WHICH COUNTERTOP TO CHOOSE
With so many options out there the common question is what kind of countertop is the best? Granite, quartz, marble or laminate. The two superior products for countertops are granite and quartz. Both are about equal in price and have minor trade offs. Quartz has a slightly superior moisture and leak resistance while granite is a touch more heat resistant. These two products stand up the best to everyday use.
If you need any assistance in finding the perfect countertop for your project, contact us and we would be happy to assist.
LAMINATE COUNTERTOPS
Laminate countertops is particle board that has been cut to specifications and then a laminate is glued on top of the particle board. This process creates an appealing countertop at a lower cost then granite, quartz, or marble countertops. It does however scratch easily and you must be careful not to set your hot pots or pans on it as it is not able to withstand high temperatures.
QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS
Quartz countertops are made by mining quartz and turning it into dust and smaller aggregates. The quartz is then mixed with resin binders and compressed into slabs using heated hydraulic presses and allowed to dry. Next, the slab is moved into a bath of solution and polished. Once removed it is cut to factory sizes and shipped out to custom countertop fabricators who will cut to project specifications. During the creation of the quartz slab, patterns and colors can be added to produce many different looks.
GRANITE COUNTERTOPS
Granite is a natural stone that has huge reserves. First, hydraulic machines drill into the bed rock both horizontally and vertically to a depth calculated by engineers. Explosives are then inserted into the crevices and ignited to free the 110 ton chunk of granite from the bedrock formation.
Next, holes are drilled 6” on center at factory widths. Rods and wedges are then hammered into the holes creating a fracture line that allows the granite to break off cleanly. Then, using cranes and heavy machinery the 10’ x 5’ x 5’ blocks are transported to a production facility. At the production facility the blocks are put onto sleds and cut using computer guided saws cutting only ½ inch per pass at a specified thickness. Each slab takes roughly 3 hours to cut from the block.
MARBLE COUNTERTOPS
Marble is mined and produced nearly the same way as granite. Marble is something that we tend to steer away from for countertops for a few reasons. Marble is a sedimentary based stone, so something as simple as lemonade or ketchup can start dissolving the top almost instantly. There are quartz stones that look like marble that will hold up exponentially better.
