Essential Details About Quartz Countertops

Just a decade ago, many homeowners were unfamiliar with quartz countertops, but they have exploded in popularity in recent years. Offering beauty and durability, quartz is not a natural slab of stone, but it may be worth your attention as an option for installing in your home. Here’s why. Made from Quartz and Resin Quartz countertops are not quarried from the earth. Instead, natural quartz is ground and bonded with resin to create a completely nonporous surface. Most of the materials in quartz countertops are manmade, although there is at least some amount of natural stone in the mix. On average, quartz counters are more than 90 percent crushed natural quartz. Because quartz is mixed with resin, other additives can be included to create a unique and striking effect. Depending on the look you want, small flecks of metal, glass, or dyes can be added to the mix. Come from the Same Source Bretonstone was created in 1963 by the Breton company. This technology is still in use today to create quartz countertops, and it's licensed to more than 50 companies like Caesarstone, Cambria, and Silestone. Breton even created a process to combine organic and artificial resins to make quartz counters more eco-friendly. Available in a Huge Array of Colors and Styles No matter which style of countertop you're looking for, you can probably find it with quartz. The most popular styles of quartz resemble natural stone like granite and marble, but you can also get unique choices that combine the veins and speckled patterns of stone with non-traditional colors. Some manufacturers also offer brilliant and modern options like Apple Martini. Unlike in the past, when it lacked natural-looking color variations and patterns, quartz can now be manufactured into multi-colored slabs with swirls, random patterns, and flecks. Quartz even comes in the same finishes as granite and marble. Along with the popular polished finish, you can choose honed, embossed, or sandblasted for the look and feel of slate, limestone, or granite. Almost Indestructible Granite is an incredibly hard material that's nearly impossible to scratch, but quartz is even harder. Quartz counters are about 5 times harder than granite, which makes them highly resistant to chips, breaks, and scratches. Very Low Maintenance If you want a countertop material with little maintenance, it's hard to beat quartz. Quartz countertops are among the lowest-maintenance options available. For instance, the nonporous surface does not need to be sealed. Though quartz is less sensitive to acids and common cleaning products than natural stone, it’s still important to care for it properly to prevent staining and etching. Make sure to clean your quartz countertops regularly with a high-quality quartz cleaner. If you know how to clean granite countertops, the process for cleaning quartz is essentially the same. As often as needed, spray Granite Gold Quartz Brite® directly onto the surface, then buff to a luster and dry with a paper towel or microfiber cloth. To learn more about caring for quartz as well as natural stone like granite, marble, and slate, get in touch with Granite Gold® today at 1-800-475-STONE.