When it comes to high-quality kitchen countertops, granite and quartz are two of the most popular surfaces around. Granite has been a go-to choice for the discerning countertop shopper for a long time, but in recent years quartz has seen a major increase in popularity!
Both granite and quartz make for beautiful, durable kitchen countertops. But how can you know which one is the right stone for your kitchen? Each surface has its advantages, and which one is right for you will depend upon what you’re looking for. They also have their own unique care needs.
Granite Counters:
When it comes to durability and beauty, granite is tough to beat. It’s resistant to heat and scratches, and is one of the strongest natural stone surfaces in the world. One major advantage that granite has over quartz is that it can be used for either inside or outside kitchen countertops. Granite also comes in a wide range of colors and because it is a natural stone, no two granite slabs will ever be exactly alike.
In fact, granite’s only real downside comes from that same natural stone quality. Granite is slightly porous, and as a result, granite needs to be sealed once every 12-18 months, and spills on granite should be cleaned up right away to avoid staining. Fortunately, using a granite cleaner, granite polish, and granite sealer formulated especially to treat granite and other natural stones makes cleaning and caring for your granite countertops a snap!
Quartz Counters:
At a glance, quartz appears very similar to granite—this is, in part, because most granite has at least a small quartz content—but there are a few differences. Unlike granite, quartz countertops are not cut from naturally occurring slabs, but are instead synthesized by using a resin to hold together bits of crushed quartz. This means that quartz countertops aren’t as porous as granite, but they are more susceptible to scratches. And while most modern quartz countertops do a great job of mimicking the surface grain of natural stones like granite, their man-made quality gives quartz countertops less natural variation than granite.
Whether you choose granite or quartz, you’ll have a lovely kitchen with beautiful, functional, and durable stone countertops. But if you want them to stay that way, it’s important to take the right approach to maintaining and cleaning granite and quartz countertops so that they continue to look and perform their best. Fortunately, Rock Doctor’s full line granite cleaning and granite care products are safe for use on granite, marble, quartz, and other sealed natural stone surfaces! And you can find them today at fine retail stores like Lowe’s Home Improvement, as well as participating True Value, Do it Best, Home Depot, and Ace Hardware locations!
