30

Aug

Fun Facts About Quartz Kitchen Countertops

If you have not undergone a kitchen remodel before, or you considered even just one, you are aware that it is important to choose the right countertop material. This can be the hardest decision you will ever make in the process. Every homeowner is different, which means there is not one material that is the best for any situation.

Therefore, to make maintenance easier and achieve versatility, you can do a lot better if you go for quartz kitchen countertops. Quartz is popular because it is customizable and it can be made into almost all shapes and patterns. Most of the time, they are the most expensive luxury countertop materials. Read on to know more facts about quartz countertops.

Durable and Damage Resistant

Quartz is among the hardest materials you will find, and it is the compound stone that is used for countertops that maintains a lot of that toughness. This makes it the most durable material for countertops. When you are using quartz, you do not have to worry about the wear and tear so much, like the scratches, and heat resistance. Aside from that, since it is non-porous and resistant to germs, mildew, and bacteria, it helps alleviate worries when it comes to sanitation.

Even if it is a hard material, it is flexible as well, so it can be shaped into almost anything and have the counter you want. Therefore, if you do not use an uninterrupted slab, that is fine, because it cuts cleanly. That means there are barely perceptible seams.

It is More Than Meets the Eye

A lot of people might be shocked to hear that many quartz countertops are not made of quartz. Some of them do, but naming quartz countertops is only requiring that they follow a certain manufacturing process known as the Bretonstone process. It does not mandate that quartz stone should be used in the manufacturing process. Therefore, a lot of companies began to use materials to achieve the same result and the polished look that quartz owners love. Therefore, those quartz countertops you have eyeballed might be comprised of a combination of marble granite and other types of stone. They are mostly made using crushed quartz. It is available and extremely durable, so it is an excellent choice for the Bretonstone process of production.

Wider Color Range

Since quartz countertops are made out of ground-up minerals and are not cut from one piece of material, they need a manufactured finish. Even if about 90% of a quartz countertop is made using ground-up quartz, the other 10% is comprised of polymers, resins, and pigments. Using pigments at this stage lets manufacturers create an endless variety of color options. Even if natural stone countertops are confined to the colors in stone around the world, engineered stone can be engineered in its appearance and structure. Quartz countertops are made to look like other kinds of stone or concrete.

There are More People Embracing Quartz Today

Many years ago, quartz became a way for people to achieve the look of granite and marble without paying a high price. Companies are doing their best to go with the trends every year in terms of a specific pattern or popular countertop shades. Since quartz has been there so long, it has helped bring it out from the shadows. People are now more confident with their self-expression as well. One benefit of quartz and other engineered stone is that they are customizable.

You can contact countertop replacement services Potomac anytime once you are ready to have your quartz countertop installed.

22

Aug

What You Did Not Know About Kitchen Countertops

Among the countertop materials available are granite countertops, and granite is normally the most sought-after. It is beautiful, elegant, and lasts a lifetime if you compare it to other countertop materials. Most of the time, it offers numerous benefits. Being a homeowner who considers granite as an option for kitchen remodeling. It is important for you to know what you can about it. This knowledge is helpful when it comes to ensuring that you make the right choice for your lifestyle and family, and it helps you in making an informed decision regarding your investment.

There are a lot of common and popular facts about granite, and an average person does not know all of them as well. Read on.

Granite is Among the Hardest Materials to Ever Exist on Earth

You for sure knew that granite is solid and hard, but are you aware that it is among the hardest materials you will ever encounter? Granite is so hard that it comes second to diamond, which is the hardest material. Granite cannot get chipped or cracked using any substance, but you need to be careful if you have a diamond ring and you are close to the countertop because that can chip it. Granite is the toughest and hardest material you can buy for a countertop. Granite installers are going to recommend you make a heavy and hard cabinet base in order to withstand the pressure and granite countertop weight.

Granite is Comprised of Many Materials

The granite mineral composition is mainly mica, feldspar, and quartz. Other materials also make up the granite composition, and these materials determine different stone colors. For example, red or pink granite comes with a high concentration of feldspar. Dark brown or black granite has plenty of amphibole and mica.

