| |
Granite |
Engineered
Stone |
Acrylic
/ Polyester Plastics |
Tile |
Laminates |
| Source
/ Material |
100%
Natural:
• Stone quarried from within the earth
|
Synthetic:
• 85%-95% crushed quartz with a resin binder
|
Synthetic:
• Acrylic or Polyester Plastics
|
Synthetic:
• Ceramic or Porcelain
|
Synthetic:
• Printed colors/patterns on a fiberglass backing
|
| Brands |
|
•
Silestone
• Ceasarstone
• Cambria
• Avanza
• Zodiaq
|
•
Corian
• Staron
• Gibraltar
• Avonite
• Surell
• Hi-Macs
|
•
Ceramic
• Porcelain
|
•
Arborite
• Wilsonart
• Formica
• Nevamar
|
| Heat
Resistance |
Unaffected
by heat |
Affected
heat over 400F |
Hot
pots/pans can melt or damage surface |
Unaffected
by heat |
Hot
pots/pans can melt or damage surface |
| Cleaning |
Extremely
resistant to bacteria |
Non-porous
- very resistant to bacteria |
Deep
scratches can harbor dirt and or moisture |
Grout
is very porous and can be difficult to keep clean |
Non-porous
- easy to clean |
| Durability |
Highly
scratch resistant |
Highly
scratch resistant |
Scratches
easily - can be sanded |
Can
be scratched - not easily repaired |
Can
be scratched - not easily repaired |
| Installation |
May
require seams - various edge profiles available |
May
require seams - various edge profiles available |
Seamless
- usually set on a wood sub-structure - various edge profiles available |
Should
be set on an approved sub-structure - limited edge profiles |
Sheet
material is applied to a wood sub-structure - limited edge profiles |
| Surface |
Highly
polished finish - every piece is naturally unique in color and patterning |
Polished
finish - consistent and uniform color and patterning |
Matte
finish - with consistent and uniform color and patterning |
Grout
joints can vary greatly - tile color and shading can vary |
Highly
visible seams - consistent and uniform color and patterning |
| Care |
May
require periodic sealing to prevent staining |
|
Scratches
can be sanded out |
Grout
needs to be re-sealed often |
|
| Price |
$46/sf
and up |
MORE
expensive than granite |
Price
varies based on color - many of which are more expensive than granite |
More
expensive than tile |
Inexpensive |
