7 ansI clean my quartz with the bounty paper towels with the dawn soap in the towel and then follow up with water. So easy!!
BW
il y a 6 ansDernière modification :il y a 6 ansDesign Details: Why is granite your first choice? Is it truly more durable than quartz? (The resin in it concerns me.) Would you please explain? Thanks!
- PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
il y a 6 ans"Consumer Reports rates it as the highest for resisting all kitchen hazards such as stains, scorches, chips and scratches."
Scorches? Absolute bunk. BW
il y a 6 ansThank you, Joseph! I have spent many, many hours for the last year and a half (while building a new home) and I was a little disappointed to finally conclude that granite is the safest (due to scratches, durability, etc.) choice. This will be my last home so I want to do it right. I really like the "whiter" quartz out there now; however, I have now concluded that it's simply not the wisest choice in a busy kitchen that has a lot of counter space with cooks that want carefree, low maintenance living. I will save the "whiter" quartz for the bathrooms in my new house where I can easily replace a countertop if need be. It seems that the salespeople dealing with quartz and granite are definitely biased one way or another. BTW, my builder told me from day one that he thinks granite is the better choice but I had to go through the motions, I guess.
Jess Mä
il y a 6 ansthe only issue with quartz seems to be that if you ever have a chip (significantly large not just a knick), it is IMPOSSIBLE to fix back to factory finish, unless you still have the chip and glue it down perfect and then fill in the rest with matching wax - then you're pretty OK. otherwise, it's not like granite (natural) where you can stick some epoxy in and sand down and polish. Factory finish is only obtained with some sort of special machine that does even polish/pressure throughout the piece, seems there is no portable version or workaround for this. I learned the hard way.
- PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
il y a 4 ans
" Also, there is no way these surfaces can be effectively heat resistant. Quartz is made of a combination of resin (plastic) and crushed quartz particles. Resin is extremely susceptible to heat damage. So they are not as “indestructible“ as they are represented."
True enough, but out of context. The Natural Stone Institute, the 70-year-old trade association of the natural stone institute, recommends trivet use for all natural stone countertops. There is no soapstone exception. While it is rare, I have seen natural stone damaged from heat. Hot pots to heat lamps in pizza shops.
Engineered stone and solid surface manufacturers make the same trivet recommendations, thereby making the products essentially and practically equal in the heat resistance department. Utilisateur Houzz - 391631284
il y a 2 ansI purchased a Scott Living Wrightsville 60" vanity from Lowes. It has a white engineered stone top. I have a tenant who somehow managed to badly scratch it. I need to know where it was manufactured but no one seems to know. Just getting the run around
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Patricia Bell