Granite is a Little Radioactive

This is a fun fact, but you should know this because, even if it is true, it gets reduced most of the time. Granite emits some radon, but that should not scare you. The amount granite emits is less than common compared to garden soil. Mostly, the fear that is aroused by radioactive countertop is because of fact. Granite is a safe substance for the home and where you will prepare food.

The Cost Depends on the Color

The granite countertop color depends on the granite slab’s mineral composition. The most common colors of granite kitchen countertops are beige, sand, and brown. The rarest colors are red, blues, dark brown, and maroon. The mineral content of feldspar is what makes it red while a higher mica quantity gives the dark and brown color. Blue and red colors are rare, and they are very expensive. In addition, increased crystal content in granite countertops costs more. A granite countertop is a colored sand with low crystal content.

Granite is Not Totally Smooth

When people look at granite, they think it is totally smooth, but that is not completely true. There are small pits and spaces between different crystals in stone. These pits are because of the mineral called biotite, and you should expect them when you buy a natural stone, which includes granite. Some people could believe that these pits make an undesirable granite slab, but this is not the case because all-natural stone slabs come with pits.

Granite Should be Sealed

While it is durable and scratch-resistant, granite is a bit permeable to moisture unless you seal it. ideally, you should do this once a year so it stays intact.

You can contact granite countertop installers Rockville anytime for the best outcome.

09

Aug

Causes of Stain on a Quartz Countertop

Quartz countertops are made using two main materials: natural quartz and polymer resins. Natural quartz is the one that is impervious to different liquids, non-reactive, and impermeable to gases.

The polymer resins are binding the quartz particles. However, in certain conditions, the polymer might experience some chemical transformations. This can occur if you leave behind any harsh chemicals on the countertop for a longer period.

Slow reactions can lead to staining. This might sound alarming but different manufacturers use stable polymers with high resistance to chemicals, which makes countertops safe for preparing food. The quartz will unlikely stain since it is non-porous and hard.

Here are the causes of staining on a quartz countertop.

Acids

Acidic liquids such as vinegar are a huge no-no regardless if you have granite or quartz countertops. The spills can be wiped off, but you can try to prevent your vinegar from drying on the surface. The same goes for wine. The wine stains can be cleaned easily, but when you cook using these ingredients together with balsamic vinegar, you would want to clean up all the mess right away.

From Cleaning Chemicals

You must never use chlorine or bleach-based products on your countertop. These are corrosive chemicals and cause heavy etching. When you use these chemicals, the sealant can also degrade on your countertops.

The time you can use bleach is through deep cleaning where you might have to use it on the surfaces inside your home. It can be used once the quartz countertops are dry and then it should be immediately wiped off.

The top cleaning solution you can use for quartz countertops is a commercial-level cleaner that is primarily made for stone surfaces. These cleaners are going to ensure that your quartz countertop will always look new and shiny for many years to come.

Coffee and Tea

Like wine and vinegar, you should never allow coffee and tea spills to linger on the quartz countertop until it becomes dry. The tannins that give these drinks their colors will slowly penetrate your quartz countertop’s seal. Through time, this will slowly make your countertops appear more aged than it is. Thankfully, the majority of coffee stains can easily be removed using a quick wipe of a damp cloth. For the tougher stains, you can use a granite cleaner and mild quartz.

Heat Damage Caused by Hot Pots

Similar to hot spills produced by coffee, oil, etc. It can cause your quartz surfaces to get badly stained, heat damage coming from hot pans, and others can cause stains to appear on the quartz.

If you put a hot pot on the quartz surface, the heat damages the resins that hold the stone together which causes staining.

Even if you can use a hot pad or trivet to prevent any heat damage, you should avoid putting anything that goes directly on quartz surfaces.

In case you end up with heat damage, talk to a professional right away to restore the surfaces. They can provide you with resurfacing and cleaning solutions that effectively remove stains without damaging your quartz surface.

Sealants

As much as you want to keep future stains from happening with physical barriers, you should not use sealants that are for natural slabs. Quartz is non-porous, while natural slabs are, which means the sealants will not absorb and adhere.

Sealants are not going to be effective on quartz surfaces, and sometimes, sealants can change the color of quartz surface so it becomes hazy.

You can contact quartz countertop installer Rockville anytime if you have questions about the care and maintenance of your countertop.