When choosing kitchen worktops there are so many choices to be had. From classic, favourite worktops like, marble, granite, concrete and wood, to more contemporary choices like stainless steel, laminate and ceramic, there is a surface for everyone but the material that’s fast becoming the market leader is quartz.
Quartz is relatively new but the undoubted properties it possesses, especially for worktops, such as attractiveness, strength and a unique resilience against bacteria, is irresistible for kitchen designers. Containing the best features found in natural stone and even laminates, quartz worktops bring further advantages that means this surface has become the new market leader.
Pros
Quartz is an engineered stone, meaning that it has more versatility than granite; it comes in a variety of colours and patterns, as it’s manufactured. With an added waterproof resin, the stone is completely sealed for life, making it impervious to bacteria that every other worktop is exposed to. Furthermore, as quartz is non-porous, worktops made of this material are far more stain-resistant that say marble or granite.
Quartz worktops are the hardest surfaces known in the industry, without the crushing weight of say granite, which not only hinders installation but also puts tremendous strain on supporting cabinetry. Kitchen worktops made of quartz also don’t scratch, chip or even crack, which is a major flaw of all its contemporaries.
Cons
Despite all of these advantages, quartz cannot quite imitate the natural aspects of granite, wood, slate and marble but this up to the individual homeowner, if they are that particular to have their worktops made from natural stone or wood.
Quartz worktops are a little bit pricier than contemporary kitchen worktops but again it’s a balancing act. Do you pay a little more for a durable, beautiful, hygienic piece of stone? Or do you take a deep breath choosing marble, wood or even granite, where chipping, staining and, compared to some materials, even heat damage, could become an issue over the years?
Quartz Worktops – The Final Verdict
As with anything, a home owner’s choice of worktops is a personal choice. On the one hand, quartz is clean, comes in a variety of colours and patterns and is virtually indestructible. Does that mean it’s an inferior choice to a kitchen worktops that have a slightly more natural look and whilst being slightly cheaper, don’t have the benefits attributed to quartz? Sometimes cheap can be expensive.
