Author: IvySpace
Published in: 18 Jul 2022
There is numerous blogs and literature out there about what is optimal for a kitchen worktop and the simple answer is:
There is no correct choice ! It really depends on you.
your appetite for uniqueness…how much you care about durability…how much you want to achieve the best aesthetically result that pleases the eye..
We will aim here to do a summary so you do not need to look further on other websites or articles.
We will start from the advantages and disadvantages for each material, as IvySpace sees it:
MARBLE
ADVANTAGES
Uniqueness. Your piece in your kitchen is unique, nobody else has exactly the same. Fullstop.
Classic. Never out of fashion. Looks good!
Luxury material, prestige
DISADVANTAGES
If you are everyday in the kitchen cooking, using lemon, spilling red wine and you cannot sleep when some dirt shows up, then marble is not for you ! No matter what marble you choose. If you are a bit more careful and you can live with imperfections, there are marbles we can advise you to choose.
Please note we do sealing for free on any kitchen worktop installation job we undertake. Sealing is a protection of the marble.
GRANITE
ADVANTAGES
Less porous, stronger, also classic!
Modern and clean look
DISADVANTAGES
Can be monotonous, maybe a bit "boring" depending on what material used. The finish can make the difference; we like leather finish in black plain granite!
QUARTZ
ADVANTAGES
Durable, non porous
Many brands to choose from. We work with Caesarstone, Dekton, Silestone, Compaq, Cambria, Unistone, Neolith.
We offer 10 year Warranties on the material !
DISADVANTAGES
It is not that unique, a lot of people use it and have the same in their kitchen !
Quartz that look like marble are still kind of fake !
PORCELAIN
ADVANTAGES
Durable, non porous
Modern technology allows porcelain to look like real marble like never before ! Good quality porcelain slabs have amazing looks, check out our Large Slabs Porcelain tiles collection
DISADVANTAGES
Most choices in porcelain are up to 12mm thick, making it a bit harder for some fabricators to work with. But good ones would have no problem! We offer a few choices now as well with 20mm thickness.
WHICH ONE IS MORE EXPENSIVE ?
In terms of Costs, it really depends what quality material you get in each category. But in broad terms in order to give some guidance:
- Marble worktops tend to be the most expensive.
- Good quality quartz are a bit cheaper, but not that much cheaper from a medium quality marble. On quartz we advise to always ask for a branded product. There are a lot of suppliers out there offering their own branded materials usually made in China (there is nothing wrong with that ! It is just good to know in advance)
- Porcelain is similar to quartz in terms of price but the looks are for sure much much better. You just need to find the right fabricator who knows to work with 12mm or 20mm porcelain slabs.
- Granite are in general also a bit cheaper than marble, and is the easiest material for stone fabricators to work with.
WHAT ABOUT WORKTOP MAINTENANCE ?
Granite and Marble needs to be sealed on a periodic basis (depending on the usage). We at IvySpace always seal products before we install. Polished material can be re-polished which takes a few hours. For other finishes, such as Leather for example, maintenance is not straightforward since it cannot be re-polished.
Most importantly Quartz and Porcelain need virtually no maintenance and that is one of their main advantages.
