What is the difference between granite and silestone?
Question:
Answers:
Yes - Granite is a natural stone and Silestone is a synthetic material made from quartz - that is the biggest difference. However, both have their pros and cons:
Granite -
Pros: Absolutely beautiful and natural. You will find more color and variation in a granite slab because if it's inherent natural beauty.
Cons: Must be sealed on a regualr basis to prevent staining. This "regular basis" will vary depending on use. It is also more expensive - it is heavy and the natural cracks and fissures in it make fabrication a little more difficult. It is also gets more expensive the thicker the slab you buy - or if you don't want to buy a thick slab and just want the edges built up to make it look thick the labor to do the build-up is pretty pricey.
Silestone (or any other manufactured quartz surface, ie Zodiaq, Caesarstone, Cambria...)-
Pros: Virtually indestructable. You can't stain it, scratch it, or burn it with everyday use. It DOESN'T need to be sealed because it isn't porous. This also makes it better bactrial-ly speaking. It's more consistent in it's pattern and color. Standard thickness is a 3cm slab - no built-up edges here! It also has a more contemporary look to it, which is great if that's what you're going for. Price per square foot is generally less - once you take labor into consideration as well.
Cons: Sometimes it looks a little "fake" especially when you have a sample of it next to a granite.
granite is a natural stone that is mined, cut, then polished for use , and silestone is a man made replica of granite that is glued together but is very durable an maybe more cost efficient and more uniform in color and pattern both are great for counter tops when installed as a solid slab remember to seal either one and keep in mind both will require polishing every now and then but not very often maybe once a year depending on usage
BTW, Sile stone is made of ground up Quartz and stone.
granite is more expensive
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