If you are planning for your home remodeling, then choosing the right material for your countertops is one of the challenging tasks. Consequently, quartz countertops are one of the things you have in mind right now. They are highly durable, resistant to scratches and stains. Moreover, they can be an excellent focal point in your kitchen and bathroom areas.
However, before investing in this high-value countertop, it is best if you know the important details about it. For instance, do you know the best brands of quartz in the market? Colors available? Pros and cons of quartz countertops?
If you do not have a solid idea about these things, it is a good thing you are here because we are going to talk about several factors about this engineered quartz countertops. Stay tuned to find out more and we hope you enjoy reading through the entire article.
Table of Contents
Quartz Countertops Brands
Each brand of engineered quartz countertops offers a variety of design and color to fit your bathroom and kitchen renovations. Some of these brands are accessible from bath and kitchen designers while others can be purchased from design centers.
Caesarstone
When it comes to an array of choices for quartz countertop designs or custom quartz countertop, then Caesarstone is your best option. This brand has more than forty different colors of engineered quartz countertops around the globe.
Moreover, there are different styles to choose from that can fit your quartz kitchen countertops and quartz bathroom countertops. They also offer some affordable quartz countertops for those on a tight budget.
Cambria
This is a high-end brand of quartz countertop designs solely produced in the United States. You can purchase this brand from limited accredited stores and designers around the world. It has more than 100 designs of custom quartz countertop which is very popular for its luxurious colors and patterns. Some of its designs are imitations from the appearances of natural stones like marble.
Corian
This brand is formerly known as Zodiaq and is produced by DuPont. They also have plenty of versatile quartz countertop designs good for home remodeling. Corian offers more than 40 color variations with lucrative textures.
Silestone
This is one of the popular brands of custom quartz countertop for designers and households. They provide over 60 designs of engineered quartz countertops that can match your floor, wall, sinks, and backsplash.
Santa Margherita Quartz
This brand is sourced from Verona Marble Company. They provide plenty of designs for quartz kitchen countertops that have good resistance to scratch, heat, and chemicals. Some of the engineered quartz countertop colors they have include Venati, Classic, Metropolis, Fusion, Stardust, Glitter, Wave, and more.
MSI Quartz
This is one of the leading national brands distributing high-quality affordable quartz countertops worldwide. It was founded in 1975 as an outstanding supplier of natural and man-made stones used for designing residential and commercial establishments.
Viatera
This brand is produced by the appliance company LG wherein there are around 50 colors of quartz countertop designs. This sleek and elegant custom quartz countertop is made from 93 percent quartz and 7 percent cement-based resin binders. This brand was launched in 2004 and have existed in Italy for more than 20 years already.
Quartz Countertops Pros & Cons
There are plenty of natural and man-made stones to choose from for your countertops. Most customers would look for the added value, functionality, and aesthetics of the material that match up with their existing home design. Likewise, your countertop can become the focal point in your kitchen and bathroom, so it is critical to choose the right one.
If quartz is your number one choice, then you better know its benefits and setbacks before investing in this high-quality and high-value countertop. Check out the pros and cons of engineered quartz countertops.
Quartz Countertop - Pros
Hardness
When it comes to measuring the hardness of a mineral, we use the Mohs Scale of Hardness. This scale ranges from 1 to 10, where 1 is the lowest rating or the mineral is very soft while 10 means the mineral has excellent hardness. From this scale, quartz has a rating of 7. This means quartz has a good resistance against scratches and dents but not completely indestructible.
Design and Appearance
Unlike natural stones where their designs are innate, quartz’s design and appearance can be altered to fit your preference. Some of these custom quartz countertops can mimic the appearance of natural stones like marble and granite. Otherwise, you can ask your supplier to create a design that will complement the existing design of your kitchen and bathroom.
Excellent Non-Porous Feature
The superb non-porous ability of quartz countertops is highly contributed to its mixed cement-based resin binders. Majority of the composition of this man-made stone came from natural quartz while around 3 to 7 percent are resin binders.
These binders seal off the natural pores of this mineral so that no water and bacteria can penetrate through it. Non-porous trait increases the antibacterial and anti-stain capabilities of most minerals.
Versatile Applications
Custom quartz countertop has an array of applications other than as the main countertops for your kitchen and bathroom. With its different style and texture, you can fairly take advantage of that by using it for your backsplash, bathroom wall, sink, flooring, and more.
Low Cleaning and Maintenance
Unlike granite and other natural stones, engineered quartz countertops require zero sealing maintenance because they are innately non-porous. With that, you can also guarantee excellent anti-stain properties for this mineral.
In terms of cleaning, you can fairly use a neutral pH cleaning solution, non-abrasive cloth, and water to remove dust, spills, and food debris on its surface. The low-level cleaning and maintenance requirement of a quartz countertop is one of the best benefits taken advantaged by most customers.
Quartz Countertop - Cons
Hefty Price
The main setback of this engineered quartz countertop is its hefty price in all designers and suppliers. Typically, you can expect a higher price for all products with good quality and for increasing good quality. However, if the quality matches up with the price, then we can say it goes at a reasonable price.
Nevertheless, there are still affordable quartz countertops available worldwide but the quality will be lower compared to those very expensive ones.
Mimic Appearance
Advances in technology in producing these engineered quartz countertops enables them to mimic the appearances and designs of natural stones. However, when you look more closely, you would see the difference between quartz’s veining and that of natural stones.
