Reply With QuoteA light grey “salt and pepper” granite would be very practical.
Not a 'Mumsnet' type thread honest, but.......
What's been people's experience with light (white) Quartz or Granite for kitchen worktops?
We're in the process of sorting out a new kitchen and are heading towards light coloured worktops. Concerned about stories of granite staining....what's the reality of this? I personally think the granite looks better but don't want to end up with something we end up being overly precious about. Thoughts?
A light grey “salt and pepper” granite would be very practical.
I used to work at a kitchen factory in the warehouse and I dreaded you posh bar-stewards ordering Granite worktops... back breaking!
From an objective point of view, very hard wearing and looks great.
We had quartz in a light grey (kensho) that worked very nicely for us
We had black granite in our kitchen last week
We really like it and think it looks great
The firm I dealt with were superb if you want there details let me know
I have no association with them apart from buying worktops
From them
Andy
I had white quartz installed in my previous house and wouldn't do it again, you can get stains out but it's a pain. When I do the current house I'll probably go for a light grey and black granite as I prefer the natural striations as opposed to the consistency of the quartz.
We've had a quartz worktop (Silestone type) in off white with a few coloured chips and sparkles for the last 7 years. No problems with staining.
That's interesting, I was lead to believe that quartz was particularly resistant to staining......what caused the stains and how did you get them out?Originally Posted by mindforge
Thanks Andy, we've already got a couple of different local companies it's more the final material that we're not sure on.
We went for granite after I managed to scratch the quartz sample they gave us to prove how resilient it was (they gave us a ‘bread board’ size and that’s what I used it for, scratched it with the bread knife. Ask for a sample and give it a try.
Given that Quartz is a mix of crushed stone, other shiny bits & resin I would assume that all Quartz's are not created equal?
Anything really. Turmeric is the worst! Got it out with Cif cream cleaner, leaving it to soak in and then rubbing with a paper towel.
We are looking at this right now, our preferred option is neither at the moment as we like ceramic! Our builder wants us to have granite though as he reckons it's the best option for the money.
We went for Granite as we where told that’s quartz could be burnt with hot pans, although we are very happy we have since been warned that Granite can be burnt too
We have river/moon white (depending where you buy it) and it’s never stained and it gets a pretty tough life
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Have you considered Corian?
Suggest you go take a look at Silestone, we have this after granite - excellent !
We’ve had white Corian in our kitchen for the last seven years. It does mark but wiping it over with bleach has always brought it back to new.
What problems did you have Tony?
I agree with the marking issues but have always found them easy to remove.
I can’t comment on the other issues because we’ve three separate pieces with no joins and I’ve never had to deal with DuPont. I bought it as part of an ex display kitchen and had to mess about with it to make it fit so presumably never had a warranty either.
What I did find was that it was very straightforward to work with as it’s really just an inch of plastic on top of Chipboard. It can be cut with a jigsaw and edges profiled with a bit of care and a hot air gun.
It’s very expensive for what it is though.
When I considered granite/quartz work tops years ago I was advised that granite will stain far easier than quartz because its porous. I didn’t end up getting either because the cost was just too high for me for the amount that I needed.
and in the interests of fairness, I have the opposing view:
I don't like granite, gneiss, or rock of any kind as a work surface. Its prime disadvantage is that it's very hard, so you have to be careful when placing anything on it, as either your crockery/glassware/whatever will chip or actually break, or the work surface will chip or mark.
It's also cold, which is fine if you're a pastry chef but otherwise just not nice. It's also b@stard expensive for what it is. I prefer just good old 'normal worktop'. I've seen honed slate, which marks badly (alright, 'develops a patina') which looked lovely, but it's about the same price.
Me & the wife had Silestone in our pre-split marital home and it must have been three or four grands worth (previous owner did it, not us) and I grew to hate it. It also just never looked clean, even right after a clean.
I do a lot of driving for Magnet and fully understand that one. Nearly as bad as someone ordering 2 x 3.6m solid oak and a breakfast bar as well to the 4th floor with no lift with a double belfast sink to finish it off.I used to work at a kitchen factory in the warehouse and I dreaded you posh bar-stewards ordering Granite worktops... back breaking!
I found this out on holiday. The kitchen in our holiday home had some kind of stone work top – I brought in the shopping and when a bag containing red wine was placed on the kitchen worktop, the bottle smashed on impact.
I must have put bottles of wine on our wooden kitchen worktop a thousand times and never broke one.
We've got a pale coloured quartz top. No problems at all. Having said that we do take care around it I.e. treat it like a wood or laminate surface so always use a chopping board and don't stand hot pans directly on to it.
The guy who fitted it did mention that granite could be susceptible to staining especially if you let red wine soak in
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It’s been mentioned a few times, but I cant recommend Silestone more highly. 90% quartz with the rest making it a sealed surface. Looks exactly like quartz or granite but every single spill cleans up easily. At same time we got our kitchen done with cream fine grain silestone our neighbours got black granite. Theirs shows up every single water mark. You aren’t allowed to put down a glass or coffee cup on their worktops - what’s the point in that!
Of all the things we have done to the house, choosing silestone is right up there with one of the best deceiosns we have made and 7 years on its still looking like new.
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