Granite is one of the most commonly used stones for countertops and comprises a broad range of colors and patterns due to varying amounts of naturally occurring minerals. Depending on your taste, this variety of stone types allows for subtle elegance or a unique focal point with more prominent veining or patterns. Granite is very durable and heat resistant, but some stones are more susceptible to stains and cracks. Sealing a granite surface at least once a year is usually suggested to prevent staining, but that isn’t a major undertaking as it only takes a few minutes to apply sealer!

Quartz is a man-made “stone” made to replicate natural stone while also providing certain aesthetic traits hard to find in natural stone. Quartz often has a clean, fresh look with marbling or veining. A major positive characteristic of quartz is its tensile strength, especially on oversized overhangs or clear spans. Quartz is also more stain resistant than many natural stones. There are a few cons though… Quartz is slightly more prone to scratches and is less heat resistant than natural stone. It is also not recommended to install quartz in outdoor applications due to poor UV stability.

Magnificent ancient structures and sculptures tell the tale of just how beautiful marble can be. Elegance is the word that best describes it. Marble is a softer stone though, so we always want to make sure customers are aware of its susceptibility to scratches and stains, especially in high-traffic areas such as a kitchen.