Quartz or granite: which should I pick?

Quartz is non-porous, never needs sealing, and shrugs off stains, so it is the lower-maintenance choice. Granite is natural stone with unique character and handles heat a bit better, but it wants sealing once or twice a year. We lay both out so you can decide in person.

Is quartzite the same as quartz?

No, and the names confuse a lot of people. Quartz is an engineered, non-porous product. Quartzite is a natural stone quarried in slabs, harder than marble and prized for marble-like veining. Quartzite runs premium and needs sealing.

Does butcher block hold up in a real kitchen?

Yes, if you maintain it. Wood takes knife marks and water rings, but it sands and re-oils easily, which is why it lasts for years on an island or a coffee bar. We finish it food-safe and show you the upkeep.

How much do new countertops cost in Asheville?

It depends on material and square footage. Butcher block and laminate are the most affordable, quartz and granite are mid-range, and quartzite and marble run higher. We give a firm written estimate after a free in-home measure.

Can you work in an older Asheville home?

Often. Older houses off Charlotte St have out-of-square walls and settled cabinets, which is exactly why careful templating matters. We measure for the real conditions, not the ideal ones, so the finished counter fits tight.

How long does a countertop project take?

We template first, then return to install once the material is fabricated, usually a short time later. The install itself is typically finished in a single day, sink cutout and backsplash included.

Do you serve my area?

We cover Asheville ZIP codes including 28801, 28803, and 28806, plus West Asheville, Swannanoa, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Woodfin, Fairview, and Arden. Call (828) 780-3098 if your town is not listed.

Countertop Installation in Asheville, NC

A Buyer's Guide to New Countertops in Asheville

Name: Nwma
Address: 1198 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, NC, 28806, US
Telephone: (828) 780-3098

Compare quartz, granite, quartzite, and butcher block for your mountain kitchen, then have it templated and installed to fit. Free in-home estimates across Buncombe County.

Call (828) 780-3098 Compare Your Options

Countertop installation in Asheville, NC

Free in-home estimates
Every slab templated
Licensed and insured

Surface Notes

Practical write-ups on choosing, comparing, and living with stone and solid-surface countertops.

Comparing countertop materials for an Asheville kitchen

How to Choose a Countertop Material for Your Asheville Kitchen

July 1, 2026

Standing in a slab yard with four materials in front of you is where most kitchen projects stall. Quartz, granite, quartzite, and butcher block all look great under the showroom lights, but they live very differently in a real Buncombe County kitchen. Here is how we help Asheville homeowners narrow it down.

Start With How You Cook

The single most useful question is not about looks, it is about habits. If your kitchen sees daily family traffic and you want to wipe and walk away, engineered quartz is hard to beat, since it is non-porous and never needs sealing. If you set hot pans down without thinking, granite takes the heat better. If you bake and love a cool surface for dough, natural stone wins. Match the material to the way you actually work, not the way a catalog photo looks.

Weigh the Upkeep Honestly

Every surface asks something of you. Quartz asks almost nothing. Granite and quartzite want a seal once or twice a year, a ten-minute job. Butcher block wants an occasional sanding and re-oiling, which some owners enjoy and others would rather skip. There is no wrong answer, only the level of maintenance that fits your life. Be honest about how much you will really do.

Think About the Room, Not Just the Counter

A counter has to live next to your cabinets, floors, and trim. In a craftsman bungalow near Montford, warm butcher block or honed granite often feels right at home. In a bright new build, a clean quartz slab can carry the whole room. Bring a cabinet door and a floor sample to the yard so you are choosing in context, not in isolation.

Do Not Forget the Edges and Seams

The material gets all the attention, but the edge profile and seam placement shape the finished look just as much. A simple eased edge reads modern, an ogee reads traditional, and where a seam falls can make a long run look continuous or broken. This is where a careful install earns its keep. Our quartz countertops page walks through the profiles we offer.

Get a Real Measure Before You Commit

The best move for any kitchen is a careful in-home measure that surfaces surprises, like an out-of-square wall, before they cost you. It turns a guess into a plan. When you are ready to compare surfaces side by side, contact us and we will bring the samples to you.

Still deciding? Call Nwma at (828) 780-3098 for a free in-home estimate and an honest walkthrough of your options.

Read the full article

Nwma provides countertops installation in Asheville, NC, working with engineered quartz, granite, quartzite, marble, butcher block, solid surface, and laminate, plus the sink cutouts, edge profiles, and matching backsplashes each job needs. This page is built as a buyer's guide, because picking the surface is the hard part and the install is the part we handle. If you already know you want quartz, skip ahead. If you are weighing three or four materials for a kitchen off Hendersonville Rd, start here.

Which countertop surface fits your kitchen depends on how you cook, how much upkeep you want, and what the room already looks like. A busy family kitchen leans toward quartz for its non-porous surface. A baker who rolls dough may want the cool feel of natural stone. A craftsman bungalow near Montford often calls for the warmth of butcher block or the honed look of soapstone. There is no single right answer, only the one that fits your 28806 household.

