Quartz!!

Alright - so I've been lazy with the blog entries. My apologies. Between trying to move, preparing for the upcoming Em-NARi Contractor of the Year Awards, working an internship on top of full time employment and running the NNE-NKBA Newsletter I've been a little busy.

This past Tuesday I attended half of a day long 6 CEU session at Stone Technologies. I was happy to pick up some new information on Quartz and hardwood floor finishes. (picture courtesy of okite.us)

Let's start with Quartz. Did you know that Quartz is THE hardest counter top (or flooring, or wall paneling) surface out there? Among the other benefits of quartz are:

1. It is impervious to mold and bacteria - this makes it great for showers/bathrooms and of course to kitchen counters.


2. As it is the hardest surface around, it is also scratch free. This was demonstrated live by taking a key and trying to scratch it across a quartz 12x12 tile. No scratch, maybe some damage to the key! So knives, pots and pans etc are not going to hurt this counter top. It also makes it ideal for commercial or high traffic area flooring.


3. Quartz never has to be resealed or re-polished. it is not porous like stone. The surface is actually created while the quartz and resin are pressed together with head, rather than polished by machine after it is formed.


4. As it in not porous it is impervious to acids, wine, etc. It will not stain


5. You don't need to buy expensive stone cleaners for quartz surfaces. Softscrub people! No need to worry that someone may accidentally use a harsh chemical (although we all recommend the most natural cleaners possible for health reasons)


6. Quartz is 10% recycled material.

So what are the negatives? Quartz is not recommended for any exterior use. It is also costly. It compares to a high end marble/granite. Although it comes in several patterns/colors it is not going to compare to the natural beauty of marble. However if you have a client with a maintenance-stain phobia, this may be the product to specify.