You have wanted to do a kitchen renovation for some time but only have enough money saved to renew your benchtops. After thorough research, you narrowed it down to either quartz or granite, but you are unsure which one to choose because of the multiple, albeit confusing, information. In this article, we will discuss facts about quartz to help you make an informed decision.
Quartz Is Different From Quartz Used For Benchtop
Quartz is the second most abundant mineral on earth and is highly resistant to weathering. There are many varieties of quartz, and some are considered semi-precious gemstones. Quartz used for a benchtop is sometimes called quartzite or engineered stone. It is usually made by combining ground-up particles of stone with synthetic resins and colourants under heat and high pressure.
Quartz Benchtop Is Customizable
One of the reasons most homeowners prefer a quartz benchtop is that you can customize the look of the product to fit your colour scheme because it is an engineered stone. The patterns are also varied and offer a more uniform look.
Quartz Offers Minimal to Zero Maintenance
Because it is made of ground-up stone and resin, quartz doesn’t need to be sealed and is stainless. In addition, because it is non-porous, it can handle oil, wine, coffee, and many other highly stainable products.
Quartz Offers More Design Ease
Designing with quartz is a lot easier because the sample tiles you would see are true representations of the actual slab itself. In addition, you can envision the result compared to its natural stone counterparts because there are never two slabs that are alike.
Quartz is Hygienic
Because it is a synthetic stone shaped and held together by resin, quartz doesn’t hold viruses or bacteria, so you can rest assured that when you wipe down your countertops, it will be clean. Some manufacturers even apply their quartz with an antibacterial treatment making them more hygienic.
Quartz Is Highly Durable
Because it doesn’t have striations, flaws, and imperfections, the probability of cracking is very low.
Quartz Has Less Natural Beauty
While the appearance of quartz can be customizable, it still has less natural beauty to it. Many manufacturers have been trying to come up with more natural colours and patterns but have failed miserably.
Quartz Benchtop Is Green
Because it is an engineered stone, quartz used for making a benchtop are more sustainable. You can rest assured that no natural stones were quarried when making a quartz benchtop because about ninety per cent of the stone-like material are all waste by-products of other manufacturing processes.
Quartz Seams Are Obvious But Can Be Hidden
Quartz shares this characteristic with its more natural counterpart, granite. However, if you choose a darker colour, the seams won’t show and be well hidden but might be a little more difficult if there are many patterns in the slab.
Quartz Is A Little Bit More Expensive
Because it is not a natural stone and is instead man-made, and manufacturers control the price, it will cost you a bit more to have it installed.
Quartz Is Not Weather and Heat Resistant
While quartz resists stains better than natural stone, they are not ideal for outdoor use because long sunlight exposure may damage them. It is also more susceptible to heat, so one has to take extra care when setting down hot pots in the kitchen.
There is a Size Limitation
The standard size of a quartz slab is 65.5 inches wide and 132 inches long. Should you need a bigger size, a seam is inevitable, and as discussed earlier, if you chose a lighter colour, the seams will show.
The Bottomline
You can use these facts about quartz to make an informed decision on what to use for your benchtops when having your kitchens remodelled based on your budget and needs.
