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Move Over Granite!
Courtesy of www.freshome.com
Granite has been the counter surface of choice in many high-end homes since its heyday in the 1990s. But the material is not the most low-maintenance or contemporary looking. For those who went against the grain and chose an alternative material like quartz, you are now a majority!
The USA’s National Kitchen & Bath Association announced its results from a survey of kitchen designers that granite is no longer the top choice for kitchen counters — quartz is. In the granite vs. quartz battle, quartz takes first place and here’s why:
Contemporary kitchens are preferred over traditional styles
According to the 2017 Houzz Kitchen Study, the contemporary style is the no. 1 look homeowners want for their kitchen (22% and rising). Granite is not the best choice in a contemporary kitchen, because of its golden tones or distinctive and somewhat busy pattern. As homeowners start choosing more modern and minimalist patterns and sleeker, cooler colours like greys and whites for their kitchens, quartz offers more options.
Quartz is more eco-friendly than granite
When considering granite vs. quartz, both are eco-friendly — and not. Granite is imported, which means the carbon footprint is larger, due to transport and shipping. Granite is a natural stone, but is porous and requires sealing with chemicals to minimize staining and etching. According to the EPA, granite may also off gas radioactive materials called radon. Levels are normally not harmful, but a radon home testing kit is inexpensive and can double check for you.
Quartz is made with at least 90% quartz material. The rest is polymers, colour and resins, which bind the quartz and make it incredibly strong and stable. The resins, although not as dangerous as radon, may also release into the air. Quartz may also be imported, creating carbon footprint issues.
Perago Quartz is entirely non-toxic and is readily available around the world, making it environmentally-friendly and allowing it to have a fairly small eco-footprint.
Quartz offers more options as far as color and pattern
Because quartz is engineered, grain and colour can be added to the surface. Want an apple green surface? Quartz has it. Looking for a snow white countertop with very little texture? There are plenty of options.
Quartz is easier to work with
When comparing granite vs. quartz, the latter is as strong as granite but is more flexible. This means it can be used in ways granite can’t, like as a seamless counter with an integrated sink as in the image above. The strength of quartz means you can have bigger ledges or overhangs without support. It’s also less likely to crack or chip than granite, which naturally has fine cracks and fissures in the stone.
Granite vs quartz: Quartz is lower maintenance
Quartz is not porous — no sealing is required — so staining is virtually impossible. That makes clean up pretty easy— a quick wipe should get rid of any spills or stains. Quartz is less likely to scratch and, according to the Mohs Hardness Scale, quartz comes in at a 7, compared to a 6 for granite. They are close in hardness, but quartz surfaces are just a bit tougher.
Consider quartz as your next kitchen or bathroom surface. Perago Quartz offers a great variety of colour, style and texture options that are bound to beautify your space and provide durable and beautiful surfaces for years to come.
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