One of the key factors homeowners will consider before investing in natural stone or quartz kitchen countertops is durability. Granite and quartz counters are designed to stay in your home for many, many years, so it’s important understand how these countertop materials will hold up under everything from normal wear and tear to destructive teenagers to the heavy pots and pans of avid cooks.
It is pretty widely accepted that, among the standard stone and engineered stone counters (granite, quartz, quartzite, soapstone, and marble), granite and quartz are the least likely to be scratched, chipped, stained, or otherwise irreparably marred.
But which of these two counter materials are the most durable? Well, the answer is not exactly straightforward. A lot depends on your lifestyle and where the counters will be. Let’s look at some of the factors that go into a durable counter so that you can make an informed decision about which elements are most important to you.
Granite Countertops
Granite countertops are extremely hard to scratch. In fact, if you cut directly on granite, you are more likely to ruin your knives than to scratch your granite. Some knives can leave unsightly steel marks, so for the sake of your stone and cutlery, we recommend using a cutting board. If you do ever chip or scratch your granite somehow, it can be repaired.
Granite naturally has a low risk for staining, and if you seal it annually, it is stain resistant. That’s one more thing you won’t need to worry about.
Granite counters are completely heat resistant, so you don’t have to worry about granite being damaged in any way by heat. You can comfortably take your pots and pans from the stove or oven and place them directly on the granite.
Granite is extremely weatherproof (that’s why it’s used on so many buildings) and will not fade or discolor under direct sunlight.
Quartz Countertops
Quartz is extremely hard to scratch. Like granite, it will dull your knives, so use a cutting board. Granite and quartz are about equal when it comes to resisting scratches or chips. The only difference is that quartz cannot be repaired (although this doesn’t really matter when you consider the extremely low likelihood of either countertop being damaged in this way).
Quartz countertops are completely stain resistant, and they don’t need to be sealed. So, even if you have a lighter colored quartz counter, you can use it confidently knowing that it’s safe from stains no matter what ingredients get spilled.
One difference between quartz and granite is that quartz counters are only heat resistant up to a certain point. Most quartz manufacturers recommend you use hot-pads as a precaution.
It is usually not recommended to use quartz in outdoor settings as certain colors may fade under intense direct sunlight (they are completely fine indoors even if you have sunlight in the kitchen). If you are considering quartz outdoors, talk to your fabricator about your unique project and how individual quartz choices will hold up.
The bottom line is that both granite and quartz are extremely durable. Both are reliable choices for a hardworking kitchen counter, and the only factors to consider when choosing one or the other based on durability is heat and location.
Both granite and quartz are popular choice for kitchen countertops in St. Louis, Missouri area. Visit Arch City Granite to view the full slabs of granite and quartz before you make your choice.