Low Heat Resistance
Unlike granite, quartz has lower resistance against heat due to the presence of its resin binders. When you place a hot object like hot pans on its surface, these resins get burnt and causes discolorations of the mineral. Make sure you use to place some heat paddings to prevent this from happening.
Professional Installers
When you choose this mineral for your kitchen and bathroom countertops, you need to hire a professional installer to secure proper measurement and seamless installation. This mineral requires utmost care and accuracy during installation which a professional installer has with its years of experience and training.
Low UV Resistance
Engineered quartz countertops have low tolerance against prolonged exposure with UV rays. This is the main reason why it is mostly used indoors because UV ray exposure will cause discoloration of its pigments.
How to Clean Quartz Countertop?
One of the best-selling features of quartz countertops is its low requirements for cleaning which is similar to granite. No matter how durable and beautiful quartz countertops are, without proper cleaning, their beauty will be compromised and the lifespan of your countertop will be shorter.
The cleaning procedures for quartz countertops is simple and straightforward. We have outlined some of the typical steps for cleaning for this countertop.
- Dilute a mild soap solution with lukewarm water.
- Use a non-abrasive cloth and soak it into the diluted soap solution.
- Wipe off the surface of your quartz countertops
- After removing all spills, stains, and food debris rinse it with tap water
- Wipe dry with a clean and soft cloth
How long will a Quartz Countertop last?
The average life of a standard engineered quartz countertop is between 10 to 15 years. This long lifespan can be linked to the innate durability, hardness, and non-porous features of quartz. However, you can easily extend the life of your quartz countertop by doing proper cleaning and maintenance to preserve its beauty and structure.
Quartz Countertops Colors
Considering that quartz countertops are man-made, so there are an array of colors and designs to choose from in the market. Nevertheless, the most common colors available include white, black, beige, dark brown, light brown, and gray. Choosing which color is the best greatly depends on your preference and how it complements the existing design in your kitchen and bathroom.
Sparkling White Quartz
Sparkling White Quartz helps you create a clean and modern ambiance in your kitchen and bathroom remodeling. White can fairly keep up and blend with any colors in your area such as rustic brown furniture, stainless steel appliances, and more.
Black Quartz Countertops
Black quartz countertops can create a great sense of depth and mysticism in your kitchen and bathroom space. Its dramatic design can fairly complement with any bright colors in your area such as white chairs and tables, stainless freezers and microwave, and chrome-plated faucets.
Similar to white quartz, this color will create a strong contrast with those vibrantly colored objects and fixtures in your kitchen and bathroom areas.
Carrara Grigio Quartz
Carrara Grigio color mimics the natural beauty of marble giving you that blue-gray tone. Unlike marble, quartz has more resistance against chemicals and acidic liquids. It is a good choice for timeless beauty in your kitchen and bathroom countertops.
Calacatta Nova Quartz
Calacatta Nova Quartz is a white quartz countertop with random streaks of a bluish gray color. This design will provide an elegant focal point for your quartz kitchen countertop. Moreover, it can blend well with rustic brown cabinets and furniture.
Calacatta Gold Quartz
Calacatta Gold Quartz is a white quartz countertop with different veins of gold, copper, gray, and black flourishing over its surface. It serves as a lucrative focal point for your quartz kitchen countertop.
How Expensive is Quartz Countertop?
The average quartz countertops cost is $75 per square foot. If you want an affordable quartz countertop, the price would range between $50 to $65 per square foot. Meanwhile, quartz countertop with the highest quality and price would cost around $75 to $150 per square foot.
Difference Between Granite and Quartz Countertops
There is an endless battle and argument between granite and quartz countertops, which has greater market dominance. Truth to be told, the final say will always depend on you as the customer. The requirements of each customer are different and unique, and you have to consider that when choosing the right material for your countertop.
Here, we are going to have a close comparison between the two minerals to check on their similarities and differences.
Composition
Granite is a natural stone mostly made of granite and other mixed minerals from igneous rocks. On the other hand, quartz is man-made stones that are 92% to 94% made from pulverized quartz and mixed minerals while 8% to 6% cement-based resin binders.
Durability and Hardness
In terms of hardness, quartz has a slight advantage because it is rated 7 on the Mohs Hardness Scale while Granite is between 6 to 6.5 scale. Nevertheless, we can fairly say that both stones have sufficient durability to last more than 10 years and even longer with proper cleaning and maintenance.
Design and Aesthetics
In general, you will see more consistency with the veinings and color variation in quartz than in granite countertops. Quartz countertops offer more color and design variations because it can be customized in the last section of its production process.
However, for those with meticulous tastes, they can distinctly see the difference between the natural and artificial veinings. If you love natural veinings, granite is best for you. Otherwise, you can have quartz countertops for seamless and consistent veining.
Price
The price difference between these two stones does not fall far from each other. Granite Countertops cost around $80 to $175 per square foot while quartz is around $75 to $150. These are the average prices of granite and quartz in the market, yet their actual costs can vary depending on some factors like size, grade, color, supplier, and location from the supplier.
Conclusion
We are happy you have reached the last section of our blog. We hope you had a fruitful time reading through all parts and gained much insight about quartz countertops. Perhaps, you can unwind for a moment to rethink if quartz countertop is the best material you can have for your kitchen and bathroom space.
If you find our article useful, please share it with your friends and families who might need it. Have a pleasant day.
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