Marble Countertops vs Quartz Countertops

The battle between Quartz and Marble countertop is a long one, even the quartz installers haven’t been able to sort it out. Since marble and Quartz are two of the most elegant, attractive and consistent countertop materials, they both have pretty convincing properties. Let’s dive into the subject more and consider both of their features on a wider level.

Comparison between Marble Countertops and Quartz Countertops

  1. Composition

Marble is a natural stone made out of raw marble which is then quarried, split, water blasted, bluffed and finally polished to appear as the sparkly countertop that you often see in the market. Whereas, Quartz is stone which is not naturally available, it is manufactured in the factory with a number of pigments, resins, polymers and has over 7% of synthetic material in its composition because of which Quartz appears as a sleek and sparkling stone.

  1. Colors and Veining Pattern

Being a natural stone, marble is best if acquired in its own natural color and vein pattern but if you want more than one pieces of Marble for your kitchen or bathroom countertop then this is a choice is a hard one. Since every piece has a unique pattern it will take some effort for you to find pieces that match each other. But with marble at your disposal, everything else can be looked over.

As far as Quartz countertop is concerned, it is widely available in dramatic colors and fortunately each piece has almost the same pattern. You can easily choose your favorite color and pattern through the sample pieces which quartz countertop contractors usually display in their office.

  1. Alteration in Appearance Over Time

In this case, marble is relatively more prone to damage than Quartz. Marble tends to lose its original color over time and turns a darker shade because of the germs, bacteria, excessive usage etc. Quartz, however, does not get affected by either. The only factor that is capable of damaging the Quartz countertop is when it is subjected to UV radiation. The radiation directly attacks the polymers and resins present inside the quartz and eventually turn the color of the stone yellow. So as suggested by a quartz installer, always pay attention to the factors your countertop maybe wrongly subjected to.

  1. Cost

Marble is more expensive than almost all of the natural stones because of its luxury appearance and of course durability. Each square foot of marble costs around $60-$100 which make the countertop about 10 times more expensive i.e. $1,800. The installation process requires 5 hours charging about $312, cut out takes $100, finishing takes $100 with $10 per linear foot and the total sum of all these expenses cost you around $4,000 to $5,000.

The installation of quartz is a little less expensive than marble and is about $55 to $75 each square foot. The countertop cost is same as marble which would be $1,800, the installation takes 5 and a half hours of work at $360 rate, the cutout of sink costs around $100, finishing takes $100 with $10 per linear foot and the total sum of all these expenses is rounded off to be $3,700.

  1. Reliability and Durability

Marble and Quartz both are highly durable stones depending on the factors they are capable of enduring. For instance, if we talk about the reaction to heat, quartz shows a brilliant performance because it takes a lot of hard work to leave a burn mark on its countertop. Marble, however, cannot withstand heat for long enough because of its natural composition. That is why hot frying pans or oven sheets must never be brought in direct contact with marble countertop. As advised by quartz installers, unlike quartz, marble can be left with a crack on its surface, if subjected to excess heat.

The quartz countertop contractors will never let the fact go unnoticed that quartz is the hardest stone among all. Moreover, quartz is non-porous. On the other hand, marble is porous and can be damaged easily.

If you are now ready to make the decision then call marble countertop contractors or quartz countertop contractors NC to have the perfect kitchen.

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