· Michael Blair
Every countertop material looks good on the day it is installed. What separates them is how they behave against heat, acid, water and five years of ordinary use.
Quartz
Engineered stone with a resin binder. Non-porous, so it never needs sealing and resists staining well. Consistent in appearance, which suits people who want to know what they are getting.
The weakness is heat. The resin scorches, so a hot pan straight from the hob can leave a permanent mark. It also fades in prolonged direct sunlight, which matters near a large south-facing window.
Granite
Natural stone, heat tolerant, and every slab is different. It handles a hot pan far better than quartz.
It is porous to varying degrees and needs sealing, typically annually depending on the stone. An unsealed granite around a coffee machine stains, and oil marks in particular can be difficult to lift.
Butcher block and the rest
Wood is warm, repairable by sanding, and inexpensive. It needs oiling, it marks, and it will not tolerate standing water — which makes it a poor choice around a sink unless you are diligent.
Solid surface is seamless and repairable but scratches and scorches. Laminate has improved considerably and is the right answer more often than its reputation suggests.
- Quartz: no sealing, poor heat tolerance
- Granite: heat tolerant, needs periodic sealing
- Butcher block: warm and repairable, hates standing water
- Solid surface: seamless, scratches and scorches
- Laminate: better than its reputation, poor at seams and water
What to check before ordering
Seam placement. On a large kitchen there will be seams, and where they fall is a design decision rather than a fabrication accident.
Edge profile and overhang support. A long unsupported overhang on an island needs brackets or a thicker slab, and this is decided before fabrication rather than on installation day.