At this time there are a wide variety of options if you are looking for new tops for a bathroom vanity or kitchen cabinets; So how do you know what type is best for you?
Granite
Marble
Quartzite
Quartz
Cultured marble
Concrete
Basalt
Feldspar
What makes natural stone a great option for kitchen and bath tops? Its versatility, durability and natural beauty that is the end result of a process that takes millions of years.
Natural Stone that is quarried and cut into slabs for use as countertop material fall into two main categories; Metamorphic and Igneous Rock. Granite and basalt fall into the Igneous category, meaning they were formed from magma. Granite is formed deep below the earth’s crust from slow-cooling magma over thousands of years. The long cooling process allows granite to form large brilliant crystals from the natural minerals found in granite (quarts, mica, feldspar & hornblende). Granite can withstand thousands of pounds of pressure and is very durable; as counter top material it will not damage if it comes in contact with high heat such as pots and pans just out of the oven/stovetop. Granite’s most identifiable feature is its crystals or “grain”, that are easily seen by the naked eye; granite can have crystals ranging from very small salt and pepper grain size to very large silver dollar size. The color of the crystals depend on the type of minerals from which they were formed. Granite is quarried all over the world and the quality of each type should be evaluated by the grain and or veining that is associated with the color you are looking for or being quoted, as well as the polished finish. We look for a glassy polish with no milky or foggy, inconsistent look to the finish. A high quality, glassy finish will guarantee years of no hassle, durable use of this great material.
Basalt is mostly formed from volcanic lava flows that have quickly cooled & hardened to form this dense material. The fast cooling process gives it a much more consistent look with no identifiable grain visible to the naked eye. In appearance, Basalt could be compared to concrete countertops. However, Basalt would be far more durable than concrete due to its natural formation and density. It can be polished similar to granite but does not get the glassy finish due to the mineral content and maturity. It is a popular material for outdoor cook tops and bars.
Marble and quartzite are metamorphic rocks, meaning it was formed from intense heat and pressure causing an original rock to be transformed into something completely different and new. The original rock could have been sedimentary or igneous; the distinguishing property is the original stone that was metamorphosized into what it currently is at the time of quarrying.
Marble is metamorphosed limestone or dolomite, and Quartzite is metamorphosized sandstone. Both of these materials in their end or finished product state are much harder than the stone they were originally composed of. The intense heat and pressure far below the surface of the earth makes the perfect environment to produce these beautiful materials.
Both make great surfaces for interior kitchen and bath tops as well as flooring and wall tile. Marble is softer than granite so its durability does suffer; this is why very old cemetery memorials made from marble are very hard to read and in some cases lettering has completely vanished due to the weathering of the surface of the stone. However, it still makes a great material for interior spaces and has many different color and movement/veining characteristics depending on where it was quarried.