The decision on what kind of countertop material to choose for a kitchen or bath project can be a daunting decision. There are endless options and regardless of which material you choose, it’s a big financial and permanent commitment. Many homeowners are drawn to the beauty of natural stone, but are turned off by its need for regular maintenance, as well as risks for stains and scratches. For those natural-stone-weary homeowners, a not-so-new surface material has been gaining traction in the marketplace—engineered stone countertops.
Durability
Engineered stone (or Quartz) has been around for more than two decades, but has recently been growing in popularity. The material is a product derived from a mixture of Quartz chips, polymer resins, colorants and sometimes additional materials such as recycled mirror chips or glass. The Quartz bits are held together by the resins and the Quartz itself makes the finished product very durable.
“Engineered stone is non-porous. Therefore it requires no sealing,” says Robert Vertes, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Vangura, a company specializing in countertop surface materials. “The non-porous attribute is very reassuring to the consumer that cooks or entertains a lot. It’s worry free because it’s virtually stain-proof.”
Customization
Using different combinations of quartz chips, resins and colorants, engineered stone manufacturers are able to mimic natural stone.
“The newer colors that are offered have more movement and color variations than what was available in the past, but there still remains a noticeable limitation or difference,” says Vertes.
For those not looking to mimic real stone, there are nearly endless color variations available with engineered stone to match a variety of tastes or styles.
Whether engineered stone is right for your home or not, is a decision only you can make.
“The only possible disadvantage to engineered stone isn’t an objective shortcoming, but rather a subjective one,” says Vertes. “Consumers that are looking for a countertop that has significant color variation and depth are going to go with granite, not engineered stone. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say.”
Consistent Quality
The quality of material available in engineered stone is also much more consistent than it is with granite.
Within recent years, a change has taken place in the type and quality of granite that is available in the U.S. Many quarries and granite processors have found ways to inject lower quality slabs of granite into the supply line that would not have been considered just a few years ago.
This change in type in quality has been the result of a growing demand for granite sparked by home improvement shows and programming touting why homeowners need to have granite in their homes. These shows have created a demand for granite in the market that many quarries were unprepared to satisfy, which has resulted in lower grade stone creeping into the market.
“The unfortunate thing for the consumer is that most sellers of granite use the phrase ‘granite is granite, there’s no difference in quality.’ Those are usually the low price sellers that use the lower quality material,” says Vertes. “There is an organization called the Marble Institute of America that offers tips to the consumer as they embark upon their purchasing journey.”
This means homeowners with their heart set on granite have to be careful on which supplier they use to ensure they receive a quality grade of stone. However, homeowners that are open to engineered-stone don’t face this same concern.
“The advantage of engineered stone/quartz surfacing is that the material is produced using the same patented recipe by all slab manufacturers,” says Vertes. “Therefore, from one brand of quartz to the next, there are little differences in quality of material and the biggest differentiator is the color pallet offered by that brand.”
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