Corian, Quartz, Granite

I got a Zodiaq quartz countertop three years ago and I love it. It has gotten a couple of very teeny scratches from my diamond bracelet (the exposed pointed side of the diamond rubbed against the countertop), but nothing else has damaged it in the least. It still looks brand new and it is beautiful. It was expensive (89/sq foot) but totally worth it. Maintenance is simple and it is very classic. Highly recommend it!

I asked my husband...a general contractor. His response:

"Quartz is expensive, I can check pricing but the last time I quoted quartz it was more money than granite.

Granite is at a reasonable buy right now, as far as sealing goes it’s a simple process that takes minutes once a year. It's as easy as pouring liquid on the surface, wiping it, and letting it dry.

I would steer clear from corian, it scratches, marks, burns, and anything else you don’t want to have happen.
Currently it's more money than granite.

There is also concrete, its relatively new in popularity. I don’t have pricing just yet, no one has asked for it.
Hope this helps."

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I would caution you away from granite, unless you want to do a lot of research. Granite has had increasing controversy surrounding it due to the high variability in the radioactivity of it and the amount of radon gas it releases. (All are radioactive-- but some have very high levels, and it involves a lot of testing of each individual piece to determine if it is a high or low piece) Secondly, most of the granite now comes from China or India and is mined under terrible environmental and human-rights conditions.

I really don't know what the story is with Corian or Quartz but I urge you to do your research. Countertops are a big decision!

I agree... I think that the quartz is the way to go... It look awesome and holds up wonderfully!

Hi M.,

I have been selling countertops for 15+ years at Home Depot. I am also certified by the NKBA (National Kitchen and Bath Association). Every material has a consumer..so there is no right answer.

Granite is heat resistant and scratch resistent (except from saphires and diamonds.) Stain resistant only if the "new" sealing process is used...it is only available from select companies (Home Depot is one... visit www.stonemark.com for information about thier permashield process.) While there has been some concern about radon lately it has not been proven to be a danger. One pitfall is that the only way to seam it is a visible.seam It is usually the manufacture's disgression where the seams are located. The thing I like most about granite is the movement and the uniqueness of each slab. Granite veins, vein colors and background colors can vary slab by slab. This turns some people off.

Quartz (Silestone at Home Depot) is made of quartz and resin. Heat, scratch (except saphires and diamonds), stain and baceria resistent (microban is added.) It never has to be sealed. The seams are the same type as granite- butt together- but are not as noticable since most colors are speckled and not veined. Being man-made it is a very consistant product slab to slab. Most of the time it is the consitancy that separates the granite vs quartz customers. Like granite it can be enhanced by an undermount sink.

Corian (any acrylic) does scratch but how visible it is will be based on your color choice (light and speckled is the best way to go.) It also depends on how abusive you are. Corian owners either love or hate the product. The reason it scratches is that is is soft and that also allows it to be fused together creating "inconspicous" seams. They use the word inconspicuous because in most colors you will never see or even feel the seam but there are some colors that you may notice. It is not heat resistant- you could damage it if you place a hot pot on it. It is non-pourus so if cleaned correctly bacteria resistant. Stains are surface stains and can be sanded out- same with scratches (but not deep gashes). Damaged top can easily be repaired by an installer if damaged- but costly. The thing I like best is the integral bowl sinks of the same material. I recommend caution to consumers who are rough on their tops and have children.

Good luck! I hope this was helpful.

I am an interior designer, and I do not recommend granite. It is very popular, but it is not the best product for the money. I recommend engineered quartz which is sold by the brand names Silestone, Wilsonart, Zodiac, etc. If you find a good installer and supplier, no one will be able to tell the difference between engineered quartz and granite.

Granite can scratch (and when it does, it allows for microorganisms to grow), it can stain, and it can burn. Engineered quartz does none of these. I know that many people do not seal their granite countertops, but if they don't, then liquids will soak in to the granite and stain it, and it will scratch. Granite costs more than engineered quartz, and engineered quartz is a better product.

