Porcelain countertops (often known by brand names like Neolith, Dekton, SapienStone, etc.) have emerged as a newer contender in the countertop market, while quartz countertops have been a go-to choice for a couple of decades now. Both are engineered surfaces, but with different materials and properties. If you’re considering a modern countertop material for your Chicago home, you might be weighing porcelain vs. quartz. Let’s compare these two across various factors to see which might be the best fit.

Composition and Manufacture

• Porcelain Countertops: Porcelain slabs are made from ceramic clay, sand, and other minerals, baked at very high temperatures (sintered) to create a dense, hard surface. Often, they are categorized as “sintered stone” or “ultra-compact surfaces.” Dekton, for example, is a blend of raw materials used to make glass, porcelain, and quartz, fused under high heat and pressure.

• Quartz Countertops: As mentioned before, quartz is about ~90% natural quartz powder mixed with ~10% resin binders and pigments. It’s cast into slabs and cured. The result is a solid, non-porous slab available usually in 2 cm or 3 cm thickness (about 3/4 inch or 1 1/4 inch).

Appearance Options

• Porcelain Aesthetics: Porcelain slabs often aim to mimic natural materials. They can have incredibly realistic stone patterns – many porcelains look like marble (complete with veining), concrete, rusted metal, or even wood. The printing technology is high-definition and often the design goes through the whole body (for some products) or at least is very durable.

• Quartz Aesthetics: Quartz also comes in a variety of looks, most commonly marble-look, solid colors, or speckled designs. Quartz generally has a more consistent pattern; even the veined quartz styles have a controlled repetition. Some very new quartz designs are getting better at randomness.

Durability and Strength

• Porcelain Durability: Porcelain is extremely hard and scratch-resistant. It’s even more scratch-resistant than quartz. You can cut on porcelain (though it may dull your knives). It’s also highly heat-resistant – you can put hot pans on porcelain without worry; it won’t scorch because it’s basically kiln-fired ceramic (similar to how you can bake in ceramic cookware).

• Quartz Durability: Quartz is also very durable for everyday use – resistant to scratches (though slightly less than porcelain; abrasive items can sometimes leave marks on the resin), and strong. But it is not as heat-resistant – thermal shock or high heat can damage quartz.

Stain Resistance and Maintenance

• Porcelain: Porcelain slabs are non-porous and highly stain-resistant. They do not need sealing (just like quartz). Because the surface is glazed/sintered, liquids don’t penetrate. Porcelain is also often chemical-resistant; you can use heavy-duty cleaners or even solvents on it without damage, which you wouldn’t do on natural stone. Cleaning porcelain is easy – most messes wipe off.

• Quartz: Also non-porous and does not need sealing. Stain-resistant to just about everything except very harsh chemicals. Cleaning is similarly easy – soap and water or any mild cleaner. However, quartz can be sensitive to very high pH or very low pH chemicals (like oven cleaners or paint strippers can damage it), whereas porcelain is more inert.

Installation and Design Considerations

Porcelain’s thin slabs allow for some flexibility in design. For instance, you can clad walls or make cabinet door fronts with the same material. You can also do waterfall edges or mitered edges to make it appear thick.

If you want an ultra-thin countertop look (slim modern European style), porcelain can achieve that. Quartz typically will be thicker unless you choose a thinner slab and add support.

Edge appearance: One thing to note, porcelain’s pattern is often only on the surface (some newer ones have through-body color). So if you do a simple eased edge, the very top might have pattern and the edge might be a solid color of the body.

Cost and Availability

• Porcelain countertops are relatively new in the market. In Chicago, not every showroom has them, but many do carry samples of brands like Neolith, Dekton, etc. The cost of porcelain can vary, but it’s often comparable to mid-to-high range countertops. You might pay a bit more for porcelain in some cases because fabrication is trickier.

• Quartz is widely available with a huge range of pricing. It can be quite affordable for standard designs (there are even low-cost import quartz options). Or it can be pricey for high-end patterns. On average, quartz might be slightly less expensive than porcelain, but not always.

When to Choose Porcelain vs. Quartz

In summary, both porcelain and quartz are excellent modern countertop choices that deliver on looks and easy maintenance. They outshine natural stone in terms of being worry-free surfaces. The choice will depend on your specific needs and aesthetic preferences.

At Design Granite & Marble, we not only handle natural stone and quartz, but we also work with porcelain surfaces. We can show you samples of each and discuss the best applications. We’ve installed quartz countertops in countless Chicago homes and have also embraced the new porcelain trend for those seeking that cutting-edge style.