We keep the process plain. We measure your space, lay slabs and samples side by side so you can compare color, edge, and price in daylight, then hand you a written estimate before any material is ordered. Once you choose, we fabricate to your template and install clean, usually within a short window of the measure. The number we quote on College St or anywhere else in town is the number you pay.

New counters are one of the first upgrades a buyer notices in the Asheville market, and a fair one to invest in. We seal natural stone properly, finish every seam so it disappears under the light, and protect your cabinets and floors while we work. Since 2014 we have set counters in historic houses and new builds alike, so an out-of-square wall on Charlotte St does not slow us down.

A real material comparisonWe lay quartz, granite, quartzite, and butcher block side by side so you can see the difference before you commit.
What sets our shop apartIn-house templating and fabrication mean tighter seams, cleaner edges, and one crew accountable start to finish.
A written workmanship guaranteeEvery install is backed in writing, from level set to sealed seam, and we come back if anything needs it.
Licensed and insuredA licensed, insured Asheville crew, glad to share current details on request.

What Slab Prices Run Across Buncombe County

Countertop pricing tracks mostly to the material and the size of the kitchen. Butcher block and laminate sit at the friendly end, engineered quartz and granite fill the popular middle, and quartzite and marble run premium. Sink cutouts, edge upgrades, and backsplashes add to the total. The ranges below are typical for the Asheville area, and we put the firm number in writing after a free in-home measure on Merrimon Ave or wherever you are.

Butcher block or laminate$25 to $55 per sq ft installed	Quartz or granite$55 to $115 per sq ft installed	Quartzite or marble$95 to $180 per sq ft installed
Warmest and most budget friendly Wide range of looks Get estimate	Durable, low maintenance Templated and installed to fit Get estimate	Premium natural stone Sealed for lasting protection Get estimate

Quartz, Granite, and Butcher Block Compared

Here is how the popular surfaces stack up, so you can match the material to the way you actually use your kitchen.

01Engineered Quartz: The low-maintenance favorite. Non-porous, never needs sealing, and resists stains and scratches, in colors that convincingly read as marble or granite.
02Granite and Natural Stone: One-of-a-kind slabs with real mountain character. Granite handles heat well and, sealed once or twice a year, holds up for decades.
03Quartzite: A natural stone that looks like marble but wears far harder. A premium pick for a kitchen that wants the classic veining without the softness.
04Butcher Block: Warm solid wood that suits a craftsman kitchen or an island. It takes a knife scar with grace and can be sanded and re-oiled for years.
05Solid Surface and Laminate: Seamless solid surface for a soft modern look, or laminate when the budget leads. Both give you a wide palette at the friendly end of the range.
06Sinks, Edges, and Backsplashes: Undermount and drop-in cutouts, edge profiles from a simple eased edge to an ogee, and full-height or standard backsplashes cut to match.

Answers Before You Pick a Surface

Quartz or granite: which should I pick?: Quartz is non-porous, never needs sealing, and shrugs off stains, so it is the lower-maintenance choice. Granite is natural stone with unique character and handles heat a bit better, but it wants sealing once or twice a year. We lay both out so you can decide in person.
Is quartzite the same as quartz?: No, and the names confuse a lot of people. Quartz is an engineered, non-porous product. Quartzite is a natural stone quarried in slabs, harder than marble and prized for marble-like veining. Quartzite runs premium and needs sealing.
Does butcher block hold up in a real kitchen?: Yes, if you maintain it. Wood takes knife marks and water rings, but it sands and re-oils easily, which is why it lasts for years on an island or a coffee bar. We finish it food-safe and show you the upkeep.
How much do new countertops cost in Asheville?: It depends on material and square footage. Butcher block and laminate are the most affordable, quartz and granite are mid-range, and quartzite and marble run higher. We give a firm written estimate after a free in-home measure.
Can you work in an older Asheville home?: Often. Older houses off Charlotte St have out-of-square walls and settled cabinets, which is exactly why careful templating matters. We measure for the real conditions, not the ideal ones, so the finished counter fits tight.
How long does a countertop project take?: We template first, then return to install once the material is fabricated, usually a short time later. The install itself is typically finished in a single day, sink cutout and backsplash included.
Do you serve my area?: We cover Asheville ZIP codes including 28801, 28803, and 28806, plus West Asheville, Swannanoa, Black Mountain, Weaverville, Woodfin, Fairview, and Arden. Call (828) 780-3098 if your town is not listed.

Mountain Towns and Neighborhoods We Cover

We install countertops throughout Asheville and the surrounding Buncombe County communities, from the city neighborhoods to the nearby mountain towns.

Not sure we reach your road? Call (828) 780-3098 and we will tell you straight.

Asheville, NC (28801, 28803, 28806)
West Asheville, NC
Swannanoa, NC
Black Mountain, NC
Weaverville, NC
Woodfin, NC
Fairview, NC
Arden, NC

Book a Slab Consultation Today

Ready to compare surfaces for real? We will measure your space, lay quartz, granite, quartzite, and butcher block side by side, and give you a clear written estimate with no pressure. Most Asheville installs move quickly once the material is ready, and we handle everything from tearing out the old tops to the final sealed seam.

Call (828) 780-3098