Granite vs Man-Made Stone
QUESTION:We are remodeling our kitchen and are getting answers all over the world - this one chips,$35 more per square foot, this one stains,etc..we like "INDIAN DAKOTA "granite for the countertop OR CAMBRIA NORMANDY. Bottom line answer - which is better... granite or man-made stone? And generally does granite cost more than "mms"? ANSWER:When money is not an issue, people install granite. Luxury home builders all install granite. So, I suppose there is your answer.I too think overall, granite is better, but not by a long shot. There are variables that you may consider which I've covered on a few pages on this website. Price You'll see more variation in granite because it is a natural unique product. There's a huge supply of some colors and not others, so accordingly different prices. Also, quality can vary. That's why you'll see signs for $25 sq ft. granite... avoid these. On average man-made stone is about as expensive as granite. I'm sure because manufacturers of MMS are trying to position themselves as equal in every way to granite. But for above reasons some stones may be more expensive. Indian Dakota is a good stone. May not even need to seal it, but you should test a sample to be sure. For my tastes and many/most in the design world, quartz looks very uniform and man-made. It doesn't possess the allure and unique colors, depth, textures or patterns of granite. Quartz is a very good product, but when comparing all factors, man-made doesn't have any real advantages over stone, so I would never install a man-made stone. There's just too many great natural stones to choose from when the cost is reasonably similar. Good Luck, Ryan
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