Quartz Countertops vs Granite

[crystalheart1]

I am not sure if this has already been debated, but has anyone gone with Quartz instead of Granite? I prefer the uniform look of Quartz and the fact there is very little maintence. I am going with a vanilla distressed cabinet, with a tan/cream tile floor with black granite inserts... I don''t want a busy granite look so I thought Quartz would be an option. If anyone is familiar can they suggest a nice quartz in the brown /cream family ??

 

[moremoremore]

Have you looked at Silestone, Zodiaq, Corian, etc etc. I happen to not like most engineered surfaces bc of the uniform look and lack of depth, but that's just me. I went with something called Okite. More expensvie than granite and in fact, the granite with the uniform patterns is the least expensive. You might find a nice cream color. Best of luck...

 

[Haven]

My FI''s family owns a furniture store and they build a lot of custom kitchens. FI''s father seems to think that Quartz is a much better option than granite, because he just threw a fit when FI said he was going to use granite to redo the kitchen in his condo. FI''s father said that everyone chooses granite just because it''s a current trend, and that quartz is much better because it''s lower maintenance and less porous.

I don''t personally know anything about it, but that''s just someone''s profession insight.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Date: 4/5/2008 3:15:32 PM
Author: Haven
My FI''s family owns a furniture store and they build a lot of custom kitchens. FI''s father seems to think that Quartz is a much better option than granite, because he just threw a fit when FI said he was going to use granite to redo the kitchen in his condo. FI''s father said that everyone chooses granite just because it''s a current trend, and that quartz is much better because it''s lower maintenance and less porous.

I don''t personally know anything about it, but that''s just someone''s profession insight.

I have heard this as well, Haven. And quartz costs as much or more than granite, unfortunately. I need to redo mine, but the cost would buy a nice bauble instead!

 

[zhuzhu]

When we come to remodel the kitchen/bathroom counters I would like to use silestone. Personally I prefer the lower maintenance factor in the kitchen, and the look really is not that different from granite to me.

 

[pennquaker09]

Most of my work was with granite, but I really have a strong fondness for quartz. Particularly, I prefer SileStone but quartz is also sold as Cambria and Ceasarstone. One of the good things about SileStone is that bacteria cannot grow on it. It has antimicrobial agents built into it.

Another thing that I love about SileStone is that you can do things with it that you cannot do with granite. Granite comes in slabs, but quartz is made into a solid surface and it allows you to be really creative.

This entire island is SileStone:

 

[Tacori E-ring]

That''s a really cool and beautiful kitchen Penn! We are far from redoing our kitchen but I find this thread very interesting. Does Quartz have similar movement as granite? I feel like the only time I have seen it, it was speckled and I don''t care for that look.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 4/6/2008 12:09:56 AM
Author: Tacori E-ring
That''s a really cool and beautiful kitchen Penn! We are far from redoing our kitchen but I find this thread very interesting. Does Quartz have similar movement as granite? I feel like the only time I have seen it, it was speckled and I don''t care for that look.

I guess I should have mentioned that I didn''t design that kitchen, LOL.

Tacori, quartz is made so, no it really doesn''t have the movement that granite has. I think quartz works best when you want something in a solid color. I think a white or black SileStone countertop is better than the same thing in granite.

Since we''re house shopping, I''m noticing that I''m probably going to have to redo the kitchen in whatever house that we buy and I would like to use Carrera marble and quartz. I like the idea of mixing surfaces.

 

[pennquaker09]

Brazilian Brown is a nice color.

 

[butterfly 17]

Hey Penn, your moving to NYC right, where are you looking?

 

[brgirl]

Hi! We put quartz in our kitchen, Zodiaq - cappuccino color. My husband wanted granite, and I wanted something that was less busy. So we settled on quartz. We love it! Of course I have no pictures on my laptop of it in person..

 

[moremoremore]

So I hope this comes out ok from my camera phone pic....Here are my countertops in progress...Zodiaq Okite in Marrone Emperador (chocolate brown)....you have to be very hands on with this stuff when it's delivered bc two slabs have had clouds...I'll try to get a close up of the subtle veining....it's looking a little traditional now but the handles will jazz it up!

 

[moremoremore]

Maybe the close up will show the veining...hmmm

 

[Tacori E-ring]

MMM, looks great so far! It is hard to tell the veining on the close-up though.

 

[crystalheart1]

I can''t seem to find a good distributor in the Phila area for Okite... Do many kitchen design centers carry Quartz - other than the home chain stores
I like the uniform look of Quartz... There are too many visual variables with granite - it sometimes seems like it has rust in it..mmm - your kitchen looks like it is coming along great. nice job!!!

We went to the EXPO and picked out cabinets, possible counter top (looks) and a beautiful back splash with a tumbled stone in a subway tile. There was a stunning insert of crushed glass tiles in a harlequin diamond pattern over the stove.. it sounds quirky but it was really beautiful

really

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 4/6/2008 9:26:01 AM
Author: butterfly 17
Hey Penn, your moving to NYC right, where are you looking?

We''ve looked in Scarsdale, New Rochelle, and Chappaqua as well as New Jersey and Stamford, CT.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 4/10/2008 10:40:06 PM
Author: crystalheart1
I can''t seem to find a good distributor in the Phila area for Okite... Do many kitchen design centers carry Quartz - other than the home chain stores

I like the uniform look of Quartz... There are too many visual variables with granite - it sometimes seems like it has rust in it..mmm - your kitchen looks like it is coming along great. nice job!!!

