You’ve noticed quartz countertops and backsplashes at friends’ homes and posh restaurants. Smooth, sleek, seamless—and in just about any color you can think of—quartz surfaces are granite on steroids. Homeowners and designers will tell you granite has its problems. Quartz takes you nearly as far as flashy granite, but along a different route. Both journeys, however, begin at the quarry with natural stone.
What It Is
It is the leading choice in kitchen and bath countertops, according to Consumer Reports. The look of cut stone coupled with designer flexibility give engineered quartz a strong aesthetic draw. Enhanced strength and safety in food preparation give it the practical draw that homeowners can’t seem to resist.
Quartz kitchen and bath surfaces begin with raw materials from the earth. Small quartz particles are combined with pigments, glass, mirrors and polymers. Engineered to working sizes, the finished product contains 93% quartz stone, and is extremely hard and strong.
This all translates into a long life and hardworking feature of your busy kitchen or bath. It also means that you had better be happy with the countertops you pick. They might outlive you.
Given their sizes, shapes and colors, countertops become the main focus of a room, Quartz countertops are up to the job of creating visual interest while they work. A huge palette of colors and patterns, and varied texture and edge styles, let you set any tone. The flexibility of custom shaping lets you draw boundaries beyond the straight and narrow.
Several suppliers of quartz countertops and matching custom material offer U.S. networks of manufacturers, custom fabricators and installers. Consumers can choose from brands such as Cambria, CaesarStone and Silestone, and receive similar products and lengthy warranties. Which brand of quartz countertop is right for you? Fortunately, many shopping and comparison opportunities will help you make the right decision.
Who It’s Good For
You want it if:
- You are a passionate cook who wants looks, food safety and easy cleaning.
- You are a residential decorator who wants to integrate kitchen and bath decor, with flexibility in color and detail.
- You are a green builder looking for LEED points and a reliable materials supplier.
- You are a “sky is the limit” interior designer who wants to make a big splash in a restaurant, bar, hotel, office or any other commercial space.
Homeowners appreciate the distinction of natural stone combined with practically no maintenance requirements. They work with interior decorators to synchronize floor, wall and countertop colors and textures. The result is an upscale look with a downtown work ethic.
Contractors can employ quartz countertops in overall green design, winning recognition from the U.S. Green Building Council for recycled components and low or no volatile emissions. Engineered quartz is readily available in the U.S. to contractors and designers on tight schedules.
Quartz countertops, backsplashes and room accents may be most enthusiastically received by managers of commercial space decor. The permanence of stone lends a distinguished air to any room, while the freedom in shading and sizing emboldens a design scheme. Fuchsia, apple or jet-black—earth tones or sky shades—high-tech quartz surfaces let your vision soar.
Benefits
It benefits those who use it, those who view it and those who don’t even know that their food was prepared on its surface. A nonporous material such as quartz is excellent for food-prep countertops, as well as clean-up areas in bacteria-friendly bathrooms.
Most brands of quartz countertops, including Cambria, Silestone and CaesarStone, are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation for use in commercial and institutional kitchens. Silestone adds patented Microban, an antimicrobial agent, to its mix. This eliminates countertop bacteria growth, a popular safety feature.
An important benefit of quartz countertops is their longevity, which makes them a good investment. They add value to a home that you may sell, and they are economical because they need no maintenance other than routine cleaning. Periodic resealing, a must for marble or granite countertops, isn’t necessary with quartz. Once you buy it, it’s bought.
You won’t be stuck with just one color scheme for you kitchen or baths, though. The nature of quartz results in mottled or veined coloring, enhanced at the factory for hue and consistency. You can choose a shade that actually incorporates several colors. Try one from Silestone that is interlaced with reflective material for an everchanging surface each time you look at it.
Silestone and CaesarStone boast interesting soft-edged finishes, with a leather or honed feel. Cambria is a fine green choice, since it’s quarried and 100% manufactured in the United States. All brands have colors for any homeowner’s taste and designer’s fancy. High-tech benefits, however, often carry low-grade risks.
Risks
Quartz might….Crack. Chip. Stain. Shatter. Scorch. Fade. Dissatisfied consumers make these and other claims, although air-quality damage from radon emissions is not one of them. Some types of granite are known to emit radon, but not engineered quartz.
Check your manufacturer’s literature closely. Some companies say that direct sunlight or high heat will harm your quartz countertop. High-acid foods and liquids can stain quartz. Some edge styles are more prone to chipping or cracking.
Knowing what can go wrong will help you avoid hot water or accommodate any changes in your cool, new quartz countertop.