Corian is cheaper than either of the other two options. It doesn't need sealing, and it only needs sanded down every few years to renew it. It doesn't have a glossy shine like granite or engineered quartz. People either love the look of Corian or they hate it. If you are ever going to resell your house, I'd go with the engineered quartz or granite.

So, here is the same advice I give my clients. Engineered quartz is the best product for the money.

L.

M.,
We have granite in our home and we just had new cabinets and book shelves put in our family room. The granite I selected does not need to be resealed ever. i believe this is fairly new process. it just needs to be wiped with water and dried with a cloth. You should check into all your options and see what works for you. It is a big expense but it does look great if you can do it.
L. R

My mom just got quartz. It is totally durable, and completely maintenance free. You can put hot things on it as well. I say that the choice has to be quartz hands down.

I have an LG counter top (its the same material as corian, just a different brand name. Lowes carries it and it was on sale when we were shopping). I LOVE it! I have not had a problem with stains or scratches. We've had it for at least 3 years now. We haven't needed to do anything to it. The nice thing about "corian" is that if you do get a stain or a scratch you can sand it out. Though we haven't needed too. (I've never heard of anyone sanding their corian). We cook almost everyday, so the counters get a lot of use. One downside, you CANNOT put hot stuff directly on it. This doesn't bother me though b/c growing up we had laminate counters, so I couldn't do it then. I'm in the habit of putting something down under the hot stuff. These are very durable counters, which is why we chose them.
From my research, granite is very fragile. You can chip it pretty easily if you bang a pot or pan down. (Adults might not do this, but I have two young boys & was concerned they might as they got older). It can also stain and you have no way to fix it if it does. Finally you are supposed to seal it every year.
I know nothing about quartz, but from other posters it sounds like it might be a good option. It sounds like it has everything you need.
I would recommend going to Lowes or Home Depot and asking one of the kitchen employees to give you the pros and cons on each type. They should really know.

I worked for a kitchen / bath designer for a few years and one day we tried to stain a sample of the Zodiac countertop. We put all sorts of items on it and let it sit overnight (a wet teabag, ketchup, soy sauce, lipstick and permanent marker). Everything came off the next day. The marker took some elbow grease to get off and if you really stared at it you could sort of see a tiny shadow left by the black permanent marker. Other than that everyone who had it installed in their kitchens (high end, very expensive custom cabinet kitchens) loved it. I think it looks just as good as granite and will hold up better.

Maybe you should look into SILESTONE. It's great, no staining, scratches, hot OK too. Good luck, I'm sure what ever you get it will look great. K. R.

We looooooove our Corian. As much of a clutz that I am, always dropping things (heavy & sharp) on it, we have yet to scratch it in almost 4yrs, it really takes a beating. The counter installers gave us a small cutting board, but the Corian people said to never use it because it will dull our knives (so, just an FYI if you go with Corian).

i have corian. the pattern came diffrerent than the sample but i waited so long, i took it. its great but it does show scratches. if i had known, i would of paid the extra for granite.

I JUST went thru the same dilemma. I went around and around. In the end I went with granite and I love it! I also love the place I got it and they are in our area. Check out http://www.venetiantops.com/ These guys had the best price by far and were FAST! I picked out my granite (they come to your house with samples!) had the template done and was installed in less than two weeks and its beautiful! I would use them again in a heartbeat. I knew I didn't want Corian because it scratches so easy and they are so easy to see. The sealing for granite is really not a big deal at all super fast and simple.

We have granite, and love it...we haven't sealed or done anything to it except keep it clean since we got it 3? 4? years ago. The only downfall is that it absorbs any spills, i.e. red wine (on a light color would stain). Eventually the granite will absorb it and you won't see it, but it'd take a while (few days?). We have a dark color so it doesn't matter. Love it!