Quartz Countertops are the latest craze in home improvement and kitchen design. Although historically granite countertops are the most popular option featured in house buying, renovating, and remodeling shows, the word quartz is being used more frequently. Part of the reason for that is because of the vast benefits quartz has over granite, something that has a practical appeal to conscious homebuyers.
A company called Breton, started by an Italian man named Marcello Toncelli has patented the process for forming solid surfaces from quartz and resin and all existing brands use this same process.
The company specializes in metal-working and engineered stone which is what quartz is. In fact, quartz is made from several different types of stone such as granite, marble, and natural stone as well as recycled materials and fragments of ceramic, silica, and glass. This is what creates the benefit of quartz that makes it non-porous when compared to granite.
Compared to laminate surfaces, quartz displays a unique luster that creates dimensionality and sleekness in kitchens. Creating a more balanced and breathtaking look in kitchens and allows for provides for much more efficient and upscale design.
There is no hollow feeling with quartz as it 70% or more is made up of organic substances making it much more solid. This is extremely useful when cooking as it is hard enough to prevent scratches and stains.
Additionally, it is a much more socially and environmentally conscious buy than granite since quartz is engineered the waste produced in the manufacturing process can be minimized and inherently the process itself is already optimized to reduce imperfections which are much more common in natural stone granite.
DuPont and Cambria are some of the higher quality brands in which prices for quartz range from $60-100 a square foot compared to granite at $45-200 a square foot.
Since the price is comparable, quartz is able to effectively take over the countertop and kitchen redesign market as more and more people are opting towards it and away from granite.
Overall, its clear that Quartz countertops are able to offer most if not all of the benefits of having granite countertops, while being a more conscious purchase and more tailored to one's own specific kitchen design or countertop design goals.
Since it is much more customizable, hardier, and non-porous, quartz countertops are able to have a much longer longevity and sustain itself for years and years compared to laminate and granite.