Kitchen Countertops: Quartz, Granite, Laminate or Wood

The countertop is the surface you touch most in a kitchen, and often the first thing anyone notices walking in. It is also the choice that forgives least: a paint colour gets redone in a weekend, a stone countertop stays for twenty years.

Four materials cover most of what goes into Quebec kitchens. None of them is the best. Each one is the best for a particular way of cooking.

Quartz: peace of mind

Quartz countertops are engineered stone: crushed quartz bound with resin and cast into slabs. That is where both of its big strengths come from.

It absorbs nothing. The surface is non-porous, so wine, coffee and oil stay on top and wipe off. No sealer to apply, ever.

It is consistent. Colour and veining stay the same from slab to slab, which makes large islands and L-shaped kitchens easier when several pieces have to line up.

Its weakness comes from that same resin: a scorching pot set straight down can mark the surface. A trivet settles it, but you need to know. And on a long run a seam will show; ask where it will fall before fabrication.

This is the choice for people who want a countertop they can forget about.

Granite: character

Granite is natural stone, quarried and cut into slabs. Every slab is unique, and that is the whole point.

It handles heat better than anything else on this list. A sheet pan straight from the oven can go down without a second thought.

It asks for a little attention. Depending on the stone, the surface is more or less porous. The test is simple: a drop of water that beads up is fine, a drop that darkens the stone within a few minutes means it is time to seal. For most granites that is once a year or less.

Pick your slab in person at the supplier, not from a ten-centimetre sample. A stone's movement only shows at the scale of the slab.

The finish matters too: polished granite hides marks well; a honed finish, matte and very current, shows grease marks more and needs more care.

Laminate: the budget option that grew up

Laminate is a thin decorative layer pressed onto particleboard. It carried a poor reputation for years; today's stone and wood looks are far more convincing than they were twenty years ago.

It is by far the cheapest option, and the fastest: often in stock at the store and installed the same day.

Its limits are concrete. Water is its enemy: if it gets in through a seam or around the sink, the board swells and nothing repairs it. Cuts and burns are permanent. And an undermount sink, the one you see in every magazine kitchen, is hard to do cleanly in laminate.

For a rental unit, a basement or a kitchen you plan to redo in a few years, it is a perfectly sound choice.

Wood: warmth, with upkeep

A solid wood countertop, often maple, oak or walnut butcher block, brings a warmth stone does not have.

It can be repaired. A scratch, a stain, a knife mark: a light sanding and a coat of oil and the surface comes back. It is the only material on this list that renews instead of wearing out.

It needs regular upkeep. Food-grade mineral oil a few times a year, more often at first. Without it the wood dries, greys and can split.

The tricky part is the sink. Water standing around it eventually blackens the wood. Many kitchens solve this by mixing materials: stone or quartz around the sink and range, wood on the island, where people prep and eat.

Choosing by how you cook

Instead of hunting for the best material, ask yourself three questions.

Do you set hot pans down without thinking? Granite. Quartz needs a trivet.

Do you never want to think about maintenance? Quartz. Granite needs sealing now and then, wood needs regular oiling.

Is the budget tight or the horizon short? Laminate, with careful attention to seams and the sink cutout.

And a fourth one, often forgotten: what goes with your cabinets? A countertop gets chosen together with the kitchen cabinets, not after. Colour, thickness and edge profile are decided as a set.

The lead time nobody plans for

A stone or quartz countertop is not measured from a drawing. The fabricator templates on site once the cabinets are installed and level, then fabricates. Count on one to three weeks between templating and installation. In the meantime the kitchen has no working sink.

It is one of the most common kitchen renovation mistakes: planning to be back to normal the day after the cabinets go in. To place the countertop within the overall budget, our article on kitchen renovation cost breaks down each line item.

A cabinetmaker building your cabinets usually works with one or two countertop fabricators and coordinates the templating. In the metropolitan area, our list of cabinetmakers in Montreal is a good starting point.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is quartz tougher than granite?

They are tough in different ways. Quartz resists stains better because it is non-porous, but it dislikes direct heat. Granite takes a hot pan, but needs sealing now and then. Neither wins on every count.

Does a quartz countertop need sealing?

No. Quartz is non-porous and is never sealed. A mild cleaner and a cloth are enough. Just avoid very abrasive or strongly alkaline products, which can dull the resin.

Is a wood countertop hygienic in a kitchen?

Yes, if it is maintained. Wood that is oiled regularly and cleaned with soapy water is well suited to food prep. The risk comes from dry, cracked wood or water left standing, especially around the sink.

Can you put an undermount sink in a laminate countertop?

It is possible with certain products and a careful cut, but it is tricky: the exposed edge around the sink is exactly where water swells the board. Most laminate kitchens stay with a drop-in sink.

How long does a stone countertop take to arrive?

Usually one to three weeks between templating and installation, depending on the fabricator and the season. Templating only happens once the cabinets are installed and level.