We spend a lot of time with our home owners picking the right materials to make their remodeling project come to life. And we frequently get questions about which countertop materials are the best. The answer is…it depends! Really it comes down to analyzing the pros and cons of each surface based on the qualities of the material itself, your budget and where the countertop is going to be installed.

There are lots of good articles about various countertop materials, but here is a summary of couple of our favorites (note any pricing information you find in these links may vary for your area and based on the age of the article). You can read the full articles by following the links below.

In an article by Houzz, their research shows two out of five home owners choose granite or quartz for their countertops. Here’s a quick run down of the pros and cons of these two popular choices.

Granite Pros:

• It has longevity – it is time-tested and has universal approval
• It’s available in wide slabs – it’s common to find slabs more than 70″ wide
• It costs less than most quartz options
• It’s has natural beauty – because it’s a natural product it comes with one-of-a-kind beauty

Granite Cons:

• It’s porous – it isn’t naturally resistant to moisture
• It’s costs more to maintain than quartz because it should be resealed every two to five years
• Not many simple styles – due to the natural source most granite has a busy pattern to it
• It’s brittle

Quartz Pros:

• It’s low maintenance
• It’s stronger than natural stone
• It’s in high demand – which can make it higher in price
• It has consistent, clean styles

Quartz Cons:

• It’s expensive
• It’s not suitable for outdoor installations
• Slabs look exactly the same – which can be a little cookie-cutter-like
• It doesn’t look 100% natural

Read the full article on Houzz or check out their this other article for more detail on granite and quartz as well as solid surfacing, marble, tile, laminate and other countertop options.