Quartz and granite counter tops

[Dennis S]

zero wrote:
Quartz is the bomb. Check consumer reports.

Consumer Reports has Formica as Number 1. Go with that.

[cbelt3]

Ah c'mon.. Butcher block. The early '80's will come back !

[the_poochies]

Dennis S wrote:
[quote=zero]
Quartz is the bomb. Check consumer reports.

Consumer Reports has Formica as Number 1. Go with that.
Stop reading those issues from the 1970s.

[tenders]

bfd wrote:
[quote=GGD]
Whenever granite is mentioned, I always think of this post by Davester

[quote=davester]
It's very difficult being a geologist in a "granite" store.

Salesman: "This is our finest granite counter top sir, we call it 'indian mist', and that granite is called "topeka sunrise".

Me: "Neither of these are granites. The 'indian mist' is a banded gneiss and the 'topeka sunrise' is quartzite. The only granite here is the one in your sandstone section called 'egyptian water'.

Salesman: "Er, ah, um...??

http://forums.macresource.com/read.php?1...sg-1043016
That's gneiss! … LOL
Yeah, that rocks!

[btfc]

"That's gneiss!"

But it looks like schist!

[testcase]

I did Silestone when I upgraded the kitchen about seven years ago. I believe Silestone is an engineered quartz product. I've been very happy with it. Easy to care for. There's no sign of wear in seven+ years.

[Dennis S]

the_poochies wrote:
[quote=Dennis S]
[quote=zero]
Quartz is the bomb. Check consumer reports.

Consumer Reports has Formica as Number 1. Go with that.
Stop reading those issues from the 1970s.
That's funny, but this was a recent issue. This house has WHITE Formica installed in 1974 and with a little Barkeeper's Friend, looks almost new. I know some people wouldn't be caught dead with Formica in their house, but I don't have that problem.

[Robert M]

Sam,

First and foremost, I am going to say without a doubt that Marc Anthony is flat out wrong. You can definitely tell the difference between granite and quartz, i.e. Silestone. The only time you might not be able to see the difference is when you choose a type of granite that has minimal natural veins of color and/or patterns. Otherwise, the difference is typically immediately and readily apparent. While the companies that manufacture quartz and such have come a long way and offer some natural looking engineered stone (quartz), they still cannot match granite when it comes to natural beauty and selection. For example, compare the selection of granite to or even quartzite < http://www.marble.com/materials/quartzite> I have crema bordeaux granite < http://www.marble.com/materials/granite/Crema-Bordeaux> in my kitchen.

That said, real estate agents and such are going to push whatever is going to make it easier to sell a place. If you’re looking at a home with granite, they’ll emphasize the benefits of granite. Or, if you find a place that has an engineered stone like quartz, they’ll go on about the benefits of quartz. Your responsibility is to educate yourself about the materials and choose the one that you like and is most suitable for your kitchen and lifestyle. If you’re go for selection and natural beauty and are willing to deal with a bit of extra care, then granite might prove just right. Crema bordeaux granite was a perfect match for the cherry cabinets in my kitchen and the end result is stunning. But, I knew prior to purchasing the granite that it require more care than an engineered stone like quartz (think Silestone) and considered the extra work acceptable.

My wife and I moving shortly. While we aren’t doing major renovations in our new apartment right now, we do plan on remodeling the kitchen in the next two to three years. Will we choose granite for the kitchen when that time comes? Probably not. While I absolutely, positively adore the granite in our existing kitchen, I’d rather have something that is near 100% maintenance free next time round. So, we’re likely to choose an engineered stone over granite for our kitchen when we remodel it. Same goes for the countertops of the vanities in our bathrooms.

Robert

P.S. Dennis check Consumer Reports again. I was just on their web site and they choose for kitchens Quartz (engineered stone) as its #1 choice for countertops. Granite is #2 and recycled glass was #3. Laminate was #4. They choose laminate #1 for bathrooms, quartz #2, granite #3 and solid surfacing as #4 for bathrooms.

[mattkime]

rgG wrote:
[quote=mattkime]
I NEED GRANITE COUNTERTOPS AND STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES

In an OPEN CONCEPT floor plan.


EXACTLY!

AND TWO SINKS IN THE MASTER BEDROOM AND A SMALLER ROOM FOR POOPING

[rgG]

mattkime wrote:
[quote=rgG]
[quote=mattkime]
I NEED GRANITE COUNTERTOPS AND STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES

In an OPEN CONCEPT floor plan.


EXACTLY!

AND TWO SINKS IN THE MASTER BEDROOM AND A SMALLER ROOM FOR POOPING
And, I almost forgot, A HUGE WALK-IN CLOSET IN THAT LARGE MASTER BEDROOM and HARDWOOD FLOORS THROUGHOUT.