Quartz takes any kitchen Countertops or bathroom countertops to the next level of attractive elegance. One of the toughest countertop materials available, quartz will deliver decades of durable service while maintaining its beauty.
One of the most appealing features of quartz kitchen and bathroom countertops is that they are available in many colors from bright to black with a spectrum in between of creams, browns and grays. This is because they can be enhanced your countertop with any color range to produce nearly any hue you can imagine while offering the look and feel of natural stone.
Quartz countertops differ from granite and marble countertops in one significant way: quartz is an engineered product while the other two are solid stone. The composition of quartz countertops is about 93 percent quartz, a natural material found in abundance in the earth’s crust, and 7 percent binder and color.
The quartz is ground into small particles and then mixed with a polyester resin binder to hold it together and with pigment to give it richer color. Small particles of glass or reflective metallic flakes are added to some designs to achieve a unique look. The result is an attractive, extremely strong slab that is similar in appearance to marble.
Here is a look at the strengths and weaknesses of quartz countertops.
Quartz Countertop Advantages:
- Excellent options for color, pattern, texture and finish
- Extremely durable
- Quartz doesn’t need to be sealed while natural stone does
- It is non-porous, so resistant to staining and bacteria
- Easy to clean with a damp cloth (and mild cleaner, if necessary)
- Very hard surface is resistant to scratches
- More depth to the finish than is possible with solid-surface countertops
- The resin creates flexibility, so countertops will not chip as easily as granite, marble, tile or concrete
- The combination of quartz dust or aggregate with a binder makes it easy to manufacture slabs of many shapes and sizes to fit your kitchen or bath design
- Seams between slabs are less visible than between slabs of concrete or natural stone
Quartz Countertop Disadvantages:
- Not as resistant to heat as concrete, tile, crushed glass or granite
- Does not have the natural look as stone, since it is engineered (Note: this is not a “con” in the eyes of those who prefer a more contemporary look anyway)
- Quartz countertops are among the most expensive, especially for the best quality and finish
In summary, you must pay a bit more for quartz than you would for tile, wood, laminate or some solid surface designs. Plus, you will need to keep a hot pad or trivet nearby for pots and pans right off the burner or out of the oven.
In exchange, quartz countertops deliver outstanding durability and easy maintenance combined with superior beauty consistent with high-end kitchen and bath design. For consumers who want a premium product for their home, the strengths of quartz countertops outweigh the weaknesses.
QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS