Rock On: Choosing The Best Countertop Stone Types

It’s a cheesy pun to be sure, but stone countertops rock. No, really, they do! There are so many advantages to having stone countertops, from the added value they bring to your home to their high performance and durability.

When you invest in stone countertops, you elevate the aesthetics of your home– they look amazing wherever they are installed. Stone countertops are durable and highly damage-resistant.

Even the most demanding stone countertop is relatively low maintenance, and all are easy to clean and disinfect. They are perfect surfaces for the bathroom or kitchen, due to their ability to stand up to high-traffic situations, and many of them are even ideal for outdoor use.

The only hard part is choosing the right material for your home’s best countertops. Stone types all have different qualities, and it can be a little confusing to understand what type of rock is best for countertops.

That’s where we come in! At Wise Stone Choice, we’ve been helping homeowners and builders alike choose the ideal stone for their installations. Let’s go over your different stone options and talk about their strengths and weaknesses. An informed choice is a wise choice!

Granite

Tough, durable granite is the perfect combination of strength and beauty. With its colors and patterns ranging from bold to subtle, granite countertops can fit in with any home design choices.

This natural stone is resistant to scratches, chips, and cracks. And it’s resistant to heat, too; hot pots and pans won’t scorch this stone, making it ideal for use in the kitchen.

Granite is a porous stone, however, and needs to be sealed to protect it. Your fabricator can help you determine a sealing schedule so that you never need worry about knowing when to re-seal.

Marble

People have been using marble for furnishings for thousands of years. Many of antiquity’s most famous works of art are marble statues. The natural luminosity of marble gives it an unmatched appearance that brings elegance and timeless beauty to any home.

A marble countertop turns the every day into the extraordinary. Its natural heat resistance makes it the perfect centerpiece for your kitchen, while its sumptuous nature turns any bathroom into a spa.

However, the luxurious appeal of marble comes with a price: maintenance. Marble is a sensitive stone that is more susceptible to scratches than granite, quartzite, or quartz.

It is a porous stone, too, meaning that it must be sealed– and even when sealed, you need to clean up spills quickly so that it doesn’t stain or etch. That said, many people agree that marble’s gorgeous look is worth spending a little extra time taking care of it.

Quartzite

Quartzite is a rising star in the world of countertops. This type of stone is tougher than granite and marble, and comes in a number of unique, exotic colorations, as well as more familiar colors like black, white, gray, and various earth tones.

Its gorgeous surface is highly resistant to etching and staining, so if you like the look of marble but not the maintenance requirements, this might be the stone for you.

However, quartzite does still need sealing, and it can be quite expensive. It is also more difficult to install than granite or marble, so it’s a good idea to let the professionals handle the installation.

Trying to install a quartzite countertop yourself is likely to lead to damage to the stone.

Quartz

Our final stone isn’t a natural stone like granite, marble, and quartzite– and that’s what makes it special. Quartz is an engineered stone manufactured from powdered quartz, resins, and pigments.

This makes it lighter than natural stone, meaning it needs less support. It also comes in many different colors and is more eco-friendly than natural stone; the manufacturing process often uses recycled materials and requires less water and fossil fuels than quarrying natural stone does.

Quartz does not need to be sealed, nor does it need specialized cleaners; you can clean it with mild soap and water.

Quartz’s biggest downside is that it can’t be used outdoors. The resins are damaged by UV radiation from the sun and will become damaged and discolored. If you’re planning on an outdoor installation, you will need to choose another stone.

Whatever stone you choose for your countertops, Wise Stone Choice is here to help you. Contact us today for a free quote for your countertop project!