Which Stone for Your Home?
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Perfect Countertop for Your Home
In the dance of designing dream homes, one question frequently takes center stage: What stone should grace the countertops? Our team understands how important every detail for your remodel is, so we’ve outlined some popular materials to help make your life a little easier:
First thing’s first… No matter which one material you go with, three finishes reign supreme:
Polished: The most common leaving a countertop shiny, enhancing small spaces by amplifying light and making the space appear bigger.
Leathered: A matte finish with a slight texture and antique/rustic look.
Honed: A matte finish with no texture that has a more modern and casual look.
One more thing before we get into it! Here’s the average installation price per square foot:
Quartzite - $140/sqft
Granite - $67/sqft
Quartz - $85/sqft
Marble - $81/sqft
*These prices can fluctuate based on actual selections - we pulled median price points for this study.
Now, let’s dive into the nitty gritty on what would make each countertop a unique choice for your home!
Natural Stone Novelties:
Granite: Picture durability personified with an extremely scratch-resistant surface. Granite offers a spectrum from consistent patterns on the lower priced end to exotic wonders at the top. A leathered finish is popular here, keeping a natural look without too much shine! It’s common to hear people talk about how granite needs sealing. To settle this debate, it’s pretty easy to tell if your granite needs sealing. Simply sprinkle some water droplets on the surface. If they are absorbed, it’s time to seal. It’s as easy as that and premium sealers now promise a decade of protection!
Quartzite: The current darling on the market thanks to its rich aesthetics and white hues! True quartzites are dense and durable, but do require sealing. Because this material has gained popularity, some materials are labeled quartzite that aren’t originating from their true sandstone, but don’t worry, we have inspectors that make sure your quartzite is authentic! Leathered finishes pair nickel with quartzite as well, keeping a natural look without too much shine!
Marble: A very visual material with sought-after pure whites and captivating veining. Yet, durability takes a slight step back here. Scratches, etches, and stains are potential companions if not cared for properly. Marble is perfect for areas with less hustle and bustle, like vanities and tub surrounds! A honed finish looks great on marble with the matte appearance alleviating any concern for etching over time.
Engineered Stone Elegance:
Quartz: The crowd-pleaser. It mimics marble without any fuss surrounding sealing. It’s scratch-resistant and durable, with a slight hiccup… heat resistance isn't its forte. No worries though, trivets to the rescue! Polished finish reignsking here, but textured, honed, and concrete finishes add flair.
Printed Quartz: A technological masterpiece, blending quartz's durability with a natural stone's face by injecting ink into the surface, kind of like a tattoo! A close-to-nature aesthetic with one small caveat… the edge may either stay white or get a creative miter which provides a luxurious style that has a modern look and feel. So, is it really a caveat after all?
Porcelain Slabs: This material is gaining ground in the countertop space, but is most often used vertically. Post-installation, they stand tall against scratches and stains. The trade-off? Porcelain needs to be cut slower, so fabrication takes a little extra time which can impact labor costs.
As your trusted local construction team, we’re here to arm you with the knowledge needed to help build your dream home, and guide you along every step of the way.
Let's turn your kitchen into a masterpiece that not only looks exquisite, but tells a story of enduring elegance and charm. Picking the perfect countertop for your space has never been more exciting! Let’s work together to find the perfect stone for your home. We can’t wait to see what you choose!
