This is a huge question and comes down to your lifestyle. How much wear and tear with your countertop endure? We can agree that all 3 materials are beautiful and will make beautiful solid surface counters, tables, desks etc. The trend today is quartz.. 99% of our recent clients have chosen Quartz but you decide. Lets break down some of the pros and cons of each material.
Marble
Marble is a stone that can be found in mountainous regions all over the world. It has long been a staple for countertops and used to construct anything from sculptures to buildings dating back to ancient Greece and Rome. Marble comes in different colours and patterns ranging form natural white, grey and brown to some more vivid colours. The colours in the veining depends on the minerals in the stone.
Pros:
- Unique and natural
Cons:
- High maintenance
- Soft and porous
- Susceptible to staining, scratching and chipping
- Requires sealing
Granite
Granite has been a very popular natural stone material used for countertops. It is a natural stone and offers a variety of colours and patterns. It is a coarse-grained and made up of crystals. Granite has a rich beauty and is quite hard.
Pro:
- Heat resistant
- Hard surface
- No two are the same
Con:
- Can crack or chip if a hard object hits it.
- Porous surface
- Needs to be sealed
- Can dull knives
- Could be hard to match
- Needs to be cleaned daily to avoid stains
Quartz
Quartz is a composite that is super hard and nonporous. It is extremely resistant to mold and germs. Man made using roughly 94% ground natural quartz. It is the new granite of years past and is in high demand.
Pro:
- Antibacterial
- Stain, scratch ,chip and crack resistant
- Harder than granite
- Looks like granite
- Easy to match patterns
- Huge selection of styles and colours
- Very durable
- Strong flexural strength
- Chemical resistance
Con:
- Clean up spills and clean regularly
- Could be damaged by excessive heat