3 Quartz Alternatives To Marble Worktops

Marble countertops can be insanely beautiful and truly one of a kind but the surface is porous and high maintenance. If you spill wine, oil, vinegar, spices, lemon juice etc, the marble will stain and it will never go back to how it was before no matter how many DIY poultices you try. As well as staining easily, the marble is soft so it will nick and scratch easily. Marble is the ultimate kitchen heartbreaker.

Over the years we have installed projects where clients have opted to supply and install marble like the Georgian Hunting Lodge project. These clients have accepted the high maintenance nature of the marble worktops and know that inevitably they will be stained and damaged, but ultimately conclude they are happy to accommodate the changing face of marble and live with the imperfections.

There is an alternative though…

At HM our ethos is to create kitchens that last which is why we love quartz worktops and you can see examples of these throughout our showroom spaces and our projects.

Quartz is low maintenance and will look as amazing in years to come as the day it is installed. As this is something we get asked about so much, we thought it would be helpful to round up our 3 favourite alternatives to marble…

Caesarstone Frosty Carina in the Gerrards Cross project

CRL Verona in the Maldon Project

London Grey at the Barnes Village Project

Cleaning and maintenance of quartz is easy, simply use a non-acidic / non-toxic cleaner (we love KINN Living)  although soapy water is fine to use. For more stubborn marks, we use Astonish Citrus cream cleaner (also really good for cleaning sinks). Just clean, and wipe away – no need to polish, treat or re-seal.

Remember though, quartz is tough but it isn’t bomb-proof. You should still be careful when using harsh abrasives like bleach. Hot objects above 70°c should not be placed directly onto worktops as you risk damage and cracking which is the same with most kitchen surfaces. If you are unsure, place something beneath hot objects on a board or trivet before setting down on the counter to avoid unnecessary heat exposure.

Images: Paul Craig