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Granite vs Quartz


One of the most common questions that I get as a kitchen and bath designer is, “what is the difference between quartz and granite?”

From an aesthetics purpose, they look very different. Each granite slab is carved directly out of the Earth. Mother nature makes every single piece and a single slab can have dramatic variations in color, pattern and movement. Quartz on the other hand, is harvested out of the earth, ground up and then mixed with fillers and additives to make the color and pattern. Because of this, the pattern can run for 10+ feet making a dramatic statement on a large island or ceiling height backsplash.

When selecting your pattern, make sure its personality fits your lifestyle. In general, granite can make it difficult to see if something is on the surface. You may find yourself losing twist ties and having to lean to the side to make sure that you get everything off when cleaning. If you are a person that needs your surface spotless, you will likely be happier with a quartz in a lighter color.

Granite is going to be better with heat than quartz. Both will work just fine with crock pots on top, but I always tell everyone, never put your hot pans directly on your countertop! The cold stone gives your pots the same shock as placing them in cold water when you take them out of the stove. Granite can have small amounts of water inside of it, and if you put a hot pan on it and it boils, it is going to crack. Quartz is manufactured with heat, if you put a hot pan on top of it, the additives and fillers will fall and the quartz will rise to the top, which creates a dull spot.

When choosing between the two, it really it comes down to personal preference. In this blogger’s opinion, I think granite looks best with wood cabinets because they are both organic and natural. I think quartz looks best with painted surfaces.