Tue, Dec, 2015 Maria Kairuz

Worktops now form a very important part of interior designing in many modern homes. Worktops are generally made of flat horizontal slabs which are placed atop cabinets and are positioned at an appropriate height in order to help users to carry out their everyday work and place several goods and appliances on them. Worktops are made of several materials and are available in different colours and designs.

Granite & Quartz worktops – Compared

Quartz and granite are two of the most common materials which are used to make kitchen worktops. They have many similarities and differences.

Both of these are mined out of earth’s crust and are used in many construction and decorative materials. The different qualities of these worktops have been explained below:

• Strength: It is a well-known fact that quartz worktops consist of 93% quartz crystals and 7% resins and polymers. This makes quartz worktops stronger and more durable than granite worktops.

• Varieties: Both quartz and granite worktops are available in many varieties which are made by big international quartz manufacturers and sourced by quarries alike. For example, varieties of quartz include Silestone Orion White, Silestone Blanco Dune, Compac Carrara, Caesarstone quartz etc. There are many companies based in London selling Silestone and Compac quartz worktops.

• Cost: It is very obvious for the customers to buy these worktops after considering their budget. Usually granite worktops are more expensive than the lower priced grouped quartz worktops but users might find their cost quite worthy of the product.

• Porous: Whilst granite worktops are minimally porous, the addition of polymers to the quartz worktops makes them non-porous and thus impervious to dust and stains.

• Nature: Quartz worktops are mined out in the form of crystals, crushed and then other resins and polymers are added to them to get the desired quality and appearance. Granite is mined out in the form of large slabs and their texture largely depends upon the polishing and finishing of the slabs.

• Hygiene: Quartz slabs are more hygienic than the granite and are resistant towards several microorganisms and other undesired particles.

Kitchen worktops are also made up several other materials which may be natural or synthetic.

Many large corporations and quartz manufacturers sell these varieties of worktops which have many added components that make them hygienic and resistant to dust and stains.