Quartz Kitchen Countertops (Interior Designer Pros and Cons to Consider Before Buying)
Quartz kitchen countertops are growing in popularity, mostly due to their durability and beauty. Quartz is one of the hardest surfaces on earth and it makes for a kitchen countertop that is both heat and scratch resistant. Quartz kitchen countertops are similar to natural stone, but quartz counters contain man-made material. Quartz countertops are often made to look like varieties of natural stone such as marble, granite, limestone, travertine and soapstone
Quartz countertops are made from crushed quartz mixed with resins to bind the material together. Quartz is a crystal like mineral that comes in a variety of colors from clear, milky white and smoky grey to pale shades of purple, pale yellow and pale pink. Crushing quartz gives the resulting mix its colors and a multi-dimensional, faceted look. Pigments are added to the mixture to enhance and play up the natural colors of quartz. The result is even more colors variations or color combinations such as yellow and gold, green and blue, gray and black. [toc]
Pros and Cons of Quartz Countertops
While it is quartz, the color and structure of the quartz crystal are what give a quartz countertop its natural beauty; it’s the resins mixed with the quartz that give a quartz countertop many of the characteristics that make it a good choice for the kitchen. Quartz gets recommended so often that it’s easy to assume it’s always the right answer for every kitchen. It usually is, but there are a few places it may fall short, and those are worth knowing before you choose. Here’s how the good and the bad compare side by side.
| Pros of Quartz Countertops | Cons of Quartz Countertops |
|---|---|
| Non-porous surface. Nothing soaks in, so red wine, coffee and lemon juice wipe off instead of leaving a shadow. | Heat is the weak spot. The resin binder softens around 400°F. A hot pan straight from the burner can leave a scorch mark that doesn’t come out. |
| No sealing, ever. Granite and marble want resealing every year or two. Quartz just wants soap and water. | It costs more than you’d guess. Roughly $60 to $90 per square foot installed, which puts a typical kitchen well past the laminate conversation. |
| Scratch resistant. It sits around a 7 on the Mohs scale. Everyday knife slips and dragged pots don’t leave much behind. | Not a weekend project. Slabs are heavy and templating has to be exact. This is a certified installer job, not a DIY one. |
| Consistent color and pattern. What you see in the showroom is what shows up in your kitchen. Natural stone can’t promise that. | Sunlight fades it. UV breaks down the resin over time, so quartz is a poor pick for outdoor kitchens or a counter under a big south-facing window. |
| Bends and shapes well. Fabricators can run it up a backsplash, wrap a waterfall edge, or curve an island front without a fight. | Fussy about cleaners. Bleach, oven cleaner, degreaser and scouring pads all dull the finish. Mild dish soap is genuinely the right answer. |
| Hygienic by default. With no pores to hold moisture, bacteria have nowhere to settle in. Good news for anyone who preps raw meat on the counter. | Seams are visible. On a long run or a big island, the pattern won’t flow across the joint the way a book-matched marble slab does. |
| Huge range of looks. Marble veining, concrete gray, solid white, speckled granite. You can get the look you want without the upkeep that usually comes with it. | Chips at the edges. The face holds up well, but a sharp knock on an exposed corner near the sink can take a small piece out. |
| Holds resale value. Buyers recognize quartz and expect it in a mid to upper range kitchen, so it rarely reads as a shortcut. | It’s not natural stone. If you want a slab nobody else on earth has, quartz is the wrong material. Consistency is the whole point of it. |
How Quartz Compares to Other Countertop Materials
Pros and cons only mean so much if it doesn’t fit your lifestyle. Here’s the same information with the competition for reference.
| Factor | Quartz | Granite | Marble | Laminate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Installed cost per sq ft | $60 to $90 | $40 to $100 | $60 to $150 | $20 to $50 |
| Sealing needed | Never | Every 1 to 2 years | Yearly, sometimes more | Never |
| Stain resistance | Excellent | Good when sealed | Poor, etches easily | Good |
| Heat tolerance | Fair, use a trivet | Excellent | Excellent | Poor |
| Scratch resistance | Excellent | Excellent | Fair, it’s a soft stone | Poor |
| Pattern consistency | Uniform, predictable | Varies slab to slab | One of a kind | Printed, repeats |
| Outdoor or sunny spots | No, UV fades it | Yes | Yes, with upkeep | No |
| DIY friendly | No | No | No | Yes |
| Typical lifespan | 25 years and up | 30 years and up | 30 years and up | 10 to 20 years |
The short version: quartz wins on maintenance but loses on heat. If those in your household cook a lot and hot pans tend to sit wherever there’s space, keep trivets near the range, and you’ll be fine. If the counter runs along a wall of windows or heads outside to a grill station, pick granite. Quartz is the material for people who want the look of stone without a regular maintenance schedule.
Pros of Quartz Counters
The resins in a quartz countertop ensure that it has a naturally non-porous surface. This is a particularly important consideration for a kitchen counters as it is the non-porous surface that gives a quartz countertop built-in anti microbial properties.
The resins also make the counters scratch resistant and stain resistant. The three most common “damaging” and staining cooking essentials – lemon juice, red wine, vinegar – are no match for the natural stain resistance of a quartz kitchen countertop.
The resins mixed into the quartz make the resulting substance a lot more flexible than natural stone, this allows fabricators to bend and shape quartz. Quartz usually comes in slabs that are then cut into sizes according to what they will be used for.
A quartz countertop is relatively maintenance-free compared to a natural stone countertop. There is no need for periodic sealing or polishing.
Cons of Quartz Counters
While quartz countertops seem like a very attractive choice, there are a few things you should consider before going out and getting one for your kitchen.
A quartz kitchen countertop is pricy. It doesn’t just look like natural stone; it’s priced like it too. Depending on the manufacturer, a quartz countertop is priced at around $60 to 90 per square foot.
If you are a big DIY fan, think twice before deciding to use quartz in your next home renovation project. Quartz is not a DIY friendly materials, it is very heavy and can crack if it is not properly handled. You’ll probably need a certified installer if you want a quartz countertop in your home.
They say if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen and quartz is heat resistant. However, this is only to a degree.
Most manufacturers will tell you that their quartz countertops can withstand temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. What does that mean for your kitchen countertop? You cannot leave a hot pot or pan directly on it.
You should avoid using scouring pads as they will dull the surface. Harsh chemical cleansers are also a no-no as they could break the bonds between the quartz and the resins.
Lastly, quartz is an indoor material. Direct sunlight can cause the colors to fade and the countertop to warp or split over time. So, no using quartz kitchen countertops in your outdoor patio kitchen. With all that said, you can see there are many reasons to consider installing quartz in your kitchen and enjoying all the beauty of this natural stone.
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