Natural Quartz Countertops, the beauty of natural stone with much less headaches. Let’s see what makes quartz countertops unique. In my coverage of this topic I am using data from the following manufacturers that I am involved with.
SileStone offers approximately 41 different finish options in its line, while DuPont Zodiaq offers 46 plus 8 with 25% post-consumer recycled content in its Zodiaq Terra collection.
Samsung now offers 14 colors in its Staron Collection and CaesarStone offers 40 quartz counter surfaces including some very striking colors, unique to anyone I’ve ever seen.
HanStone’s fine quartz surfaces offer a collection of 31 colors plus 5 new ones in their new premier Ruscello collection. I have saved our most popular product for last. Cambria’s quartz collection offers you 63 distinct colors and also has the distinction of being the only manufacturer to offer a limited lifetime warranty on their product as of this writing. All other products listed above have a solid 10-year limited warranty.
I’ve chosen to cover the features by topic and offer a quick comparison with other main materials in each section.
stain resistance
All quartz products have a natural resistance to stains of all kinds. They share this property with solid surface tops as well as ceramic tile tops. Stains can be a problem with natural granite, soapstone, and laminate countertop materials and should be considered during countertop selection.
burn resistance
Quartz lids have a natural resistance to burning, but all manufacturers recommend using a trivet under pans. Quartz shares good burn resistance with granite, soapstone, and ceramic tile, but you’ll need to be more careful whether you choose a solid surface or a laminate, as both surfaces have low burn resistance.
scratch resistance
Because all quartz products are made from over 90% stone material, they are naturally scratch resistant. This is quite an exclusive group as they share this property with granite only. Solid, soapstone, ceramic tile, and laminate surfaces are highly susceptible to scratching.
Mold/mildew resistance
Mold and mildew are not something normally associated with countertops, but they can be a real problem with some products. Quartz, solid surface, and ceramic tile have non-porous surfaces that naturally resist these issues. Due to its porous surface, you are more likely to encounter problems with granite, soapstone, or laminated materials.
After comparing features, you’ll also need to consider the cost differences. Typically, most quartz products will be priced close to a tier 4 or 5 granite product (read more about granite pricing tiers on the granite page) and similar in price to surface solid. Quartz will still be 2-4 times the price of laminate, although the gap is closing with the introduction of more natural looking laminate surfaces.
An often overlooked option is a combination surface kitchen. In an effort to keep costs in check more often, I see people use a combination of products like coordinating laminate on wall-mounted counters and quartz on an island surface. The key is to think outside the box and create a complementary combination with the best work surface in each area in mind.
My research suggests that quartz tops are a superior surface to all others in practical use and value. What is your opinion?
