You are beginning to remodel your kitchen or bathroom but find yourself swamped with choices for every countertop, floor, and other surfaces. Everywhere you turn, there are images of gorgeous kitchens and bathrooms in homes with customized counters and cabinets and flooring. You might find yourself pondering what kind of stone the countertops are made of or which type of stone is best for your kitchen.
There are three commonly used stones for countertops: marble, granite, and quartz. Which one is best for you, though? And how can you tell the difference between these materials?
Here is a breakdown of differences between granite, quartz, and marble for you to consider. This will help you narrow down the choices.
Marble is mined and comes to your home 100percent natural. A classic choice for architecture, marble has been used ineverything from statues to bathrooms. Marble oftentimes comes in various colorswith gorgeous veining. When marble is free of impurities or other stone, itwill almost be a pristine white. However, it is rather porous and will needfrequent maintenance, making it less resilient to damage than other stones onthe market.
Granite comes straight from the earth anddoesn’t need much processing before it is fit to be purchased and installed inyour home. A countertop made out of granite is one of the strongest, mostbeautiful surfaces you can find on this planet. There is an endless rainbow ofcolors to choose from, including tans, grays, golds, browns, peach, blues,whites, and more. Granite is durable, stain-resistant, scratch-resistant, andheat resistant.
Unlike marble and granite, which can be mined,polished, and sold, a quartz countertop has to be manufactured. The reason isthat the quartz used for countertops is about 90 percent natural quartz stonethat has been ground up and mixed with around 10 percent polyresin. Since thesecountertops are made, the appearance can be customized to mimic marble orgranite or any other color.
Most people often have to ask what’s thedifference between granite and marble? Compared to the rainbow of colorsgranite comes available in, marble is almost always white. When other mineralsare present in the stone, however, it may take on streaks, also called veining,or have a tint of black, yellow, pink, blue, or gray. Marble is also more glossythan granite. Now available in today’s market are synthetic variants thatinclude marble, glass, and other materials to make marble stronger, but it isstill less resilient than granite.
Many quartz countertops are a mixture of granite,marble, and other stones, along with quartz, giving it the name “engineeredstone.” Where marble is natural and has few variations in appearance, quartzcan mimic granite and marble or have a completely different look. Quartz comesin a wide array of colors and patterns.
The main difference between quartz and marblewould be a weakness. Marble is a soft stone that can be damaged easily, makingit less common in high traffic kitchen areas and more appealing in bathrooms.Quartz does not get damaged as easily and is less porous than marble, so itwill not stain as quickly.
No two sections of granite are the same, justlike quartz. Both have endless color options. However, the main difference whenit comes to the uniqueness of both granite and quartz is that granite comesfrom nature and requires no processing. Quartz is designed in a factory, eventhough it does come from quarried stone. Quartz can be made to look likegranite, but if you truly want something straight from the earth, it is best togo with granite.
Both stones are durable, scratch andstain-resistant. That said, the only disadvantage of granite to quartz is thatgranite requires sealing every year to ensure it doesn’t stain or get damaged.Quartz doesn’t need to be sealed. On the other hand, if quartz is left indirect sunlight, the colors may fade over time and will require routinemaintenance to enhance the shine.
Now, let’s have a look at how these materialscompare when used as countertops. When you compare quartz to granitecountertops, you will find that quartz is extremely hard and durable,stain-resistant and also chip resistant. Just like granite. However, quartz isnot as resistant to heat as granite. Unlike granite, you should never place ahot pan or pot directly onto a quartz counter. If you do that, you could causeirreparable damages or discoloration.
On the other hand, looking at granite andmarble, you will find that marble is by far the softest of the three stones forcountertops. Marble is not usually put in kitchens because it can chip, getstained, and is prone to scratching. However, if you have areas in your kitchenthat are not high traffic or places where you want a brilliant accent, thesmooth appeal of marble is a great choice.
Countertops are an important component of thekitchen. If you want stone countertops that come in a variety of colors andpatterns, it is low maintenance and very durable, then granite is a greatchoice. If you want a countertop that may require a bit more upkeep but looksincredible in any light, marble may work for you. Lastly, if you want lowmaintenance and does not require sealing like granite, then quartz is ideal.
Regardless of which stone you choose, you arebound to have a beautiful kitchen that you will love to show off to friends andfamily.
Source: https://medium.com/marble-concepts/how-to-tell-the-difference-between-marble-granite-and-quartz-dc715872cf29
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