The Secret to Choosing Counters You will Love Perpetually, Based on a Professional

When embarking on a kitchen renovation or a rest room rework — arguably the priciest and most used rooms in a house — the stakes can really feel excessive. You wish to benefit from each sq. inch in a sensible sense, with inexpensive kitchen cupboards or budget-savvy toilet built-ins, however you additionally wish to make each sq. inch mirror your private fashion, too. Counter tops are an enormous piece of this puzzle. You received’t simply be fascinated by the place you’d prefer to put them, however you’ll be contemplating varied countertop supplies, too. Two standard choices that owners usually select between: quartz counter tops and granite counter tops.

You may not assume quartz and granite counter tops have many distinguishing options. In spite of everything, they’re each arduous surfaces which have reputations for being sturdy but lovely. However these supplies have some distinct traits that make them higher suited to totally different functions.

For those who’re within the means of figuring out which countertop is greatest in your renovation — quartz versus granite, the showdown — learn on to get some insights from an expert. Hopefully, the following tips will assist you to decide on the fabric in your dream house.

As tempting as it’s to hit a big-box retailer or a slab yard, and wander via the obtainable choices, that’s probably not one of the best use of your efforts. Mallory Micetich, Angi’s house knowledgeable, says that sitting down and making a plan for what kind of countertop you’re after will probably preserve you calm and on price range via what’s often a stress-inducing splurge. 

“Beginning your kitchen renovations is an thrilling course of and the counter tops will probably be an enormous a part of the house, so it’s essential to not get too caught up within the aesthetics and as an alternative contemplate their practicality for you and your house,” she says. 

Clearly, the primary query it’s best to ask your self is easy (in principle, however not all the time in observe): What’s your price range? “This can dictate the kind of supplies you possibly can contemplate,” she says. Based on HomeAdvisor, granite counter tops value between $2,250 and $4,500, with a median whole of $3,250. Angi discovered that quartz counter tops, however, can value between $1,500 and $8,000, with the typical being about $4,500. When it comes to sq. footage, you possibly can anticipate to spend between $40 and $100 on granite and $50 to $200 sq. foot on quartz. 

As you run the numbers, Micetich notes that it’s best to provide you with solutions for these subsequent questions: “What’s the design of your kitchen and the place will the counter tops be put in?” she asks. “And, will there be one kind throughout your whole kitchen or will you be mixing and matching totally different supplies?”

Take the time to measure the place your counters will go in an effort to get a tough estimate of how a lot you’ll want and what it may cost a little. When you will have a cushty vary in place, then it’s time to study a factor or two about quartz and granite counter tops particularly. 

Quartz counter tops look convincingly like stone, however quartz counter tops are literally man-made. The manufactured materials combines quartz (the precise stone), resin, and pigment. As a result of quartz is an engineered stone, it has a variety of accessible colour and elegance choices.

Quartz is accessible in kinds that vary from minimalist, with little or no and even no “motion” (sample) within the stone, to maximalist, with intensive motion and daring colour.

You may need additionally seen quartzite counter tops in the marketplace. Not like quartz, quartzite is a pure stone that’s extracted from quarries.

Granite counter tops are created from one hundred pc pure granite, a stone that’s shaped after the cooling and solidification of molten rock. Granite is of course composed of a combination of supplies, considered one of which is quartz.

Whereas colour variations in granite are extra restricted than in man-made stone, pure colorations do have a reasonably wide selection — the whole lot from gentle grey to tan, pink, brown, and black. Whereas the quantity of “motion” within the stone can differ, granite will all the time have some quantity of speckling due to its pure make-up.

Quartz counter tops are greatest for high-traffic, well-used kitchens due to their very low-maintenance traits. That’s why they’re so readily utilized in household properties.

“Quartz counters are made from crushed stone and shaped right into a slab with polymer resins,” Micetich says. “They’ve the look and efficiency of pure stone, however they’re non-porous, which implies that it received’t stain or require sealing.” 

One other optimistic? Quartz counter tops are available in quite a lot of colours, so it’s potential to select one which’s on par with what you’ve envisioned. Their stain resistance implies that they may maintain their pristine look over a few years as nicely — lessening the worry of wine, juice, and occasional spills.

If there are downsides, Micetich notes that quartz counter tops can meet their match in extreme warmth. “A lot of the binding resins which can be utilized in quartz aren’t heat-resistant, so it’s best to use a trivet or keep away from putting scorching pans immediately on the counter,” she says. “This stone can even fade over time if it’s uncovered to direct daylight, so it’s not an awesome out of doors countertop choice. Moreover, silica, a compound that’s extremely current in quartz, will be hazardous to these manufacturing and putting in the counter tops.”

Granite has been a perennially revered countertop for many years on condition that it’s extra budget-friendly than quartz however nonetheless offers a pure materials that may complement many alternative design kinds.

“A granite slab is available in all kinds of colours and can usually have flecks of matching colours inside,” Micetich says. “A few of the largest advantages of utilizing granite are that it’s heat-resistant, has a novel sample in every slab, and has an extended lifespan.”

As Micetich talked about, the warmth resistance of granite can put it forward of quartz for individuals who don’t wish to fear about putting a scorching pot immediately on this floor.

Not like quartz, granite is porous and requires common sealings to maintain out stains — a minimum of every year, and maybe with the assistance of an expert.

“It’s additionally much less sturdy than some engineered stones, and repairs will be tough as a result of the end will be difficult to match,” Micetech provides.

This being mentioned, granite might value lower than quartz up entrance however find yourself costing extra to keep up in the long term. All of it is determined by how usually the counter tops are going for use, and whether or not they are going to be nicely cared for through the years. 

Micetech says that with regards to selecting budget-friendly counter tops for a kitchen or toilet, you possibly can’t go incorrect between both quartz or granite. And but, for those who’re nonetheless uncertain about which one to pursue, right here’s her ultimate ideas on the matter: 

“Whereas quartz is usually a bit dearer than granite, the advantages that quartz present in upkeep may be value it when you have a younger household or host loads of events,” she says. “Nevertheless, for those who extremely worth a pure stone look and the grain that comes with granite, then it’s possible you’ll wish to prioritize it and the additional upkeep of resealing and cleansing it. On this case, the granite will probably be value it.”

Since Micetech received’t be footing the invoice for this venture, her final phrases come right down to how snug you’re with placing your pockets to work. “In the end, I feel that is one space the place price range ought to be the chief consideration given the professionals and cons of each varieties of counter tops,” she says.