For many people, the kitchen is the statement room of the house. This is far more than a room where we cook our meals. In my home, it is where all the action is. We take our meals at the counter, we often somehow always wind up standing around and chatting, and when there is a party, everyone always gathers around the center island (maybe because that is where the wine fridge is?).
The countertop in the kitchen needs to be perfect… it has to be functional, but it also needs to set the room off. When it comes to custom homes, some of the more popular choices are:
- Quartz
- Quartzite
- Granite
- Marble
- Wood
Today, we are going to address the top two because there is a lot of confusion on this subject that needs to be cleaned up.
If I had a nickel for every person that told me Quartz is a natural stone, well, I would have a lot of nickels. Quartz is actually manmade. It is a composite of elements of Quartz, pigment, and resin, but it still very high quality and resembles natural stone. Quartzite actually IS a natural stone that is extracted from the earth. The uniqueness of colorization and veining is what makes it very attractive to some homeowners.
There are pros and cons of both, which we will briefly cover here today.
One of the major benefits of Qaurtz is that it is workable in terms of look. It can be made to mimic high-end marble without actually biting off the costs. It will be far easier for the design team to meet your specifications if you request Quartz, but that one-of-a-kind look is obtainable by using Quartzite.
When it comes to durability, Quartzite is far more durable than Quartz, but it will lose some of its integrity during the finishing process. Even so, it will be more scratch resistant and durable than Quartz. The same can be said for heat resistance.
Where you may run into a problem, however, is with stains. Quartzite is a natural stone, which means it is porous, so, if you are going to be using it actively, we would recommend that you have it sealed regularly to add some stain resistance to it.
Honestly, you cannot go wrong with either, so it will be up to your design tastes and budget for the final call. Just remember, if you do go with Quartzite, make sure you get it sealed or they will hear you on the moon when you scream because someone spilled red wine all over your center island.