Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite?

   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #1  

Bob_Skurka

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The wife is going to visit the in-laws for several weeks and I'm considering surprising her with a new kitchen.

She likes the look of granite counters. However she does not like the fact that granite counters must have seams where the slabs are joined together -or at least that is what we have seen and been told.

I found a semi-synthetic product made by DuPont called Silestone which is about 93% Quartz mixed with some sort of resins. The premium grades look as good as granite and look like natural stone, but because they are bonded with resin they can have the slabs joined seamlessly.

Does anyone have any experience with Silestone or can anyone tell me if there are any overwhelming benefits to natural granite that would sway me to it?
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #2  
Bob,

Silestone is a manufactured product made out of real bits of granite. It's held together with an acrylic resin. This makes it a very consistant textured product. Natural granite can have areas in the stone that may be slightly more dense than in other areas, which can affect the appearance. As you mentioned, the Silestone can be made to look seamless, granit cannot.

But one of the big differences is that natural granite should be resealed with a granite sealer twice each year. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

The cost of both products is very similar, although the Silestone will have some variation in price depending on the finish that is selected. At Home Depot, both natural granite and an equal in appearance Silestone are currently going for approximately $69.00 per linear foot.

This is information that my wife has provided to me. She deals with this stuff everyday. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Given everything being equal (appearance, price, etc.) she would recommend Silestone to her clients over natural granite.

Hope it helps. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite?
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Garry, it is not $69 per linear foot, it is $69 per square foot. At least those are the price quotes I am getting and I did get one from Home Depot today. Assume a 24" deep counter top, and assume a backsplash of 18" and all of a sudden the price per linear foot is in the neighborhood of $225 to $250 per LINEAR foot depending on the color/style chosen. Granite is actually a bit cheaper than the Silestone. I like the color choices of the Silestone better, but I know it is a relatively new product. Do you, or does your wife, have any idea how well the Silestone will hold up over a long period of time? If I do this, I don't want to have to redo it ever again!

My parents had Corian and they liked it, but to me it looks like a dull plastic counter top after a very short amount of time.
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #4  
Sorry about the mistake on the price, Bob! That was mine, not the wifes.

She claims that the Silestone holds up very well. She visited one of her clients that had it installed about 2 years ago, and she said it looks good as ever. She did say that any manufactured product (Corian, Silestone, whatever) should be buffed by the installers every couple of years to maintain the appearance. Do you know if your parents have ever had this done? I don't know if this something that the homeowner can do on their own, or if the installers are supposed to do it. Of course, since you're looking at doing it yourself, I guess you are the installer. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif I would make sure that when you talk to the store, you speak with them about the proper buffing technique and products to be used.

She said that she has no qualms with recommending the product to her clients. Her experience with it has been very good. She also said that she will probably use it in our house the next time we do any contertops.

Hope this helps. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #5  
I believe Silestone has some length limitations as well & would have seams in a lot of applications. I don't believe it can be invisibly seamed as can Corian. It sure is an attractive product but it doesn't have the natural character of real stone, however granite with a lot of veining can make the seams really stand out if not cut & placed carefully. Try to find a place that deals with high end tops every day, leaving up to Home Cheapo would scare me.
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #6  
/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Warning! - Warning! - Warning! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

My "Married for 24 Years" alarms are going off!

I don't know much about Granite or Silestone, but after 24 years I know something about wives.

Unless she has give specific instructions, a "suprise" for her may turn into a "suprise" for you. You'll pick what you think she would like, only to have her return from her trip, see the new countertops, look unhappy, and turn to the drawer and pull out the sample she had chosen last week but forgot to tell you about. Of course, it will not be the color/style you have chosen. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #7  
Granit looks outstandig fer sure but. No food grade approved sealers as of couple years ago.Very easy to stain no matter what sealers are used. Yes seams can be done almost invisable . Yes you can put hot pans on it. With care granit will last a life time and look outstanding. Do your homework on granit, lots of differant standards on instalations and stone quality. Your gonna laugh but us americans buy up soo much dyed stone from china thinking were gettin the good stuff it would blow yer mind. Contact ALLIED STONE in the wind city , tell em you are the hardest to please, picky son ova gun in the world and you want the best in stone, installation and you hate seams . Granite can be installed to the highest of standards but to me it ain't near worth the price. good luck
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #8  
She who must be obeyed weilds a mighty stick!!

Egon
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite?
  • Thread Starter
#9  
DocHeb. . . 19 years for me and counting . . . we've talked this project to death but never signed on the bottom line to actually do it. I have my ways of making sure before I roll in with a surprise so that it doesn't come back and bite me.

EXCEPT THAT ONE TIME when I knew she bought me an expensive watch and hid it (wrapped) in the closet. I know the jeweler who sold it to her. I took the still wrapped watch back to the jeweler, had him substitute an 18k gold version with a crocodile strap for the all stainless version she bought. He re-wrapped it in the same paper and I snuck it back into the house. On my birthday I got the watch I wanted and she got the surprise of her life. Oh, and the jeweler got divorced from his wife shortly after!!!!
 
   / Kitchen Counter Tops: Silestone Quartz or Granite? #10  
"But one of the big differences is that natural granite should be resealed with a granite sealer twice each year. "

I've had granite for years, light and dark. I never had a single stain. Sealing is complete and total non-issue - you spray it on, let it dry (like 10 minutes or so), lightly buff it off, and by that I mean by hand and with less effort than it takes to polish liquid Turtle Wax off a new car hood. It takes less time than CLEANING the counter.

The few things I don't like about granite (other than the price!) is that you can chip the edges (get a full bullnose), and your cabinets better be solidly secured to the wall or that granite is going to move 'em. Happened in my last house. Glue and screw them, don't let the installer get away with drywall screws.

Bill
 
 
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