Silestone vs. Granite Countertops - The Real Story

So you want to upgrade your kitchen or bathroom with a new countertop, but you're not sure what your options are. Chances are you've heard of granite and marble. After all, they have been used for myriad building purposes for centuries and you all the time see marble and granite countertops in luxury homes.

But what about Silestone...isn't it great than granite?

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Well, it depends on what you think is better. However, Silestone and other makers of engineered quartz stone countertops, such as Zodiaq and Cambria would have you believe their goods is a critical upgrade from granite.

Engineered stone countertops are a manufactured goods that mixes quartz found in granite with a resin to make a outside with properties roughly same to granite. Silestone and all the other companies make essentially the same product, which is widely regarded as an perfect countertop surface.

However, these companies try to make mountains out of molehills in an attempt to sell their goods and compete against granite which is and has bee the most favorite and proven outside type.

Myth #1: Sealing granite is a horrible, dirty chore.

This issue has been blown way out of proportion with marketing. It's all the time listed as a advantage and one would get the impression that granite is defective and must be sealed with over and over to safe it.

True, you don't have to apply a granite sealer to an engineered stone counter top. And hey, that's great, but applying a granite sealer is verily a very easy and infrequent "wipe on, wipe off" procedure. It is not a major chore and for all practical purposes it isn't a determining factor when comparing Silestone vs. Granite.

Also, it doesn't take a closet full of special chemicals to safe your granite and keep its luster as Cambria and other engineered stone counter top manufacturers propose on their websites. Hey, to their prestige they are just trying to effectively market their product.

A slight secret about most granite . . .

You could do nothing but wipe it with a parasite for years and it would still look gorgeous. Minor, easy maintenance performed periodically will, however, give you peace of mind and bring out the best in your granite and natural stone. And the same can be said about quartz. Care and cleaning is equally easy for either surface.

Myth #2: Again with the sealing.

You may also read that you must seal granite to claim it's shiny polish. Not true. Sealing is for stain resistance. Both natural and artificial stone counter tops are polished by grinding and buffing the outside into a level shine.

Myth #3: Granite harbors bacteria.

Silestone also tries to claim their goods resists bacteria while granite "harbors" bacteria. This is totally false. Studies prove that both granite and quartz are among the safest and cleanest surfaces on the market today, but one isn't first-rate to the other.

So Which Countertop Is Best?

Well, once you take off the hype and you understand that manufactured quartz countertops and granite accomplish equally well and that the care and cleaning of each outside is essentially the same, the decision in the middle of granite and Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq or other quartz counter tops commonly comes down to color, pattern and perceived value for most buyers.

Color and Value

Granite enjoys a greater "prestige" due to it's natural uniqueness and is therefore, of greater value in the minds of most homeowners and buyers. New granites come on the market all the time from different countries providing hundreds and maybe thousands of different colors and patterns to select from.

Silestone and other engineered stone manufacturers offer 20-50 color choices all of which have basically the same repetitive pebbled appearance. The advantage here is that you never have a problem matching a pattern or color at a seam, which sometimes is a problem with granite. Of course, you may end up with the exact same countertop as your neighbor, which won't happen with granite as each slab is unique.

So, either you select engineered stone or granite you will get an perfect countertop surface. Just don't listen to all the marketing hype and pick your goods based on what color and pattern you like best.

Silestone vs. Granite Countertops - The Real Story

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Stainless Steel Vs Granite Composite Sinks

Stainless steel has been used in kitchen sinks for many years.  The majority of homes will have this type of sink, especially homes built in the last 10 years.  While most of these sinks are pretty suitable with one or two bowls in rectangular shapes, stainless steel is also surely molded into any shape one can imagine.  Of course, the more unique the bowl is shaped, the more high-priced it will tend to be.  In general, these sinks are the most affordably priced choice on the market, and offer a wide range of looks for your kitchen.

Stainless steel is a somewhat durable metal, which is why it was chosen to be used in this application.  Keep in mind that while it is scratch resistant, it is not scratch proof.  Most of these sinks will have a brushed finish, which will help to hide the small scratches that will occur over the lifetime of the sink.  Any larger scratches can ordinarily be buffed out by following the manufacterer's cleaning instructions.  These sinks do need some maintenance to keep them finding nice, but nothing too extensive. 

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Granite composite sinks are the effect of new technological advances in the sink industry.  These sinks are composed of granite or quartz composite and acrylic.  They are incredibly scratch, heat and stain resistant; more so than stainless steel sinks.  These sinks are available in different colors; the most favorite being black, brown and white.  They are more high-priced than stainless steel sinks, but also offer more benefits. Granite sinks can be man-made out of environmentally friendly materials, which make it a great choice for green homes.

Both sink types are available in different shapes and styles and for topmount or undermount installations.  Topmount sinks are typically used with non-solid covering countertops such as laminate or formica.  These types of countertops can't have undermount sinks due to the fact that water would get into the countertop and cause damage.  Undermount sinks are used with solid covering countertops such as granite and marble.  The suitable is that topmount installations are far less high-priced than undermount installations. 

Choosing a stainless steel sink may be the best choice if price matters most. However, the new advancements in the granite sink manufactures may make it a best choice in terms of features and durability.

Stainless Steel Vs Granite Composite Sinks

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