Most Durable Countertops

Your kitchen countertops see a lot of household activity. In fact, the kitchen is probably the room that your family spends the most time in, doing all sorts of tasks like cooking, eating, homework, and entertaining.

Since you spend so much time in the kitchen, having the most durable countertop is important. The last thing you want is to replace your material after just a few years of owning it.

Some people find themselves worried that because a countertop is durable, it won’t be attractive. At WS Granite Tops, we’re happy to say that that’s far from the case. We stock a ton of countertop materials that are gorgeous and durable, all wrapped into one fine package.

The most durable countertop material in our showroom is engineered quartz. This countertop material comes in all sorts of designs, colorations, and patterns, and it even has the ability to mimic the look of natural stone. Since it’s man-made, there’s not much you can’t achieve with quartz.

The Durability of Quartz

We already let you in on the fact that engineered quartz is man-made, and that actually has a lot to do with why it’s so durable. Engineered quartz is made up of more components than just natural quartz. While its base is natural quartz, it also includes polymers and resins.

These additives seal the pores of natural quartz and transform the countertop into a nonporous material. Since it’s nonporous, that means it never needs to be sealed and it’s automatically a very hygienic surface—great news for the kitchen.

Quartz is known for its

• scratch resistance,
• nonporous nature,
• very low risk of cracking (since its resins make it flexible),
• stain resistance.

While the resins included in quartz are hugely helpful in some areas—namely flexibility and stain and bacteria resistance—they do have a hand in the downfall of this material: heat and sunlight.

Since the resins are sensitive to direct sunlight, quartz should never be installed outdoors. If it is, it could be in danger of fading and discoloration, and no one wants that. Along that same vein, you should exercise caution with hot items around your quartz countertop. That’s not to say they’ll instantly scorch if you set a hot pan on them, but to stay on the safe side and avoid melting the resins, you should always use a hot pad or trivet.

Choices in Durability

Quartz is the most durable countertop in our showroom at WS Granite Tops, but we do have other durable options. If you’re someone who loves natural stone, rest assured that granite and marble are two other durable options that should not be forgotten.

While heat is quartz’s downfall, it’s actually a place where granite shines. This natural stone is formed under high pressure and intense heat below the earth’s surface, so it takes no issue with hot pots and pans. Marble, while not quite as heat resistant as granite, is pretty heat resistant as well.

Granite also doesn’t scratch easily. Marble is a much softer stone than granite, which means you have to be more careful, but granite is one of the hardest stones that you can find. It’s definitely up there with quartz in terms of scratch resistance.

Because granite and marble are natural stones, they require a sealing routine, which quartz doesn’t. It’s not a ton of extra maintenance, but it is a step that quartz doesn’t call for, and that can be a deal breaker for some homeowners.

Recommending Durability

Durability is one of the most important aspects of a new countertop. If you want durable beyond durable, then we’d recommend choosing quartz. But if engineered stones aren’t what you want for your countertop replacement, then granite is your next best bet.

If you have questions about the durability of our materials or would like to talk over your project, schedule a consultation with WS Granite Tops today by calling (954) 234-2377.