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Old 04-26-2019, 11:11 PM   #60
rsn48
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City: Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island
Vessel Name: Capricorn
Vessel Model: Mariner 30 - Sedan Cruiser 1969
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 2,019
Granite has fallen out of favor in the housing market and is now a minus to a Housing price.

I watch a lot of reno shows and just finished a massive reno on my home. Granite has fallen out of favour in certain regions and is king in other regions. In the south, granite is king, in the North Quartz is definitely becoming favoured.

One feature with quartz not mention, but I gave up reading all the posts, was it is more resistant to heat than granite. Because of its higher heat resistance, lack of staining, and no maintance, and the newer stuff is slowly being made to look like granite, the original stuff was a basic colour all the way through. Now go into a granite and quartz store and ask to see the quartz that looks like granite and you'll have much more choices.

So for you home reno freaks, Home Town and what's their names out of Waco Texas will use mostly granite, The Property Brothers originally out of Vancouver BC use pretty much quartz unless the home owner insists on granite. So since so many boaters are southern based, I imagine granite will be your go to, if in Seattle probably quartz.

What I have read and almost did, my refit guy fought me with either my preference of granite or quartz based on my smaller 29 foot boat and weight issues, was to use the thinnest layer of quart (looking like granite) glued to thin marine plywood with a lip to hide the plywood, this for weight purposes. In the end I went with the cheaper counter tops (can't think of the name now, but not stone) as I was adding other stuff to the boat increasing the boats weight so I decided to listen to my refitter.

And this from a web site:

Pros and cons of quartz


As with granite, quartz countertops also have their own sets of drawbacks and benefits that go along with them.

Quartz countertops are just as strong as granite but have the added benefit of being more flexible making them less likely to chip or crack.
Quartz is non-porous and does not require any sealing - ever. These stones offer a virtually maintenance free kitchen work surface.
While very durable they cannot be considered indestructible. They are stain-resistant so dropping a glass of wine on them simply requires a quick cleanup.
One drawback that you should definitely take note of is thequartz can discolor over time when exposed to direct sunlight. If part of your counter receives strong UV rays from the sun while another part doesn’t, over time you may see a color difference.
You can expect to see seams with a quartz counter but they will be less visible if you choose a slab that’s darker in color.
Pros and cons of granite
Here are some of the most important drawbacks and benefits of granite that you need to know:

They are not uniform in color or appearance. For some this will be a benefit while others will consider it to be a drawback.
Granite countertops will need to be sealed year after year as long as you own the countertop. Here's how to seal granite.
Granite is extremely durable but should not be considered indestructible. It is a natural rock and can break or chip if abused, but if they aren't abused and are properly maintained they'll last a lifetime.
It's impossible to completely hide the seams in a granite counter, but a good fabricator will make them very hard to spot.
The samples that you see at the store can slightly differ from the stone that you receive, but by picking a full slab from a stone yard you can avoid any surprises.




If you spend some time browsing the internet you’ll find a range of different opinions about quartz vs granite. While one homeowner will tell you that you absolutely, positively must get a quartz countertop, another will insist you buy granite counters.

When you do spend some time reading through these reviews you’ll begin to notice a common theme.

Both quartz and granite countertop owners are defending their own personal choice with a vengeance because they are so completely pleased with their counters. At the end of the day, you can walk away from these reviews knowing that choosing either quartz or granite stones will provide you with a countertop that you’ll love!

Cost Of Quartz vs Granite
Granite is cheaper than quartz. Entry level granite costs $40 per square foot but quartz starts at $70. High end granite costs as much as $200 per square foot and quartz is priced as high as $175.

There’s no doubt that with either product you’re going to have to dig deep into your pockets. For a 28 ft.² counter made of quartz you’ll have to budget for approximately $2000 - $3000. Here are some more details to help you get a closer estimate.

In most cases you’ll end up paying less for granite. Prices can vary depending on where it comes from and how rare the stone is.

Fortunately, the price of granite countertops have come down significantly. It used to be that granite would end up costing a bit more than quartz. But since quartz has been directly competing with granite for the last 15 years the price of granite has fallen while quartz manufacturers have raised their prices.

All in all, you may have to pay slightly more for quartz, but the cost difference probably won’t be all that significant unless you have a very large kitchen. The important thing is to choose a budget and then do your best to stay within it.

When it comes to aesthetics…
This is personal choice only. Don’t let anyone else tell you which one looks better. There are some very beautiful brands that make quartz like Caesarstone and Cambria.

If you’re looking at a painting and absolutely love it and then someone else comes along and tells you how bad it is, you’ll still love the painting despite the bad critique. The same goes for quartz and granite.

They both make lovely countertops and there is going to be one that grabs your fancy more than the other. It’s just human nature and you’ll have to decide for yourself which one you prefer.

Some people like the look of granite more than quartz because it has a natural earthy aspect to it. Others prefer the sleek uniform look of quartz. The great news is that you can never go wrong by choosing either one!

Why does quartz seem so much more popular than granite?
Granite seems to have simply run its’ course. In the 1990’s it became the hot material to replace your laminate countertops with and it stayed that way for at least 20 years.

But designers, real estate agents, and especially home improvement TV shows needed a hot new product to introduce us to, and quartz was ready to take granite’s place as the “it” countertop.



Granite continues to be the best-selling natural counter that you can find on the market, even though quartz has overtaken it in overal popularity. But now that the prices of Silestone and other quartz manufacturers have gone higher than granite, things are evening out a bit.

The indoor air quality of your home
There has been a lot of concern about the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be present in either quartz or granite counters. Quartz countertops are comprised of approximately 90% quartz and 10% epoxy binder (resin) and acrylic. This means that most quartz tops have more VOCs than countertops made of granite. On the other hand, some granite slabs contain radon in very low levels. But the truth is that both options are safe for indoor use.
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