Countertop Review: Granite, Marble, Quartz & Silestone
One of the largest choices you can make for your kitchen is deciding what type of countertop to use, one that is durable, cost-effective, and goes with the rest of the décor in your home. This review of granite, marble, quartz and silestone will help you decide what type is best for you.
Granite: Granite is a very popular kitchen countertop choice and is found in a myriad of colors and patterns. Granite is very heat resistant and its hard surface is well protected from scratches, cracks, and general wear and tear. Granite is very heavy so the cabinets need to be very sturdy, and granite also needs to be sealed every once in awhile to maintain its stain resistance. Due to granites popularity, it instantly adds value to your home.
Marble: Marble is very beautiful and is found typically in white with distinctive veining running through it. Marble is very heat resistant and great for those who love to bake because marble stays very cool. A con of marble is that it is very susceptible to stains, scratches, and chips. However, with the proper care, marble can make your kitchen unique and pristine.
Quartz: Quartz countertops are just starting to gain popularity in the market. It is an engineered stone that comes in many different colors and patterns and has the same durability as granite against chips and cracks. It is also very heat and stain resistant. There aren’t many downsides for quartz from a durability and wear and tear perspective, but it is typically quite a bit more expensive than its counterparts.
Silestone: Silestone is primarily made from quartz, but contains small amounts of plastic and comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Like quartz, silestone is a hard, sturdy material that is resistant to heat, stains, scratches, and cracks, but one of the best features of silestone is that it has an antimicrobial protection built-in to protect against bacterial growth. The main disadvantage of silestone is that it is more expensive.
