Granite vs Quartz: Which Countertop Should you Choose?

Granite and quartz counters are the two most popular type of kitchen countertops used within Canadian homes for personal enjoyment or resale properties, according to a recent kitchen trends study by Houzz Canada.

Many homeowners will choose a countertop based on the colour, and both granite and quartz countertops come in many different colour options. Read our articles "Most Popular Quartz Countertop Colours in Ontario for 2017" and "Most Popular Granite Countertop Colours in Ontario for 2017" to find out the top 5 colour choices in both materials. So how do you decide which countertop to use for your kitchen? Here are the fundamental differences between granite and quartz to consider:

Source of the stone

Granite counters come from natural stone, and are mined from rock quarries all over the world. Giant blocks of granite are cut into slabs and shipped to fabricators, where they are then cut to fit your kitchen, polished and installed.

Quartz countertops are manufactured stone, made from combining crushed natural quartz with resin. This results in a stronger countertop than granite, and more durable and scratch-resistant.

Appearance & Patterns.

Because granite countertops are 100% natural stone, no two slabs are exactly the same, and the same colour of granite may have different patterns.

These two granite samples illustrate how the same granite slab can have different patterns

Given that quartz counters are man-made, they will have a more consistent pattern and the colour sample you see will typically be the same as the colour of countertop installed in your kitchen, provided they come from the same manufacturer.

Maintenance

Granite is an extremely porous stone, and your granite counter will need to be treated and sealed every year to prevent staining. Quartz counters are non-porous and are stain resistant. It doesn't require any sealing, making it a zero maintenance countertop option to use in your kitchen or bathroom.

Price

Both granite and quartz counters come in a range of prices, depending on the colour, quality, thickness and availability of the stone. At Best Buy Granite, our granite counters start at $42 per square foot while our quartz counters start at $55 per square foot. Click to find out what factors affect the price of granite and how quartz countertops are priced.