Kitchen countertops made of quartz is a growing trend. Interior designers have accepted that his material is on the upswing and it can be one of their main recommendations to homeowners. Some people may be confused about what quartz is made of. To be clear, this material is mostly crushed natural stone; however, it is not cut from the crust of the Earth. Manufacturers make Quartz in Laval through a special process to create an engineered material that has a high volume of crystalline silicon dioxide.
Quartz Elements
Silicon dioxide is an abundant mineral that is quite durable and hard when combined with other natural materials like feldspar. Rocks with a high content of quartz can’t be easily scratched even with metal tools. Silicon dioxide is collected to make quartz slab, aiming for mineral content of around 90% to 94%. Quartzite is the only natural stone used as a building material with higher silicon dioxide content.
Moreover, quartz slabs can be made by using advanced resins made from different polymers. Usually, stone fragments are collected from the same quarries where natural stone blocks are extracted. Such fragments are crushed and mixed with the resins. Then, the mixture is added with synthetic pigments for coloring purposes, producing a final product that is a lot like natural stone. Cutting the slabs requires using stone masonry tools.
Benefits of Quartz Countertops
There are a lot of benefits to using quartz s your countertop stone. These include the following:
- They don’t require sealing. Unlike natural stones such as marble and granite, quartz is a nonporous material, thus, it doesn’t require sealing. This means you do not need to spend money on sealing services every few years.
- They are easy to clean. Quartz countertops can be cleaned by wiping them with a towel and some soapy water for everyday upkeep. You don’t have to use scouring pads or harsh chemicals because you can remove surface stains with a gentle scrub and some elbow grease.
- They resist stains. If you have white quartz countertops, you don’t need to worry about spilling a glass of red wine on them because they are stain-free. They can resist staining and corrosion from life’s substances such as cooking oils, beverages, cleaning products, and dirt.
- They are available in a variety of colors. Since quartz is manmade, it can be made with a variety of pigments. This makes it possible to produce quartz of varying color choices. Whether you want a natural earth tone or vibrant rainbow color, quartz offers a variety of color options to complete the design of any room.
