What Exactly Is a Quartz Countertop?

Quartz countertops are a type of engineered stone that is constructed of ground-up stone particles that are linked together with plastic resins. Quartz is one of the most difficult minerals on the planet. Quartz is a popular and dependable choice for countertops due to its resilience and abundance. Quartz countertops are occasionally referred to as “engineered” or “man-made,” yet quartz is a natural stone.

Most quartz countertops contain some quartz.

A polymeric or cement-based binder accounts for around 10% of the material volume in a quartz countertop, rather than stone. What about the other 90%? Crushed granite, marble, and natural stone debris, as well as recycled industrial wastes such as ceramic, silica, glass, mirrors, and so on.

Quartz countertop installation pros and cons

Pros

• It’s highly tough and long-lasting.
• It has a gleaming luster to it.
• It is non-porous and resistant to stains and cracks.
• It does not need to be sealed or resealed.
• It is available in a variety of hues.
• It is simple to clean using mild soap, water, and a soft towel.

Cons

• It can be costly (between $60 and $100 per square foot).
• It is not heat resistant.
• For big countertop designs, seams are unavoidable.
• Professional installation is strongly advised (quartz countertops are quite hefty!).

Quartz Countertops Are Eco-Friendly

Fiberboard as a building material is widely reviled, but one thing is certain: no tree was ever felled solely to produce fiberboard. The same may be said with engineered stone countertops. The majority of the stone-like materials used to make quartz countertops are waste byproducts of other quarrying or manufacturing operations. No natural stone is mined expressly to make quartz countertops.