As a company that specializes in marble, granite, and quartz countertops, you would expect us to recommend them over other types of materials and surfaces. We do. We firmly believe that stone countertops are a better choice for most applications. They can even be a better choice than laminates.
Laminate countertops have been around forever, and their main appeal is price. Needless to say, laminate products are cheaper than quartz, granite, and marble. For a family on a budget, it’s hard to beat laminates. But if you can afford to go with a stone material instead, it certainly has its advantages.
Countertop Construction
One of the most profound differences between stone countertops and laminates is construction. A stone material is a solid material. Not so with laminates. A laminate countertop is essentially a wood counter with a laminate surface on top.
The least expensive laminate countertops are made with a particle or pressboard material. As for the laminate itself, it is manufactured by combining multiple layers of paper and pressing them together to create a rigid sheet that is still flexible enough to work with. It is glued to the top of the wood.
Countertop Durability
Moving on to the advantages of stone, we begin with durability. We all know that kitchen countertops need to be able to withstand a significant amount of punishment. From heat and dropped dishes to sharp utensils and knives, there is always something ready to damage a countertop surface.
Materials like quartz and granite tend to be extremely durable. They are less susceptible to chips and cracks. Not only that, minor chips and cracks can almost always be repaired. When a laminate chips or cracks, the homeowner is pretty much out of luck. He either needs to live with the damage or replace the entire laminate.
Natural Stone Countertop Heat Resistance
Manufacturers have gotten a lot better in recent years at coming up with laminates that are heat resistant. But at the end of the day, laminates are still layers of compressed paper, so they are sensitive to heat. As for stone, not so much.
Whether you chose marble, quartz, or granite for your countertops, you would be getting a heat resistant surface. You still need to be careful, but you’re much less likely to damage a stone countertop with a hot pan compared to a laminate.
Natural Stone and Quartz Countertop Stain Resistance
As far as stain resistance goes, the way a countertop is finished makes a significant difference. There are some laminates that are very stain resistant and others that will soak up just about anything. The same goes with stone surfaces.
Finishes for stone countertops are designed to be stain resistant. Obviously, an unfinished countertop is a porous surface and will soak up any staining material it comes in contact with. This is why it’s so important to seal marble, granite, and quartz. It is also why we recommend resealing from time to time.
Stone and Quartz Countertop Beauty
For our money, there isn’t a more beautiful countertop surface than stone. We are big fans of all three materials we sell: granite, marble, and quartz. But in fairness, design and manufacturing technologies now make it possible to produce some equally beautiful laminates.
You can even buy a laminate that mimics one of the stone materials we sell. If it is installed properly and manufactured to the highest quality, it’s hard to tell the difference just by looking.
We understand that budgets sometimes make laminate countertops the best option. But if you can afford to spend a little more, we believe you will be happier with a stone material. Stone is hard to beat.
