ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS
Quartz is a hard-crystalline mineral that consists oxygen and silicone. This mineral is found in many places in the earth, but two notable mines are in North Caroline USA, and Goiza Brazil. Quartz is commonly used to make construction materials as well as countertops. Quartz Countertops consist of 93% of quartz in addition to color pigments and adhesives.
Quartz countertops are getting popular day by day with the new design introductions. Its durability, esthetics and price make people like it and opt for it.
We will answer some of the most common questions about quartz countertops in the following.
ARE QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS STAIN RESISTANT?
Quartz countertops are stain-resistant. This is the biggest sales point of quartz countertops over its natural alternatives such as granite, marble, soapstone or quartzite countertops.
ARE QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS HEAT RESISTANT?
Quartz countertops are heat resistant, but they are not heatproof. It is not recommended that you place hot pots and pans directly over quartz countertops.
This feature is the biggest disadvantage of quartz countertops over granite countertops.
ARE QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS SCRATCH RESISTANT?
Yes, quartz countertops are scratch-resistant. Quartz is not a hard material as quartzite or granite countertops, but it is still very hard to scratch quartz countertop
ARE QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS ETCH RESISTANT?
Yes, quartz countertops are etch resistant just like granite countertops.
IS QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS CHIP RESISTANT?
Quartz countertops can get chipped like granite countertops.
It is recommended that you use slightly rounded edges over sharp edges on quartz countertops. The same is true with natural stone alternatives such as granite, quartzite, marble, or soapstone countertops.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO REPAIR QUARTZ IF IT IS CHIPPED?
It is possible to repair quartz if it gets chipped, but the
repair result is usually not as good as what it would be in natural stone countertops, such as granite or marble.
IS QUARTZ BETTER THAN GRANITE ?
Quartz is better than granite in terms of stain resistance. Granite is better than quartz in terms of heat resistance. Overall, they are both very durable countertop materials that you can use for your kitchen, or bathroom vanity.
WHAT IS THE PRICE POINT FOR QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS?
Quartz has a narrower price range than natural countertops. The quartz countertops price starts at $45 sq. Ft. And can go up to $125 sq.Ft. based on the brand and design you choose.
Quartz countertops are usually similarly priced as granite countertops, and soapstone countertops (there are exceptions to it) Marble and Quartzite countertops are usually more expensive than quartz countertops.
WHICH IS MORE EXPENSIVE GRANITE OR QUARTZ?
Quartz starting price is a little higher than granite’s starting price, however some granite still can be more expensive than quartz. To put this in perspective, quartz price ranges between $45 and $125 while granite price ranges between $40 and $300 installed.
WHAT DETERMINES QUARTZ PRICE?
Quartz price is mainly based on material price and total fabrication cost. Some branded quartz Is usually more expensive because of company branding, and advertising cost. In addition, the consistent color quartz is usually less expensive than big patterns.
IS QUARTZ GOOD FOR KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS?
Quartz is a very durable material. Granite and quartz are two of the most durable countertops options.
IS QUARTZ GOOD FOR OUTDOOR APPLICATIONS?
Quartz is not recommended for outdoor applications because it is not UV resistant. Quartz color will change when it is exposed to sunlight directly.
DOES IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF YOU CHOOSE YOUR OWN SLABS IN QUARTZ?
Most quartz slab colors and patterns are repetitive;however, there is sometimes still some slight variance among different slabs.
It is recommended that you view and approve your own slab. Each quartz batch usually has thousands of slabs, so color variation should be little to none on the same batch; however, if you get a second slab after a few months, the color change may be significant because it may be from a different batch.
WHAT IS THE MAINTENANCE FOR QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS?
Quartz countertops do not require any sealing, unlike its natural alternatives.
DOES QUARTZ HAVE A SIMILAR LOOK TO MARBLE?
A lot of quartz companies imitate the marble look in quartz because marble has a uniquely soft, beautiful look. Quartz being a lot more durable than marble with similar beauty makes quartz countertops appealing.
DOES QUARTZ REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT?
Quartz does not require plywood on the top of your cabinets; however, big overhangs and unsupported areas require additional support in quartz countertops. Quartz is a more flexible material than natural countertops
options, so there is usually a little more leeway with supporting quartz countertops. Feel free to read our following blog post comprehensively discussing different support questions and solutions. Blog: Granite and Quartz Support Requirements
WHAT ARE THE FINISH OPTIONS IN QUARTZ?
Most quartz comes in a polished finish. Some companies like Ceasarstone and Silestone also make honed and suede finishes for some of their color designs.
WHERE DOES QUARTZ COME FROM?
Some quartz is made here in the USA like Ceasarstone. Some are made in Canada like Hanstone. Some are made in Spain like Silestone. There is also a lot of quartz made in India and Vietnam. China is cutting its quartz production due to new tariffs introduced on quartz.
Columbus Granite works with a variety of quartz suppliers around the world, but our main quartz suppliers are located in Italy, like Antolini Quartz.
QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS CLEANING
Use regular household cleaners to clean quartz countertops, such as Windex. Use barkeepers’ friends for stubborn stains on quartz.
ARE QUARTZ SEAMS VISIBLE?
Quartz seams are visible like they are on natural stones.Consistent quartz colors usually provide better seam matching than colors with big patterns.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO USE SAME QUARTZ FOR THE BACK SPLASHES?
Yes, it is possible to use the same quartz on the backsplashes. The thickness would be the same as the stone. It possible to have 4-5″ tall backsplashes as well as backsplashes full height (all the way to the cabinets)
WILL QUARTZ HAVE SURFACE CRACKS LIKE GRANITE, MARBLE, SOAPSTONE AND OTHER NATURAL STONES?
Quartz will not have surface cracks or fissure lines like natural stones.
WHAT IS THE INSTALLATION WARRANTY ON QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS?
Columbus Granite provides a one-year warranty on all quartz installations.
HOW BIG ARE THE QUARTZ SLABS?
The size of the slab depends on the brand and color. Most slabs come in 126″ x 63″ however shorter slabs 120″ x 55″ and a lot larger slabs 135” x 76” also exist in a few colors.
WHAT ARE THE COLOR OPTIONS FOR QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS?
Quartz comes in a variety of different colors, from pure white to pure black. White Color quartz with gray lines representing marble look is the most common quartz color.
WHAT ARE THE QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS BRANDS
Silestone, Caesarstone, Cambria, Dupond, Antolini, Q Quartz, Hanstone are some of the the major quartz brands in the USA. Quartz countertops by Cambria are made in the USA. Hanstone Quartz are made in Canada. Antolini quartz comes from Italy.
WHAT IS BEST QUARTZ FOR KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS?
There are many brands available in the market. Above mentioned brands are the major players and manufacture good quality quartz countertops for kitchen, and bathroom tops.
QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS VS GRANITE
Quartz countertops compares to granite in terms of price, and durability.
DOES QUARTZ COLOR AND PATTERN CONTINUE ON THE EDGE?
Quartz color and pattern continues on the edge of the stone, so it will give a natural stone look in the end.