When choosing your new kitchen worktop, the first choice you have to make is whether to go for granite or quartz. Natural or engineered?
Granite or Quartz for the kitchen?
Whilst both materials are extremely resilient and are striking in appearance, there are differences in their composition that give them properties that, for everyone, might not make the cut.
Granite is a natural stone formed over thousands of years and then dug out of the ground, whereas quartz is an engineered stone that is created in a factory using crushed natural quartz mixed with resin and silica to create stunning slabs.
Looking at the practical differences in the material, quartz has become a large majority of our work as the maintenance required is significantly less than required with Granite. Granite being a natural stone means it is permeable and will require sealing to protect the surface and what lies beneath. As well as not needing to be sealed, Quartz is extremely resilient to heat, scratches, acids such as wine or juices and can also be used outside carefree.
Quartz worktops are available in a huge range of patterns, ranging from marble-like veining to glass flecks for a shimmer. Granite usually comes with uniform graining or patterns and the color is uniform the whole way across the slab.
When choosing it is important to go through a large choice of samples and if possible see a full slab to get an indication of what it is that you are going to have in your kitchen worktop. Granite or Quartz, both materials will maintain their beauty as your new kitchen worktop.