The primacy of granite is over. Unequivocally, quartz is now the surface of choice for residential and commercial use in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms — indeed, any countertop in any room regardless of how it’s used.
Granite, in fact, is now considered a drag on market value. You will hear sighs of disappointment — quite literally — from prospective buyers when they walk into a property and spot the familiar polished stone — often a dark color with extensive patterns. “We’ll definitely have to rip it out,” goes the refrain, “there’s no way I can live with it.” Especially in Florida, homeowners want bright, sleek, sparse kitchens to match their sun-water-beach environment.
Man-Made Product
Whereas natural stone countertops — granite, marble — are extracted from the earth in blocks and cut into slabs, producing one-of-a-kind pieces, quartz surfaces are factory-made. And it is this manufactured pedigree, utilizing modern processes and materials, that imparts many of quartz’s sought after properties.
Technically, the preferred term applied to quartz is “engineered stone.” The technology traces back to an Italian inventor in the 1960s, who first produced floor tiles. Only much later did someone think to pursue the countertop market. Today, the technology (under the Bretonstone trademark) is licensed to more than 50 companies worldwide.
The primary component of quartz countertops — anywhere between 90 and 95 percent — is natural quartz stone, mined, crushed, and processed into smaller, uniform pieces, ranging in size from pebbles to sand. Quartz itself is one of the most common minerals in the earth’s crust, with notable U.S. deposits in Arkansas and North Carolina. The remaining material volume is polymeric binding resins, pigments, and perhaps waste granite and marble, with ceramics, glass, mirrors, metal shavings, etc. added to achieve unique looks.
Simplified, here’s what the manufacturing process looks like. With the mixture readied to specifications, it is poured into a mold to create a slab (commonly 120 x 60 inches). The slab is then compressed at high pressure (e.g., 100 tons) to bond the materials together, and vacuums applied to remove air molecules, producing a non-porous surface. Next, the slab is super-heated to harden and strengthen it, then cooled and cured. Finally, the surface is polished to bring out the quartz’s natural glossiness. Alternatively, matte and concrete-like finishes are offered.
Installation is complicated — not something a do-it-yourselfer should attempt. Extensive measurements (typically using lasers) are required to fashion overhangs, cutouts, seams, and a desired edge profile. The slabs are extremely heavy, requiring a crew to place them. Once installed, it’s a good idea to protect the new countertop — every inch of surface, corner, and edge — with cardboard, paper, and tape, until all other work in the immediate area is complete.
Benefits and Drawbacks
No countertop material is perfect; each has benefits and drawbacks. That said, engineered quartz comes pretty close to checking all the boxes for today’s homeowners, who want both function and style.
Major Benefits Include:
Design options: Quartz offers unlimited colors and patterns — or no pattern, just solid color — to choose from. Bright whites, soft creams, browns, greens, grays, black, etc. Slabs can have veining to mimic marble, with a choice of vein colors. Compared particularly to granite, the look achieved is sophisticated, chic, ultra-modern. Whereas no two natural stone countertop sections are exactly alike, quartz slabs using a given formula can be mass produced with exacting precision. Ultimately, quartz offers the greatest degree of design customization throughout an entire home.
Durability: Quartz is harder than granite, and not as easily scratched. If scratched or pitted, quartz can be buffed out or filled with epoxy filler and smoothed.
Maintenance-free: Quartz surfaces are non-porous, so they don’t require routine sealing like granite and marble. Moisture and contaminants will not penetrate, eliminating embedded stains and making the surface 99.9 percent bacteria-free. Prudently, spills and food should be cleaned up as soon as practicable. However, daily cleaning using a washcloth, warm water, and dish soap will keep quartz looking beautiful. Avoid cleaners with harsh chemicals and bleach, scouring pads.
Major Drawbacks Include:
Heat damage: Due to its resins, a very hot pan placed on quartz can cause a whitish, cloudy blemish or burn mark. This can apply to a slow-cooker as well. Simple precaution: use a trivet or cutting board.
Edges can chip: Manufacturers are not entirely honest about the durability of quartz. A pan of even moderate weight dropped on a quartz edge surrounding a sink, for example, can take out a noticeable chunk. Epoxy filler is merely an okay fix. (Our own experience.)
Not good outdoors: Quartz countertops are not recommended for outdoor use. Exposure to direct and persistent sun can cause colors to fade or the slab to warp or split over time.
Every countertop material has it’s arc of popularity, some lasting longer than others: hardwoods, slate, ceramic tile, stainless steel, laminate (e.g., Formica), butcher block, limestone, granite, marble, and now quartz. So too, materials have cycles of popularity, coming into fashion and falling from grace multiple times over.
That said, it would seem that quartz is here to stay and dominate the market for some time. Being man-made, ongoing improvements in materials science and manufacturing are likely to further enhance quartz’s look and functionality. Is man-made superior to natural? Answer: every homeowner will have their own opinion.
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