What is harder quartz or granite?
Mia Smith
Published Mar 11, 2026
What is harder quartz or granite?
Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus, more durable. In fact, quartz is nearly indestructible, and because it isn’t porous like granite, it’s easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria-free. Be careful with cooking pans though: Quartz can be damaged by excessive heat, so use heating pads at all times.
Does quartz scratch easier than granite?
Durability: Quartz is one the hardest materials on the planet. This means it has a higher scratch resistance than granite and won’t chip or crack easily. Great for applying to different surfaces including floors and stairs.
What scale of hardness is granite?
6-8
Granite is a natural stone. It is a very hard igneous rock containing quartz, mica and feldspar as its main mineral makeup. According to Moh’s Scale of Mineral Hardness, granite is typically a 6-8 on the scale (1 is the softest and 10 is the hardest).
What is harder than quartz countertops?
Quartzite is formed from sandstone and quartz together under a great deal of heat and pressure. The empty grains of sandstone are filled with quartz. This process makes quartzite harder than quartz.
What are the disadvantages of quartz countertops?
The main downsides of quartz countertops are their price, appearance (if you desire the look of natural stone), and lack of resistance against heat damage.
What stone is harder than granite?
Both granite and quartzite are very hard, but on the Mohs scale of hardness (from 1 to 10, with 10 being hardest) quartzite has the slight edge. It measures around 7 whereas granite measures around 6 to 6.5. While quartzite is slightly harder than granite, it’s important to understand that it’s not bullet proof.
What stones are harder than granite?
Granite hardness comparison with other natural stones
- Granite Mohs hardness – (6-7)
- Quartzite Mohs hardness – (7)
- Marble Mohs hardness – (3-4)
- Sandstone Mohs hardness – (6-7)
- Slate Mohs hardness – (2.5-4)
- Limestone Mohs hardness – (3-4)
What is the hardness of quartz?
7
MOHS’ SCALE OF HARDNESS
| Mineral | Hardness |
|---|---|
| Topaz | 8 |
| Quartz | 7 |
| Orthoclase | 6 |
| Apatite | 5 |
What countertop is the hardest?
The Mohs scale has been adjusted to account for stone countertop options today. According to this new scale, the hardest is soapstone, followed by slate, which ranges in hardness, depending on processing and the slab itself. Next is marble and limestone, then travertine, sandstone and granite.
Does Carrara quartz stain?
Homeowners who choose quartz slabs that resemble the creamy white look of Carrara marble are more likely to see occasional stains, which is why they should wipe down spills immediately.
Can you use Clorox wipes on quartz?
Most household cleaners you would usually use to do a quick clean with such as Windex, vinegar and Lysol wipes (some of which contain bleach) are not a good idea for quartz countertops. Vinegar is very acidic and can cause the quartz to discolour or disintegrate.
Is quartz sexier than granite?
Quartz is than granite. And recycled countertops are sexier than tearing down mountains in India, China, Africa, S. America, etc. with the later two continents importing some granites containing uranium which emit hundreds of times normal background levels of radiation. There’s nothing sexy about cancer.
What is more durable quartz or granite?
Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus, more durable. In fact, quartz is nearly indestructible, and because it isn’t porous like granite, it’s easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria-free.
Is quartz more than granite?
In the past, quartz countertops were much more expensive than granite. This is no longer the case. Quartz is still slightly higher priced than granite but it is much more competitive today. Titan Granite, along with most quartz fabricators, price quartz by the square foot.
How to tell if countertop is granite or quartz?
Quartz is bound with resin which means the countertop doesn’t have the crystalline structure or natural fissures similar to those you find in granite . Due to this, quartz has a smoother texture. You should note that the more finely ground the quartz is, the glossier and more polished the overall appearance is.
