With the allure and durability of natural stone, minus the upkeep, quartz countertops offer marble options run for its value.
Made from one of the hardest minerals on earth, quartz countertops are arguably the most long lasting options for kitchens. They’re likewise one of the most attractive and available in an array of patterns and colors.. They can be found in a wide range of shades, consisting of fire-engine red as well as apple green, as well as natural browns, blacks, and creams, with shimmers and veining for the look of granite or marble. However unlike natural-stone slabs, which are extracted, these pieces are crafted in a manufacturing facility.
Is Quartz That Much Better Than Granite?
Their primary make up is ground quartz (around 94 percent), combined with polyester resins to bind it and pigments to give it color. For some layouts, percentages of recycled glass or metallic streaks are added to the mix. The resins additionally help to make these counters stain as well as scratch immune– and impermeable, so they never need to be sealed. Contrast that with porous natural stones that requiring frequent re-sealing.
In the past, the greatest knock against quartz was that it lacked the patterns and also color variations that you can obtain with natural stone. But that’s a moot factor currently, with fabricators providing multihued slabs with enough flecks, swirls, and arbitrary patterning to make them almost identical from the actual thing.
They were once available only with a polished surface; now you can get one with a honed, sandblasted, or embossed treatment. So if it’s the appearance of matte limestone, textured slate, or shiny granite that you want, there’s a quartz countertop for you. Keep reading for assistance picking one to match your budget, your cooking and cleansing requirements, and your design. We’ll review the benefits and drawbacks of quartz countertops so you can make the best decision.
How Much Do Quartz Countertops Cost?
Expect to pay about the same as you would for natural stone, around $60 to $90 per square foot, including installation.
How are Quartz Countertops Made?
Natural-quartz crystals are extracted, then ground right into a dirt or an accumulation that’s integrated with resin binders under extreme heat as well as pressure to develop a strong slab. Pigments added during the process convey color to the counter top.
Key Quartz FAQs
DIY or hire a pro?
Like all-natural rock, quartz slabs are very hefty. And though the included materials make them more flexible, they, also, can break if not properly managed. Work only with licensed installers.
Where can you purchase it?
Order through kitchen-design display rooms or from home centers, home improvement stores or your local stone countertop fabricator.
For how long do they last?
For as long as you have your kitchen. Quartz kitchen counter manufacturers supply warranties ranging from 10 or 15 years to lifetime, depending on the business.
Is a Quartz Countertop Right for You?
Below are the benefits and drawbacks to think about when choosing to opt for quartz.
Pros
It’s low-maintenance.
Unlike natural stone or wood, it never requires to be sealed. Just clean with soapy water for daily maintenance. Surface discolorations can be removed with a gentle cleansing scrub. Don’t use scouring pads, which can dull the surface area, as well as severe chemicals that could damage the bonds between the quartz and materials.
It’s antimicrobial.
Resin binders make quartz counters nonporous, so stain- and also odor-causing germs, mold, and mildew can’t penetrate the surface.
It’s design-friendly.
Some manufacturers provide jumbo slabs for undisturbed runs of countertop. But despite conventional pieces, typically 60 by 120 inches, the joints can be nearly invisible; included resins permit cleaner cuts without breaking as rock does. The materials also make quartz much more versatile than natural stone, enabling fabricators to flex as well as shape it right into sinks or the sides of a rounded island. As well as it’s versatile enough to be used on floorings and walls– fabricators can even cut the pieces right into conventional ceramic tile dimensions.
Disadvantages
It’s costly.
Compared with DIY choices, such as timber, laminate, and concrete, which can cost less than $10 per square foot, quartz, like granite, is pricey– about $60 to $90 per square foot, including installation.
It can’t take extreme heat.
Quartz counters are heat as well as blister resistant, but only so much. A lot of producers state their products can handle up to 400 F, yet an abrupt change in temperature or sustained heat from a frying pan left on the counter might cause the surface to split. To be safe, always utilize a trivet or a pot holder.
It can’t be used outside.
Mount it outdoors in an uncovered area, as well as you’ll invalidate the service warranty. Straight sunlight day in day out can quartz to discolor or the kitchen counter to warp or split gradually. Currently, none of the major manufacturers supply an outdoor-approved quartz counter.
Quartz Countertops Purchasing Overview as well as Timeline
1. Compare Colors and also Prices
Search to compare colors as well as prices. Some quartz fabricators offered exclusively via big-box stores; various other slabs are readily available only with independent kitchen and bath showrooms.
2. Select Your Brand as well as Color
Choose your brand as well as color, and also set up a time for a fabricator to visit your home to take dimensions and also make a layout of the tops of your base cabinets.
Unless you are maintaining existing fixtures, you supply the dimensions for the sink as well as faucet cutouts as well as any type of drop-in home appliances, such as a cooktop.
3. Obtain Price Quotes and Order
Get a price quote and place your order. As soon as the fabricator understands the complexity of the installation, including the edge profile, variety of slabs, and intermediary information, they can quote the actual expense of the entire job.
4. Schedule Your Templating and Installation.
Templates are made of the cabinets and countertops are fabricated to custom specifications.
Thereafter installation is scheduled. The fabricator lays the slab directly on top of cabinets; as a whole, no plywood underlayment is required. It’s held in place with silicone-based building adhesive, as well as any type of joints between slabs are loaded with color-matched epoxy material.
Undermount sinks are mounted with clips (and also occasionally wood braces) that attach to the bottom of the kitchen counter. Anticipate installation for a common kitchen area to take from a few hours to a day.
The Completing Touch.
Nearly any type of edge profile that you can obtain with stone can be duplicated with quartz. The standard eased edge, slightly rounded over to ensure that there aren’t any kind of sharp angles, and the more fanciful ogee, which appears like an S curve on its side, are two of one of the most prominent edges.
Your fabricator will certainly help you select an edge that fits your kitchen area’s style as well as the kitchen counter’s density– normally 1/2, 3/4, or 1 1/4 inches– as well as will shape the profile making use of a template given by the manufacturer. Fabricators can likewise do custom layouts, such as a chiseled, raw edge or a gently cascading three-level waterfall-style profile. Remember that the more complex the edge, the greater the cost.