Granite is a light-colored igneous rock with grains large enough to be visible with the unaided eye. It forms from the slow crystallization of magma below Earth’s surface. Granite can be predominantly white, pink, or gray in color, depending on their mineralogy.
Quartz is a chemical compound consisting of one part silicon and two parts oxygen. It is silicon dioxide (SiO2). It is the most abundant mineral found at Earth’s surface, and its unique properties make it one of the most useful natural substances.Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth’s continental crust, behind feldspar.
Although most granite countertops don’t need to be sealed, it does help the stone resist dirt and spills, which can cause etching and staining. Many professionals recommend sealing granite countertops at least once each year.
Quartz is extremely hard to scratch. Like granite, it will dull your knives, so use a cutting board. Granite and quartz are about equal when it comes to resisting scratches or chips. Because quartz is engineered, it tends to be even harder and more durable than granite, though it offers a similar level of heat resistance. Granite is much more porous than quartz, which can trap bacteria within the surface.
Granite- No. While brief encounters with a hot pan won’t hurt your granite countertop, use of a trivet on a regular basis is recommended. Quartz – Quartz – Yes, however, like granite, if you continuously put hot pans down in the same place on the counter it could cause discoloration over time. Although quartz countertops are extremely durable and considered heat-resistant, putting a hot pan right on the surface can damage the material. As with most other countertops, you’ll need to use a trivet or stove mitt to protect it, as heat can cause discoloration and/or cracking.
Drop-in sinks, the most familiar type and still the most popular, are also called self-rimming or top-mount sinks. All terms mean the same thing: sinks that have a visible lip around the perimeter that rests flat on the counter. Undermount sinks install from below the counter.
While granite is one of he most durable surfaces no material is destructible. You should not drop very heavy, hard objects onto your countertops.
The natural stone industry standard is a seam width of 1/16 of inch. There s a maximum lippage (amount one piece will protrude above another) for the industry of 1/32 of an inch at the center point of the countertop with no lippage at the ends.