Is it True that Quartz is Harder than Granite?

Without a doubt, every different material has its own unique properties and features, and this can readily impact the overall suitability of a material for your own requirements. However, if you’re looking for a beautiful and durable material, you may have considered quartz or granite. However, comparing these two materials can often feel difficult. As such, today, we’re looking at some of the key things you should know about quartz and granite materials. Hopefully, this should also help you find the most suitable material for your project.

Which is Harder: Quartz or Granite?

Many people assume that granite is incredibly strong and hard as a natural stone material – and that’s not wrong. However, if you are looking for a countertop material that can withstand the rigors and pressures of modern use, you might find that it’s not necessarily the ideal solution.

Why do we say this? Well, there are other common materials that could be stronger than granite countertops, and one such example of this is quartz. Indeed, quartz measures a score of 7 on the Mohs Hardness scale, which makes it marginally harder than granite. However, the difference here isn’t overly noticeable, and for most household uses, both quartz and granite can provide an excellent solution in terms of hardness.

Other Key Features You Should Consider

In addition to hardness, it’s worth considering several other crucial features. Indeed, hardness isn’t the only metric you should think about when determining the strength of granite and quartz countertops. For example, one feature that you may want to be aware of is the porosity of both materials.

Quartz is made from resins, coloring pigments, and a high amount of natural quartz. This allows it to provide an exceptionally effective countertop material that’s both hygienic and non-porous. In other words, liquids cannot penetrate the material of your countertop. However, this isn’t the case for granite, since granite is a naturally porous material. Therefore, to keep your granite countertop hygienic and clean, you will need to clean it regularly and seal it to prevent bacteria and pathogens from living in the material.

However, in terms of durability, one significant benefit of granite is that it’s much more heat resistant than quartz. As such, when choosing a worksurface for use in a high-temperature environment, granite countertops may be more suitable; if you use a quartz counter in the kitchen, make sure to cover it before placing hot pans down!

Final Thoughts

Both quartz and granite materials are incredibly popular, but it’s often not easy to work out which is right for you. Still, as passionate advocates for high-quality countertop materials, we here at Viva Quartz firmly believe that a high-quality quartz countertop can provide myriad benefits, which is why we work tirelessly to deliver effective solutions for all of our customers.

To find out more about quartz countertops and their benefits, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. We’re here to help you find the perfect type of countertop material for your needs.