Choosing between granite and quartz for your bathroom is a lot like purchasing a car. The appeal is practical and personal. Similar to comparing cars, both stones have their natural strengths and inherent weaknesses. Granite commands a higher price, and quartz is more budget-friendly, but this also depends on the grade. Let’s survey quartz vs. granite bathroom.
Durability, appearance, price, and resale value are vital considerations when tallying up the pros and cons of granite vs. quartz in the bathroom. It’s not an easy decision because the distinction between the two materials isn’t always apparent, and both are widely punted by manufacturers and fabricators.
Granite is a 100% natural stone composed of a conglomerate of quartz, potassium, feldspar, mica, amphiboles, and other trace minerals. It usually contains 20-60% quartz, 10-65% feldspar, and 5-15% micas.
Quartz is an engineered stone. 10% is made from a polymeric or cement-based binder, and the remaining 90% is crushed up granite, marble, natural stone, and recycled industrial offcuts like ceramic, silica, and glass.
Granite colors range from golden brown to soft beige, light pinks to rich corals, greens of all shades, whites, blacks, and blues. It’s coarse to medium-grained and comes in three patterns; speckled, marble, or solid. Because it’s a natural stone, no two slabs will be the same, offering a unique, one-of-a-kind look.
The quartz manufacturing process has improved to such an extent that it’s often difficult to distinguish a quartz bathroom vanity, for example, from its natural counterparts. Quartz comes in virtually any color, although white, black, and gray remain popular choices. Quartz can contain swirls, flecks, veins, and randomized patterns. The one advantage is that slabs are more uniform due to the manufacturing process.
Quartz bathroom countertops are purchased in slabs, typically 5 feet wide by 10 feet long. Average-sized bathroom vanity with a quartz countertop won’t usually exceed this length, but if it does, your quartz countertop will require seams. A professional fabricator can disguise quartz seams with a colored epoxy resin that matches the countertop. Selecting a darker countertop makes seams less visible. If bathroom granite countertops need seams, they may be more visible as the stone’s patterns aren’t uniform.
Like many other natural stones, granite is porous and must be sealed, or liquids, oils, and even water can seep into it, causing ugly stains. Of course, bathrooms are high-risk areas in terms of liquid spillage, so sealing it upon installation and then every 12 to 18 months is recommended. This not only protects the stone but also prevents the formation of mold and mildew. Quartz, on the other hand, is non-porous and doesn’t require any sealing.
Both quartz and granite countertops for bathrooms can last between 10-15 years; however, quartz is more durable than granite because it isn’t porous. It’s also easier to keep bacteria-free, although it can be damaged by excessive heat, so heating pads or trivets should be used at all times. Although both are strong, quartz is less likely to chip, so if you need a truly robust, low-maintenance countertop, then quartz is the obvious option.
When it comes to granite vs. quartz for a bathroom vanity, quartz is generally less expensive, barring the cheapest granite. The cost of each obviously depends on slab thickness, edging, color, size, and the possibility of housing a sink, which is almost guaranteed for bathrooms.
The average cost of granite countertops per square foot is around $40 to $80 per square foot, whereas quartz is around $30 to $70, excluding labor and fabrication. The cost difference is mainly because granite has to be quarried and imported from overseas, while a large quantity of quartz is often mined and manufactured in the U.S.
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According to the National Association of Home Builders, the majority of prospective buyers prefer granite to quartz. There’s no doubt a granite bathroom vanity can increase the value of your home by as much as 25% of the countertop’s retail value. Homes with granite surfaces consistently sell at higher prices than comparable homes in the same area on the property market. While it’s difficult to predict what future buyers may want, granite appears to be the favored option at the moment.
So, is granite or quartz better for bathroom countertops? One isn’t truly better than the other because they each have their pros and cons. If you’re leaning towards a bathroom sink with a granite countertop or want a quartz bathroom to remodel, then why not take a look at our current granite and quartz specials? At Granite Selection we have a versatile selection that suits a range of decor and architectural styles.
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