Adding quartz countertops as a home improvement project can increase the resale value of your house, but it comes with a high cost. Quartz countertops start around $80 per square foot installed, but most cost around $110 per square foot and up to $150 for higher quality quartz granite.
Quartz. Recently quartz or manufactured stone beat out granite as the most popular kitchen countertop material. While on the surface, natural stone may seem to offer more resale value, that might be changing! As of right now, granite, marble, travertine, soapstone, and so on will typically give you bigger resale value.
Quartz countertops earn a top rating in countertop materials ratings due to their appearance, low maintenance, and high resale value.
The exact value quartz adds, however, is challenging to predict, but a well-maintained quartz countertop will never hurt your home's resale value. When well maintained, a home buyer will not ever need to switch from quartz to another material due to general wear and tear.
Durability, ease of maintenance, cost, the environment, and project limitations are all reasons why granite is preferable over quartz countertops.
One of the main reasons quartz has exploded in popularity is due to appearance. Quartz has the look of stone while also allowing homeowners to customize the design. While granite offers many options in terms of appearance, you may have to search for the right piece that matches your color scheme.
Everything from white granite and black granite countertops to granite slabs has fallen out of style. The second reason granite countertops have lost their appeal is that the preference for light, simple kitchens has replaced the trend of dark, warm kitchens. Designers quit wanting “movement” and instead wanted peace.
Quartz can be more expensive than other countertops but is generally cheaper than natural stone and other luxury options. It does require professional installation and can discolor when exposed to high temperatures and extensive heat for long periods.
Do you want it to last without spending a lot of time on countertop maintenance? Quartz is a great material but has its drawbacks, including being difficult to install, expensive, vulnerable to heat and having visible seams. Evaluate its pros and cons to make an informed purchase.
Quartz is Easier to Maintain than Granite
This countertop achieves a high level of durability without any sealant. As opposed to Granite, which requires re-sealing each year to maintain a less superior guard against the common hot pan, spilled wine, and dirty hands. An easy to clean countertop is the new kitchen dream.
In today's market, quartz, marble, and granite are the most desired materials for kitchen countertops. These materials are loved for their clean appearance, longevity, and versatility. Moreover, they offer a great deal of color and pattern variety.
Made popular by Joanna Gaines, concrete countertops are a wonderful way to elevate a farmhouse chic kitchen or add a special touch to an industrial, modern kitchen.
You could be considering finishing, maintenance, staining, durability, color, or any other of the number of aspects that come with different countertop options. But when it comes to specific interests, namely doing high level cooking in the kitchen, top chefs in the world prefer granite countertops.
If granite becomes damaged or the sealant wears off, spills may seep into the surface, resulting in stains since the stone is naturally porous. This makes quartz a prime option for busy kitchens or homes with children thanks to its resistance to staining, cracks, and discoloration.
Taking the time to care for your granite will help maintain the natural beauty of your countertops. Quartz, on the other hand, is much easier to clean and maintain. Because quartz is a manufactured product, it is non-porous and more resistant to staining. Quartz is also well known for being GERM-FREE.
Granite is often cited as the most durable natural countertop material and is known for resisting cracks and chips. However, as a manufactured material, quartz rates a bit higher on the hardness scale and is slightly more resistant to damage. You can clean both materials with mild soap and water.
Most Popular Quartz Countertop Colors
Some of the top quartz countertop colors for 2023 include: Silestone Eternal Calacatta Gold – Its striking white color, golden hues and gray veins make this the most popular quartz color. Silestone Miami Vena – Another white color, but this option has a marble effect.
In 2023, many people will be choosing Calacatta quartz for their home remodel. Calacatta quartz is timelessly elegant. It has a high variation of veining throughout the surface, similar to that found in marble.
Durability: Quartz is one the hardest materials on the planet. This means it has a higher scratch resistance than granite and won't chip or crack easily. Great for applying to different surfaces including floors and stairs.
While white quartz countertops are still in style for many of today's homeowners, a new wave of countertops is on the horizon. That's right, with paint trends leaning warmer, I'm also seeing a LOT of demand for countertops that lean to the WARM side of things vs. the white and gray trend of the last 5-10 years.
Sunlight. Because quartz is made using polyester resin, over time you may start to notice some discolouration - particularly in lighter coloured countertops. On average, it takes less than a year of daily sunlight for a quartz worktop to fade.
Too much sun exposure can damage your quartz countertops over time, leading to issues like fading, warping, and voiding of your warranty. Additionally, the UV lights can cause the colors in your countertops to fade—and even begin to have a yellow hue!
Although granite is still a highly requested kitchen countertop material, some styles are considered outdated. “While granite was a longstanding popular option for homeowners in the '90s and early 2000s, it definitely gives a more dated look in kitchens today – specifically the darker, speckled slabs,” Kaercher claims.
If you don't want to replace your countertops with granite, consider quartz, quartzite, marble, concrete, or the many other options from which homeowners can choose.
Granite has lost its edge as the leading surface choice in countertops, but this doesn't mean that the stone option has or is going out of style. In fact, granite remains highly popular and perhaps the most durable and cost-intelligent choice on the market.