Choosing a kitchen countertop material can difficult because it will stay in your kitchen for years so you want to choose the right one. A good kitchen countertop needs to be durable, beautiful, practical, and low maintenance. And many of these qualities do match with quartz kitchen countertops. If you’re considering quartz countertops, then keep these dos and don’ts in mind.

Dos And Don’ts Of Buying Quartz Kitchen Countertops

Do Consider The Variety

When it comes to quartz countertops, there are a lot of things that you need to consider. There is huge variety of quartz out there. So, you need to find the right quartz grade, color, and pattern for yourself. It is done by scouring through every single store you can find and then selecting the slabs you love the most. Looking at the slabs is crucial too because you need to see what you’re getting.

So, checking all kinds of quartz is important. Even though you may like a slab initially, you never know if you fall in love with another kind of quartz.

Don’t Go For Super Light Colors

Even though quartz is available in most color shades, you still want to go for something that is not as light. It is important that you go for muted but slightly deeper colors because that will make all of the difference.

Quartz can be stained by heat if it’s low-quality or if the heat is above 150 degrees Fahrenheit. To make the heat stains look less obvious, you want to choose a color that will camouflage the heat stains better.

So, this is only better for you because it will make the stains look less obvious and you will save yourself from huge repairs in the long run. So, you see, color selection matters.

Do Remember Cleaning

This doesn’t just go for quartz. It needs to be taken care of, regardless of what countertops you have, but if you have quartz, then you need to remember to clean it every so often. This will ensure that you have clean countertops to work on.

Cleaning doesn’t only keep the countertops spotless, it will also ensure sanitary working conditions because think about it – working on dirty countertops doesn’t sound appealing at all. So, if you’re considering quartz countertops, then you need to know about the cleaning requirements of the very material.

Don’t Use Harsh Chemicals

Even though quartz is a  durable material, nothing can stand up against harsh chemicals, not even natural or man-made stones. So, you want to keep it in mind to not use harsh or abrasive cleaners on quartz countertops.

This is something that a lot of people don’t keep in mind and then their countertops can get littered with scratches, which is not a pretty sight for anyone. So, you want to avoid using anything too harsh and chemical-based on quartz countertops because it might just do more bad than good and your countertops will be ruined.

Do Your Research

When it comes to choosing quartz countertops, you don’t want to jump in blindly. You want to do your research as much as you can. This will ensure that you know all of the ins and outs of the material and that you know what are the downsides and upsides of quartz.

So, if you want to get a countertop material that will last for a long time, then research is very important. You will know exactly what there is to know about it and you will make the best decision that will pay you off for a decent amount of time.

Don’t Put Hot Things On It

Quartz can withstand heat without staining up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and it warps or cracks above 302 degrees Fahrenheit. This is something you need to keep in mind  and you will have to protect the countertops from getting heat stains.

Heat stains are black and very much permanent that are difficult to remove. These stains are really ugly and they can leave the countertops looking just unpleasant, so you need to keep this tidbit of information in mind when you’re choosing quartz countertops. You will need coasters or trivets to put your hot foods and utensils on the countertops. This will only save them from ugly heat stains.

Do Check Samples

Samples are one of the most important things to look at when you’re considering quartz countertops. If there are samples, then you don’t want to skip the chance of taking a look at them.

Yes, samples can be a bit different from the actual slab, but it still gives you a general idea about how the slabs are, how they’re made, and how they feel when you run your hand over them. You want to check the samples before you commit to buying quartz because it will give you a very good idea about the material you’re going for.

Good quality quartz is consistent in color throughout the slab. Also, the polish has consistent shine. If you can test a quartz sample, then perform a scratch test. Use a knife to scratch the sample quartz surface. Good quality quartz will show a black line while a poor quality quartz will have a white line.

Don’t Forget That It’s A Man-Made Stone

A lot of the time, people mistake quartz for quartzite. Even though they sound very similar, they are completely different stones. Quartz is a man-made stone while quartzite is a natural stone.

Quartz is made out of crushed rocks and mixed with resin to give it that rock-hard appearance. Whereas, quartzite is a material that is made naturally deep inside the Earth’s surface just like other natural stones such as granite and marble. So, you need to know what you’re going for because it will make all of the difference in the long run. Don’t let the similar names fool you.

Do Keep Maintenance In Mind

When it comes to quartz, especially if someone has had it for a long time, it can lead to a lot of chips and cracks on the surface. Well, that is common and you need to get it fixed. Even though quartz is a durable material, you will want to make sure that it is well-maintained and spotless whenever you look at it.

This is not something majorly difficult, but it is part of maintaining the stone to ensure that it looks amazing for years to come. So always keep in mind that you will need to maintain the stone from time to time. Durability doesn’t mean no maintenance.

Don’t Seal It

Lastly, quartz is not a natural stone, so you will be happy to know that you don’t need to seal it. Sealing can be a very troubling process, and it is something that needs to be done for natural stones because they’re porous and they need to be sealed otherwise water would ruin them.

But because quartz is made out of resin, which is non-porous, it doesn’t let water in and beads the drops on the surface. So, quartz is an amazing material for countertops.

Conclusion

Now you know exactly what to do and not do when it comes to choosing quartz countertops. This will lead to you picking something that not only you’ll love but it’ll last for a long time too. For high quality quartz slabs and proper installation, consult quartz countertop installers Rockville.