We went to the EXPO and picked out cabinets, possible counter top (looks) and a beautiful back splash with a tumbled stone in a subway tile. There was a stunning insert of crushed glass tiles in a harlequin diamond pattern over the stove.. it sounds quirky but it was really beautiful


really

What cabinets did you pick?

 

[ksinger]

Well, in spite of the fondness in this thread for quartz, which is admittedly lovely, I got granite. It was cheaper. It does take a bit of care, but I love it.

There are still a few little detail things left in our kitchen, but it''s done for the most part. Get ready for a big messy stress pit for awhile, if you haven''t done it yet!

 

[ksinger]

And one for color - the counters are greens/greys/blacks.

Oops. There''s a diamond on it I think. Dang!

 

[movie zombie]

lovely granite color!

i haven''t noticed a lot for work with the granite....but then i''m a nazi when it comes to cleaning up spills.

movie zombie

 

[crystalheart1]

Date: 4/10/2008 10:56:14 PM
Author: pennquaker09

Date: 4/10/2008 10:40:06 PM
Author: crystalheart1
I can''t seem to find a good distributor in the Phila area for Okite... Do many kitchen design centers carry Quartz - other than the home chain stores

I like the uniform look of Quartz... There are too many visual variables with granite - it sometimes seems like it has rust in it..mmm - your kitchen looks like it is coming along great. nice job!!!

We went to the EXPO and picked out cabinets, possible counter top (looks) and a beautiful back splash with a tumbled stone in a subway tile. There was a stunning insert of crushed glass tiles in a harlequin diamond pattern over the stove.. it sounds quirky but it was really beautiful


really

What cabinets did you pick?

PQ We REally wanted to go with Omega, with the Alma espresso glaze. You could see faint brush strokes from the hand done finish.. but it was a bit out of our price range. We are now going with Vanilla bean, Kraftmaid. I presently have the Taupe Glaze and the Rep from Kraftmaid just replaced drawers and cabinets doors, along with my dishwasher panel due to faint peeling... I think it was due to me using more than water for cleaning.. Great Customer Service. We are doing the kitchen in my fiance''s home..my future home. Can you recommend a good quartz dealer in the Philly /Bucks area?

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 4/10/2008 11:46:25 PM
Author: movie zombie
lovely granite color!

i haven''t noticed a lot for work with the granite....but then i''m a nazi when it comes to cleaning up spills.

movie zombie

I agree with MZ; Granite is super easy to clean and it stays sealed.

 

[crystalheart1]

Date: 4/10/2008 11:30:00 PM
Author: ksinger
And one for color - the counters are greens/greys/blacks.

Oops. There''s a diamond on it I think. Dang!

Ksinger -
Nice kitchen.. what color granite is that ?

Is there a lot of green in it ? I also like your window treatment !!

 

[Hera]

While I believe granite is very pretty, I would definitely choose a quartz countertop now because of a few factors:

1. I hear it''s more durable and easier to keep clean needing no sealing
2. I''ve heard that the granite trend is dwindling and quartz will be the new replacement. So, Granite countertops might date my kitchen and be an issue down the road
3. I think I heard it was better for the environment vs granite because it''s a very plentiful source.
4. Some patterns look like they have little diamonds

 

[pennquaker09]

When we remodeled our kitchen, we ordered our cabinetry and countertops from Petersen Kitchens in Bryn Mawr. I''m not sure if they fabricate with Silestone, but they do use Ceasarstone. Those are really the only quartz brands I would buy. If children are in the foreseeable future, get Silestone.

I have granite in my kitchen and I don''t hate it, but I would have rather had quartz.

 

[ksinger]

Date: 4/11/2008 3:37:26 PM
Author: crystalheart1

Date: 4/10/2008 11:30:00 PM
Author: ksinger
And one for color - the counters are greens/greys/blacks.

Oops. There''s a diamond on it I think. Dang!

Ksinger -
Nice kitchen.. what color granite is that ?

Is there a lot of green in it ? I also like your window treatment !!

Thanks! We sure like it. What I didn''t post was the fact that, small kitchen notwithstanding, we have an additional prep sink on the wall opposite. The FI and I just LOVE cooking in the new layout: we never bump into one another like before.

I believe the color is Verde Ventura. The window treatments are custom Roman shades from plain ol'' JC Penny''s.

I got a good price on them when they were having a big sale...

 

[Anastasia]

I have to agree with the above posters about maintenance not being an issue for granite. We have had ours for several years and I love it. I have never done anything to it, other than wiping it down daily, and periodically using a granite cleaner on it to really bring up the polish. Personally I prefer the look of granite to the composites, and when we got ours the prices were comparable.

crystalheart1, have you been looking at granite, and if so, where? I am in your area (you are in Bucks - right?)

 

[moremoremore]

I'm not sure of other products, but the Zodiak Okite is maintenance free....which works since we are piggies and lazy piggies!

The only granite I"m fond of is the type with movement...like marble which is a nightmare....the Okite comes in a carrera faux...which I bet would look awesome in a bath! Drool!