Quartz Countertops
Complete Guide To Quartz Countertop Selection
What Is Quartz Countertop ?
The quartz countertops offer the best combination of elegance and durability. The quartz countertops are easily available in wide range of colors, designs and the finishes.
If you are looking for an elegant countertop designed to last for years then you will fall in love with quartz countertops. These countertops can transform your kitchen interior.
The quartz countertops are manufactured with quartz mineral, pigments and some chemical adhesive binders.
The quartz kitchen countertops are factory made engineered stone slabs. Â The quartz countertop offers the premium designs available in the natural stone granite and marble countertops.
The quartz is a very popular and versatile material equally suitable for the backsplashes as well as countertops. The quartz slabs are available in different colors, finishes and thickness.
The engineered marble is another artificial material have similar looks and finishes of the quartz slabs. However, these are two different material with different technical specifications used for different applications.
In this article, we will discuss pros and cons of quartz countertops, its technical features, comparison with granite, quartz pricing, quartz stone installation options and some reputed quartz countertop brands.
Quartz Countertops Complete DIY Guide
Quartz Kitchen Countertops
Complete Guide To Quartz Countertop Selection
Table Of Contents
Advantages Of Quartz Countertops
Quartz Is Highly Recommended
Quartz Price In USA : 55$ To 150$
The quartz countertops offer many advantages as compared to the natural stone options. Since the quartz is an engineered stone, it can be manufactured in controlled condition which renders a uniform look and feel to quartz.
The quartz is an excellent option for the kitchen countertop that offers many advantages. The quartz offers high stain resistance, scratch resistance, heat resistance, impact resistance and edge chip off resistance.
The quartz countertops are very durable and can easily withstand the rough working conditions that all kitchen countertops are usually subjected.
The quartz is made-up of quartz mineral ( up to 90% ) , other minerals as pigments , polymer resins and some chemical binding adhesive. The quartz is a type of hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica ( silicon dioxide ).
The quartz countertops are manufactured in the factory in various patterns, designs, sizes, thickness and colors. The engineered stone manufacturing technology has evolved in the last few decades.
The latest range of quartz countertops are far superior and refined product. The latest range of quartz engineered stone products launched by leading quartz brands are available in the latest trendy designs.
The quartz countertop surface offers a highly water resistant, non-porous and hygienic surface. It is very easy to clean and maintain the quartz surface with just light soap solution.
Most quartz slabs are specifically designed with full body uniform design pattern. And therefore, the quartz slab edges can be molded into the desired shape with edge polish as per the requirements of the kitchen design. Â Â
Quartz Countertop FAQ
Quartz Countertops Complete DIY Guide
Advantages Of Quartz Countertops
- High stain resistance.
- High scratch resistance.
- High heat resistance.
- High impact resistance.
- Good anti-microbial property.
- Easy to clean and maintain.
- Offers Wide Range Of Colors.
- Offers Wide Range Of Finishes.
- Edge Molding Is Possible.
- Uniform Color And Texture.
- Long Service Life .
- Fast And Easy Installation .
Disadvantages Of Quartz Countertops
- Quartz tops are expensive.
- Needs skilled workmanship
- Needs strong base cabinet.
Quartz Countertop Colors
The quartz countertops are manufactured by many brands. Some of these brands are international brands having strong presence in many countries.
The quartz engineered stone slabs are available in many colors and shades. The quartz slabs offer major advantage with uniform color throughout the body of the slab. And for this reason, the edge molding and polishing gives excellent finish for the quartz countertops.
Whereas, for natural stone such as granite, the color variation is very common. Each granite stone slab is different in terms of grain pattern and the color shade.
The advancement in the digital printing technology allows the manufacturing of the quartz slabs with flawless uniform color shade and the desired finish.
You can get a perfectly super white or jet-black quartz countertops with high gloss finish. It is very difficult to get these shades in case of natural stone countertops.
