Granite vs quartz

Quartz and granite are two of the toughest natural materials on the planet. In fact, granite often contains quartz. So what are the differences between granite and quartz? Are granite kitchen worktops better than quartz? Do quartz tiles do better in wet environments? Which should you choose for your home?

Natural vs engineered stone

When it comes to interior design, particularly worktops, tiles and floors, the main difference between granite and quartz is the origin story of the stone. Granite is a natural stone formed over thousands of years. While quartz itself is found in nature, quartz worktops are man-made. Materials such as Silestone and Quarella are known as engineered or processed stones. Particles of quartz are bound together with small amounts of resin, creating a tough yet beautiful stone.

Key differences between granite and quartz

	Granite	Quartz
Natural stone	100.00%	90-97%
Sealed	X	√
Heat resistant	√	√
Stain resistant	Sealing recommended	√
Waterproof	Sealing recommended	√
Scratch and cut resistant	√	√
Food safe	Sealing recommended	√
Available in tiles	√	√
Suitable for kitchen worktops	√	√
Suitable for bathrooms	√	√
Suitable for outdoors	Sealing suggested	√
Looks like	Distinctive visible grains common	Wide range of patterns available from marble-like veining to star-speckled to glass-like
Easy to match?	Natural variation across slabs even from the same quarry	Texture and colours are consistent through multiple batches
Most common colour	Grey	White
Colours available	Black, blue, brown, green, grey, pink, red, white, yellow	Almost every colour imaginable from pillar box red through delicate cream to night black.
Unusual features	One of the toughest natural substances	Doesn’t need sealing

Why quartz is often more affordable than granite

To create a granite worktop, a slab must be hewn out intact and then cut to fit the exact shapes. There’s a significant amount of wastage in the process, particularly as granite can vary in colour and texture within a quarry, so if you need multiple slabs you want them to be adjacent. In addition, granite is enormously heavy and difficult to transport, so the trip from quarry to stone worker to home adds a cost.

Quartz worktop manufacturers, such as Quarella or Samsung, create slabs of the right size without wastage. Transportation is typically more affordable as well, and matching isn’t a problem as each colourway is consistent. That said, some quartz worktops are complex and expensive to create, while some granite is very affordable. If you’ve got your heart set on one or the other, visit our showroom and we’ll show you all the options so you can make an informed decision yourself.