Natural Quartz Countertops – Do you know how they differ from granite and solid surface?

Natural Quartz countertops, the beauty of natural stone with much less headaches. Let’s see what makes quartz countertops unique. In my coverage of this topic I am using data from the following manufacturers that I am involved with.

SileStone offers approximately 41 different finish options in its line, while DuPont Zodiaq offers 46 plus 8 with 25% post-consumer recycled content in its Zodiaq Terra collection.

Samsung now offers 14 colors in its Staron collection and CaesarStone offers 40 quartz counter tops that include some very striking colors unlike anything you’ve ever seen.

HanStone fine quartz surfaces offer a collection of 31 colors plus 5 new ones in their new Ruscello premier collection. I’ve saved our most popular product for last. Cambria’s quartz collection offers you 63 different colors and also has the distinction of being the only manufacturer to offer a limited lifetime warranty on its product at the time of this writing. All other products listed above carry a solid 10-year limited warranty.

I have chosen to cover features by topic and offer a quick comparison with other important material in each section.

stain resistance

All quartz products have a natural resistance to stains of all kinds. They share this property with solid surface tops as well as ceramic tile tops. Stains can be a problem with natural granite, soapstone and laminate countertop materials and should be considered during countertop selection.

Burn resistance

Quartz tops have a natural scorch resistance, but all manufacturers recommend using a trivet under pans. Quartz shares good burn resistance with granite, soapstone, and ceramic tile, but you’ll need to be more careful if you choose a solid surface or laminate, as both surfaces have low burn resistance.

scratch resistance

Because all quartz products are made from over 90% stone material, they are naturally scratch resistant. This is quite an exclusive group as they share this property only with granite. Solid, soapstone, ceramic tile and laminate surfaces are very susceptible to scratching.

Mold/fungus resistance

Mold and mildew are not something normally associated with countertops, but they can be a real problem with some products. Quartz, solid surface, and ceramic tiles all have non-porous surfaces that naturally resist these problems. Due to its porous surface, you are more likely to encounter problems with granite, soapstone, or laminate materials.

After comparing features, you’ll also need to consider cost differences. Typically, most quartz products will be priced close to a tier 4 or 5 granite product (read more about granite pricing tiers on the granite page) and similar in price to surface solid. Quartz will still be 2-4 times the price of laminate, although the gap is closing with the introduction of more natural looking laminate surfaces.

An often overlooked option is a combined surface kitchen. In an effort to keep costs in check more often than not, I see people using a mix of products like matching laminate on wall mounted countertops and quartz on an island top. The key is to think outside the box and create a complementary combination keeping in mind the best work surface in each area.

My research points to quartz tops being a surface superior to all others in practical use and value. What is your opinion?