Quartz Countertops Complete DIY Guide
Quartz Countertop Finishes
The quartz countertops are easily available in many colors, patterns and finishes. The interior designer can select the right sheen and finish as per the design requirements.
Some of the most commonly available finishes for the quartz slabs include natural finish, matte finish, super matte, low gloss, medium gloss, lathered finish, and the high gloss finish.
HIGH GLOSS FINISH
GLOSS FINISH
MATTE FINISH
The selection of the desired finish for the countertop depends upon the individual preferences and the finishes used for other design elements such as kitchen cabinets.
The high gloss finishes retain its finish for a long time provided it is not frequently cleaned by using some strong cleaning liquid or detergent.
Whereas, the matte finish is compatible with rustic look kitchen interior design and a natural stone design quartz countertop.
Quartz Countertops Complete DIY Guide
Quartz Countertop Prices
The price of a quartz countertop depends upon the brand, color, finish and the design. We can broadly categories the quartz prices into three groups.
For US markets, the standard quality quartz countertop price range starts from $50 to $75 per square foot. The superior quality quartz countertop price range starts from $75 onwards to $125 per square foot.
And, the super luxury design quartz countertops with premium brands, the price range starts from $125 onwards to $200 per square foot.
Quartz Quality | United States | United Kingdom | Canada |
Standard | US $50 To $75 | UK £35 To £60 | CA $70 To $110 |
Superior | US $75 To $125 | UK £60 To £110 | CA $110 To $160 |
Premium | US $125 To $200 | UK £110 To £180 | CA $160 To $300 |
The quartz countertops are available in wide range of color, sizes and thickness. The prices for quartz countertops depend upon the brand, size and thickness of the quartz slab.
The quartz slabs are available in 15 mm, 18 mm, 20 mm and 30 mm ( mm – millimeter ) thickness. However, the edge molding design looks better if the quartz slab is thicker. For the kitchen countertops the recommended thickness is 18 mm or preferably 20 mm thick. The quartz price also increases with the thickness.
Further, most quartz slabs are sold as entire sheet. The quartz slab standard size is ( 4 feet by 8 feet OR 5 feet by 10 feet ). It is very difficult to get the quartz in smaller sizes or into cut pieces.
Most contractors charge a lumpsum amount on per square feet basis. The quartz per square feet rate includes the cost of the quartz slab, cutting cost, edge molding and polishing cost, plus the installation and finishing the work cost.
Quartz Countertops Complete DIY Guide
How To Calculate The Countertop Area ?
To calculate the estimated cost of quartz countertop, you need to first calculate the surface area of countertop.
The total area of the countertop can be divided number of square and rectangular shapes. The total area would be equal to the sum of all square and rectangle shapes as explained in the diagram. Â
For square and rectangular shape the area will be equal to length multiplied by width ( Area = length X width ). Whereas, for a triangular shape, the area will be equal to length multiplied by width divided by two ( Area = 0.5 X length X width ).
In this example, the total area of the countertop will be equal to ( Total Countertop Area = Area A1 + Area A2 + Area A3 ) . The countertop length and width can be measured in feet to calculate the area in square feet.
Similarly, the countertop edge molding and polishing is charged on the basis of per running feet. In this example, the front side countertop running length can be calculated as under.
Molding Running Length = ( W1 + ( L1 – W2 ) + L2 + W3 + ( L3- W2 ) ).
Quartz Countertops Complete DIY Guide
How To Install Quartz Countertop ?
The countertop installation is a specialist job that requires considerable skills and installation knowledge. And therefore, the easiest way is to get it installed by a professional to get the desired finish.
However, the quartz countertop can also be installed as DIY project If you are technically savvy and well equipped with the required tools.
The quartz countertop can be directly installed on the base cabinet with the help of screws. You can also install the quartz on the existing countertop with the help of special adhesive.
Read More – How to install quartz countertop ?
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