Stone countertops are high on the priority list of many home- owners contemplating kitchen and bathroom renovations. This trend has been on the increase due to the growing availability and affordability of material options.

Basically, there are two categories of stone — natural and man-made — both readily accessible, supplied in slab form from numerous international sources to our local markets.

The composition of natural stone remains unaltered from ex- traction through to final use. Engineered stone is a composite material, made from an agglomerate of natural minerals and poly- mer resin binders. The best known, widely available composite having the most impact on countertop choice is engineered quartz.

While there is no shortage of stone countertop options, making good purchasing decisions for long-term function and budget calls for serious fact-checking. There’s a tendency to lump all natural stone together, calling it either “granite”or“granite and marble,” which can be misleading when judging it for end use. You need to know more when choosing your countertop.

There are two distinct composition categories of natural stone: calcareous and siliceous. The characteristics of these categories determines their suitability for end use.

Calcareous stones are calcium carbonate based and include limestone, travertine, onyx, marble and serpentine. They are sen- sitive to acid products, which can etch and stain, so they require different care and cleaning from siliceous stone. It’s common to apply a top coat (commonly referred to as a sealer) to this type of stone to provide stain resistance. While these products may make the stone more stain resistant, they don’t actually seal it. Ongoing maintenance is required for calcareous stones, particularly where acidic foods like wine, vinegar, soft drinks and/or cosmetic and personal care products are being used, so pay attention to safety and use only approved non-toxic sealers.

Siliceous stone is silicate based and comprised of minerals such as feldspar, quartz and mica. These include sandstone, slate, quartz- ite, soapstone and granite. The composition of these stones varies greatly, so to determine their specific suitability of use and main- tenance they must be assessed individually. Granite is one of the hardest and most durable products on Earth.

Just like snowflakes, no two natural stones are identical. It is this uniqueness that makes them so attractive to homeowners, who find the experience of choosing a countertop slab to be much like choosing a piece of art, while making a connection to nature. It must be examined in its entirety, not from a photo or architec- tural sample, to be fully appreciated.

Engineered quartz is a composite comprised of 93-percent quartz by weight and seven-percent epoxy and/or polyester resin binder with pigments and additives such as UV absorbers and stabilizers added. Pattern and colour options abound and vary from supplier to supplier, but once chosen, all slabs within the

selection will be the same, offering uniformity and consistency. In the marketplace, claims about performance, durability and maintenance are often hurled about with an air of authority.Yet a close read through manufacturer’s technical data sheets, fabrication and installation instructions, and warranties reveals that the ultimate gauge for success depends upon user awareness and care. Here are some points to consider if you are deciding between natural stone and engineered quartz:

• There are no countertop suitability tests that measure one surface better than another. However, industry standards and testing methods determine: a material’s hardness; colour stability; dura- bility; resistance to abrasion, impact, heat, home chemicals, bac- teria and fungus; thermal expansion; and, flexural strength. Based on these testing methods, granite and engineered quartz perform equally well. Care and maintenance for both is basically the same according to manufacturers’warranty information.
• All products will stain if they aren’t maintained properly, so wip- ing up spills quickly and keeping surfaces clean is key. However, if you want a marble look in areas where acidic products are fre- quently used, engineered quartz might be your best option.
• The test for food safety is the ease and degree of cleanability by which deleterious materials are removed from a surface using nor- mal and reasonable cleaning methods. Studies have shown marble, granite and engineered quartz have the same level of cleanability, even when the natural stone was not sealed prior to testing.
• Additional information on natural stone products is available at www.marble-institute.com. For information on engineered quartz products, be sure to read the manufacturer’s warranty, product care and maintenance information.