Differences Between Porous & Non-Porous Stone Worktops

Let’s start with porosity, which refers to the how much liquid is able to pass through the stone. This is a very important aspect to consider when thinking about a worktop or a stone surface. The only way that a stone worktop can stain is if they allow the liquid spillage to leak through and remain inside, therefore leaving a mark.

Man-made materials such as Quartz and Quartzite are highly non-porous. This is because they consist of materials such as Quartz dust, resin, or clay-like substances. They are also compressed at very high pressures and extreme temperatures.

As a result, they have not got any gaps in between their particles so they barely allow any liquids to pass through their surface making them resistant to staining. Regrading Quartz, as long as it is cleaned every day, then even if there is a large spillage of a staining substance, the work surface will not stain at all.

On the other hand, Granite is a natural stone, because it is forged naturally, it still consists of small gaps between its particles. Therefore, if something spills on Granite, the liquids will be able to leak through into the stone relatively easily, possibly staining the surface a little as a result, all because Granite is quite porous. It is recommended that Granite is sealed twice a year on average and that it is wiped more often than Quartz in order to prevent any possible staining.

Porosity is one of the main reasons why Quartz Worktops have begun to be increasingly more popular as they require less maintenance and are less prone to staining.