6 Countertop Materials for Home Renovations
Everybody is always asking for more details on how to select a countertop for their home renovation! What’s the difference between each countertop type? What about price? Today, I’m going to do a full countertop comparison, and tell you everything you need to know to make the best decision for your home and your budget.
Quartz
QUARTZ SPECIFICATIONS
Origin: Man-Made
Strength: Hard
Porosity: Non-Porous
Price: Mid-Range
Scratch-ability: Will Scratch
Heat: Somewhat heat-resistant (but why risk it?)
Summary:
Our most frequently used material is quartz. Much confusion arises between Quartz and Quartzite, so focus in! Quartz is a man-made material! Manufacturers take leftover, tiny bits of quartzite and press it into slabs with resin. Quartz is an incredibly durable material, not subject to any etching, staining, water cracks, really it’s quite impervious to most everything! In fact, the day after a friend of ours installed her quartz, she found her son had written all over it with sharpie! We were aghast, but delighted to discover it came off with a magic eraser!
However, since it is man made, all the slabs look the same. They may have a few different prints, but if your friend gets the same quartz as you on their island, it will look exactly the same. This doesn’t bother some people, but for some, it’s a deal breaker!
Buyer Bio:
The buyer of a quartz countertop is a realistic homeowner. Their top priority is not countertops, maybe they’re more concerned with custom cabinets, or hardwood floors. They may also just have a realistic understanding of their lifestyle and they know what when it comes to red wine on the counter, they may wipe it up tomorrow and not worry about it tonight!
Our personal thoughts:
We love quartz countertops, y’all. It’s an incredible product, and it fits the needs of so many of our clients! We do want to shout from the rooftops: “IT’S NOT AS CHEAP AS YOU EXPECT IT TO BE!!!” Because that’s one of the biggest problems we run into. Because it’s man made, many assume that it’s going to be incredibly affordable and that’s just not the case. While it is man-made, many of the faux-marble patterns are as expensive as some true marbles out there! Don’t think you’re going to get a bargain here, but do feel confident that you’re making a great investment that will legitimately last forever!!
Quartzite
QUARTZITE SPECIFICATIONS
Origin: Natural Stone
Strength: Hard
Porosity: Porous
Price: Upper-Range
Scratch-ability: Can scratch, but not easily
Heat: Very heat resistant
Summary:
Quartzite is a natural slab mined from several different countries across the world, including countries in Europe and South America. It comes in a variety of different looks and is purely gorgeous! It is a very hard stone, not likely to scratch or break, but is porous meaning staining can occur. Since quartzite is a natural stone and can stain, sealing needs to occur on a regular basis depending on color of slab/lifestyle of homeowner! Using a natural stone means no two slabs are alike, which does make the hunt for the perfect slab becomes more of a challenge. But, nobody in the world will have countertops like yours!
Buyer Bio:
The buyer of a quartzite countertop is a quality-conscious homeowner. Their top priority is equally blending aesthetics with function and they mostly want to stand out. They understand the commitment to sealing their product and have swallowed the big price pill to get what they want!
Our Personal Thoughts:
Quartzite is upsettingly gorgeous! It literally evokes an emotional response from us! In fact, to be quite frank, we’re often disappointed when people shy away from quartzite because it’s an incredible stone and is a great application for kitchens and bath remodels alike!
Marble
MARBLE SPECIFICATIONS
Origin: Natural stone
Strength: Soft
Porosity: Very porous
Price: Upper-range
Scratch-ability: Will endlessly scratch. Like every day.
Heat: Not heat resistant
Summary:
Marble. You know it. You love it! Marble is a natural slab, mostly mined from Europe, and is historically a sign of luxury. All of Versailles is marble, that should tell you enough about it’s historical significance in the line of luxury! Marble is a breathtaking, but tricky stone as it’s very soft, prone to breaking, cracking, and scratching, and very porous, prone to etching and staining. Marble is undeniably stunning, is one of a kind, and has that undeniable elegance that has stood the test of time, but it is impossible to maintain.
Buyer Bio:
The buyer of marble appreciates the real thing. Their top priority is, hands down, aesthetics with a very educated and complete understanding that their marble will age over time. They view marble like you would a high quality leather. The scratches, etches, and stains only increase the character over time, not decrease the quality.
Our personal thoughts:
The look of marble cannot and will not be achieved using any other stone, whether natural or man made! Marble is unmatched in elegance, luxury, and being a pain-in-the-ass, and we ADORE IT!!! Marble is like that bougie friend you take on a road trip who like, doesn’t understand that she should be wearing sweat pants and eating slim Jims, and is instead wearing a silk top and thinks we’re going to stop for brunch. (We ain’t! We just passin’ through!) Marble does have its place and can be sealed within an inch of its life. So honestly, if you’re the type of person who understands aging and wearing over time, then yes and amen and let’s do it! I personally have marble floors and countertops in my bathroom, and lesson learned, breast milk DOES etch marble! Who could’ve known!!
Granite
GRANITE SPECIFICATIONS
Origin: Natural Stone
Strength: Hard
Porosity: Porous
Price: Low-Range
Scratch-ability: Can scratch, but not easily
Heat: Heat resistant
Summary:
Granite is a natural slab and is visually more spotted, and less striped than quartzite or marble. Granite is very hard, but is more porous than people think! People assume it behaves more like a quartz, but that’s not the case! It’s porosity is similar to quartzite because it is a natural stone, but the pattern, spottedness, and color of granite typically hides any issues.
Buyer Bio:
The buyer of a granite countertop is price-conscious. This homeowner is, honestly, probably trying to sell their house in the next year if they’re picking granite. They’re thinking, “I’ve got to update this place, but I don't want to spend a lot. Here. Let’s do granite.” This buyer totally has it’s place, and we totally get it!
Our Personal Thoughts:
Granite is… alright. That’s kind of the gist of our personal thoughts on granite. There are a few types that are gorgeous and that we still select, but they’re much pricier. The lower level granites, bless their hearts, just leave the poor mountains alone. Just leave the granite in the ground and let’s move on.
2 Non-Traditional Countertop Options to Consider
Butcher Block
Summary:
Butcher block countertops are traditionally made in one of two ways. True butcher block is made by essentially gluing several pieces of wood together, then planing and sanding it down until it’s perfectly smooth. Beautifully smooth! The newer less expensive version is just a veneer where only the surface of the material is the wood. While some have concerns about cleanliness, wood is actually a naturally anti-microbial product, easy to maintain and care for!
Buyer Bio:
The buyer of butcher block countertops values character and either is for sure a straight up baker/chef or just lives for the authenticity and down-to-earth vibes the butcher block brings.
Our Personal Thoughts:
We love butcher block countertops in the right application! We wouldn’t ever recommend an entire kitchen out of butcher block but love the addition on part of the island, a perimeter, or even a butler’s pantry! The warmth and variety the butcher block countertop brings is pretty legendary!
Concrete
Summary:
Concrete countertops are installed by essentially building a wood curb around your cabinets, installing a rebar structure, then pouring the tops. They’re then sealed several times!
Buyer Bio:
I think this buyer might be a DIY-er? I’m not 100% sure, honestly, who is doing these or why.
Our Personal Thoughts:
It’s a no for us. The reason the summary is so short is that concrete tops are really difficult for us. Concrete tops are not health-code approved, they’re not inexpensive to install, the weight and installation is not good for your cabinets, they need to be sealed endlessly to discourage bacteria growth. We’re not really about it!
Now you have the full skinny on all of your countertop options! You get to decide what works for you!
