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Granite is a horrible choice for any food preparation area due to the fact that is a porous material that stains and supports the growth of harmful bacteria.
Mike
My granite is sealed and it's easy to reseal. I've had granite counter tops for the last 10 years and have not find them to more problematic or bacterial petri dishes. But of course I do wipe my counter tops down.
And in terms of granite or quartz... today if I had to redo a kitchen I would not pick either one. I would instead go w/ stained SEALED concrete. I'm always surprised that I don't see that much here.
Schneider Stone is an excellent stone countertop outfit with multiple showrooms I learned. I worked with Patrick and he was extremely knowledgeable and helpful. From what I gained granite is more durable since you can cut and place hot things on it and you cannot with quartz. You can reach Patrick at 919-815-0204.
Our least expensive granites are all less than the various quartz surface products per sq. ft. installed.
re: durability most granites will be more durable than quartz in actual service. Stains in sealed granite are rare (maybe a dozen stained tops in 13 years and several thousand jobs).
Quartz can be scratched more easily than stone and it is susceptible to scorching. Every single quartz supplier specifically excludes heat related damage from their warranty. Many (including one of the largest suppliers that does massive advertising) doesn't even warrant against cracks.
(incidentally, EVERY quartz manufacturer buys the same process lines to make their slabs from a company in italy so the material itself is virtually identical from brand to brand.)
In reality both are good, durable, countertop materials. I tell my customers to pick whatever has the look they want and then I make sure they understand any issues or concerns specific to their selection.
I have granite in the kitchen and quartz in my master bath. The quartz requires a lot less effort to clean and maintain. Our granite sealer and polish seem to wear off rather quickly whereas the quartz repels water without treatment. I'd be hard pressed to choose granite in the future. Won't write it off just yet but the quartz has been a pleasant surprise.
I'm sad because a house I'm about to spend a lot of money on has Corian countertops. :-/ It's one of the only things I don't like about the place. They're okay, they just don't add anything to the house at all. To boot, the counters are black and there's a white undermount sink.
Are those companies that come and put a granite veneer over existing tops truly awful? Sigh.
No one buys Corian anymore. It has went the way of the dodo. Granite has gotten so cheap these days it is a no brainer to do. You can do a full size kitchen for $1,500, and not just one of the typical entry level ones uba tuba, and also get an undermount sink and cutout included in that.
REALLY?! If I could get it all done for that little, I'd be thrilled. It's not even really a full-size kitchen, more like a galley with a raised bar and another counter off to the side. I guess I'd have to measure the linear feet to get it priced.
I was seriously afraid to ask how much it might be; was afraid it would be several thousand dollars, and I felt wasteful and elitist for picking about such a goofy thing as countertops. But I think the right ones would make all the difference.
Thank you for your post. It's the only good news I've had all day.
Not to sound like a total doofus, but is this a Home Depot / Lowe's job? Or should I try to find a smaller, local firm to do it? There's existing tile I like just fine, and the cabinets too. I'd want to be sure they weren't harmed during the removal and installation. I also need to paint, so I guess I should hold off on paint until the counters are dealt with? Thanks again!
No one buys Corian anymore. It has went the way of the dodo. Granite has gotten so cheap these days it is a no brainer to do. You can do a full size kitchen for $1,500, and not just one of the typical entry level ones uba tuba, and also get an undermount sink and cutout included in that.
Not true! The couple who writes Young House Love - a really popular DIY/design blog, put in white Corian. I've seen it around - but since it's not cheaper than granite it's not as popular as it could be.
I'd link to the blog but I don't think we can per TOS?
Personally I am so tired of "the modern generic look" of granite countertops and dark kitchen cabinets.
Wow, you just described my new kitchen to a tee! We love it though.
You don't have to seal granite either, unless you want to prepare foods directly on the granite, you have light colored granite, or you just have a tendency to spill liquid and food all over the counter and don't clean it up. None of those scenarios apply to us. I scrub them down every day and ours are Butterfly Green (very dark), so I can't ever imagine them getting stained. I love being able to put hot pans or casserole dishes directly on the granite and not worrying about burn marks. Granite has a more natural look that quartz as well, which may appeal to some people more.
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Quartz shouldn't be cheaper than granite
