If you are in the midst of remodeling your kitchen, you might be considering a new countertop. Countertop materials come in many different options, varying based on cost, appearance, durability, and many other factors. Two popular materials are quartz and granite. Here are some things to consider with each of these materials.

Do you want natural stone?

If having stone countertops that are made of natural stone that comes from the Earth's surface is important to you, you should choose granite. Granite slabs are mined from the surface, then cut and polished into tiles of varying sizes and styles. While some quartz countertop materials are made of natural materials, it is considered a manufactured material. This is because it includes multiple types of materials in one, including crushed quartz, binders, and added materials for colour and pigmentation.

What kind of budget do you have?

Another way to decide if you should get quartz or granite materials for your countertops is to look at your remodeling budget. If you have a little more of a budget, you can consider quartz. This tends to be more expensive than granite, though these are both fairly pricey materials for countertops. Some grades of quartz are around the same price as granite, though others are considerably more. However, keep in mind that both granite and quartz last a long time and give your kitchen a high-end appeal.

What kind of maintenance are you willing to do?

Both granite and quartz will require a small amount of maintenance, as do most counter materials. However, granite has slightly more maintenance requirements than quartz. With granite, since it is natural stone, it needs to be sealed when you first install it. You should also continue getting it sealed on a regular basis. This protects the surface from scratches, cracks, and stains. With quartz, it doesn't require any sealing since it is already a manufactured product with a protective layer.

What colouring are you looking for?

Granite and quartz both have the benefit of beautiful, unique appearances. Quartz has a wide range of colouring options with more consistency in the colours offered. There are different pigments added during the manufacturing process to change the colour. With granite, the main colours are earth tones, along with greens, blues, and reddish shades.

At the end of the day, granite and quartz are similar with some minor differences. Talk to your contractor to discuss more pros and cons of these materials.