What Is The Difference Between Granite Quartz Laminate Solid Surface
When you re looking for a kitchen countertop material that looks great returns excellent resale value performs well and resists heat you may find yourself torn between two choices.
What is the difference between granite quartz laminate solid surface. But the prices for laminate countertops can vary greatly. Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus more durable. When choosing countertops for a new home or a kitchen or bath remodel consumers should understand the differences between laminate and solid surface options. Be careful with cooking pans though.
Granite has small surface crevices where bacteria can hide and is harder to keep clean. Solid surface is the term for a type of heavy polymer laden countertop material. Each surface material ranges in price some being more dramatic than others. These include granite marble quartzite soapstone porcelain butcher block quartz solid surface and laminate.
From a distance both look remarkably similar. Due to brand competition it is a lower priced and popular material quartz is the catchy marketing term for what is more widely known as engineered stone itself a term for a slurry of natural minerals combined with resins to create a hard rock like surface for. Yet if you drill down you might find that. Solid surface countertops and quartz countertops.
Wilsonart a major manufacturer of both quartz and laminate surfaces estimaties that quartz counters can cost 95 to 105 per square foot while laminate ranges from 8 to 20 per square foot. Quartz can be damaged by excessive heat so use heating pads at all times. Solid surface meets fda astm and nsf standards for commercial food preparation food contact and bacterial resistance. Granite quartz solid surface laminate.
Home depot reports that the average cost for the countertop alone is 29 per square foot compared to 52 per square foot for solid surface material such as corian 58 for granite and 68 for quartz engineered stone. Read on to find out which countertops are the cheapest and which are the most expensive. At steve s flooring design in morris designers are available to help customers choose the countertops that will work best in their home. Laminate is the clear winner on price.
Often it can be hard to distinguish one from the other. Not sure what surfaces are best for your kitchen countertops bathroom floors or vanities. In fact quartz is nearly indestructible and because it isn t porous like granite it s easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria free. Laminate is still one of your cheapest countertop options.
Use our comparison chart. So let s break down one of your options.