Solid surface countertops give you a lighter countertop without seams, while quartz countertops give you a more durable option that can resemble stone. Both are lower maintenance than natural stone and do not require sealing or special cleansers.
Its always a question which material material works better in kitchens and bathroom counter tops? When you’re looking for a countertop material that looks stylish and fabulous, performs well, and is heat resistant, you may find yourself caught up between two choices; quartz countertops and solid surface sinks countertops.
Often, it seems difficult to distinguish between the two. However, from a distance both look quite similar. Yet if you drill down, you might find that the gap between solid surface and quartz countertops widens, and you might just find that one material works better for you than the other one.
Best Solid Surface Countertops:
Solid surface countertops are invisibly seamed countertops as they consist of mineral dust, i.e. mostly marble mixed with a variety of pigments and plastic resins. Solid surface’s main appeal is that it is easy to fabricate and can create invisibly seamed countertops.
Du point first introduced Solid surface in 1967, called Corain, but now there are many major brand names offering the material, Solid surface is homogenous and a better improvement over laminate countertops.
Its all the way same from top to bottom and gives a very sleek and neat finish. Laminate is layered. If the top layer of laminate fails, the entire countertop fails.
Solid surface materials looks closer to stone and people mistake it with solid granite. But for few people granite cannot be duplicated.
Quartz Solid Surface Countertops
A new entrant to the countertops category are Quartz countertops. With 5-percent binding resins, these stone products consists of 93% ground natural quartz.
Both solid surface and quartz stone are used for the kitchen countertops, basin counters and more. Not wrong to say it’s a combination of manmade and natural stone at the same time. Not as premium as natural stone, but much better alternative to laminate, wood, and tile and yet are considered to be higher-end countertop products.
Composition:
Solid Surface and Quratz Stone are aggregates of minerals and polymers and not a comparison to 100% natural stone.
Heat Resistant:
Quartz countertops have a higher heat resistance in comparison to solid surface materials.
Scratch Resistance:
If you cut on solid surface materials, scratches will appear and it’s not recommended to cut on solid surface material. The best part is that is can be buffed smooth back. Whereas Quartz stone are engineered stone surfaces and are more scratch resistant and good for normal use.
Non-porous Surfaces:
Natural stone countertop needs to be sealed as they are porous stone and requires proper sealing before it’s first use and even periodically from time to time.
Whereas solid surface and quartz countertops doesn’t require sealing as both are completely non-porous surfaces.
Additional Factors:
If you are looking for a natural stone and look alike feel then quartz/engineered counters are the best choice over solid surface counters.
For a better contemporary look, solid surface is preferred as it can be worked by hand into different curves and shapes, but if need a solid feel than Quartz Stone is better as its 33% heavier than Corian.
Thus quartz vs solid surface or Natural Stone; it’s you who would decide what’s the best option for you!
Are Quartz Countertops or Solid Surface Better for You?
Your answer to this question depends on your budget, design goals and durability requirements.
It’s up to you how much you want to spend. A solid-surface counter top in a basic color is a good choice if you’re trying to save money. There’s no end to the variety of colors and patterns available in custom quartz countertops.
Compared to quartz, solid surface tops are less durable than granite. Having to resurface the tops from time to time will easily cost you the price difference if you choose the less durable material.
Opaly Quartz offers a wider range of design styles and options. Granite, on the other hand, offers a much broader variety of edge profiles than either manmade material.
It is best to talk to a professional about custom countertops before you make a decision. We offer all three materials for your custom kitchen at Creative Granite. To learn more about the many options for solid surface and quartz countertops, call us or visit our design center.
