Choosing Quartz Worktops- Things You Should Know

If you are looking for a hard-wearing and attractive material for kitchen worktops, quartz is probably one of the best options available. According to Affordable Granite, a specialist Quartz Company, the surface of quartz is durable and stylish and it can add glamour and style to your kitchen. Here are few things you should know about quartz worktops.

How is quartz made?

You might be surprised to see the description “man-made” on some quartz kitchen worktops, given how much like a natural stone they can look. In fact, all ‘quartz worktops’ are made of a processed stone: quartz, glass, metal, even mirror are blended with 7% resins and dyes to achieve what can be a natural effect. You can find a huge variety of colour in quartz due to this chemical processing, making it suitable for any kitchen décor. The surface of quartz stone is hard and non-porous in nature.

What are the customisation options in quartz kitchen tops?

Since quartz is a manmade stone which involves mixing of materials, it provides countless customisation options in terms of colour, texture and pattern. For example, you can mix small pieces of metals or flecks of glass in the final mix to get a translucent or glittering effect on your quartz kitchen worktop.

Is quartz environmentally friendly?

Many quartz worktops are made using recycled materials, and byproducts of other aspects of the stone industry. The materials and manufacturing process used in the making of quartz is also intrinsically low in carbon emissions. Transport is generally by container, always by sea freight, which is highly efficient compared to other transport modes. 

How can I maintain my quartz kitchen tops?

Quartz worktops need less maintenance than light-coloured natural stone (granite), and it would not be wrong to say they are very close to being maintenance free. Simple cleaning with a wet cloth followed by buffing with a dry cloth is normally enough. More stubborn or dried on dirt or staining can be attacked with normal kitchen detergent. For the most stubborn marks, we would recommend Cif or similar, and we have not had a stain on quartz yet that hasn’t responded to this treatment. You should avoid using hard or abrasive chemicals for cleaning as they can damage the surface of a quartz countertop.

Quartz is a human-engineered stone which contains resins; it is not heat-resistant above 180°C. Therefore, you should avoid placing hot pans or pots directly on the surface of quartz worktops. The resins used in manufacturing are not indestructible and you need to be careful when putting hot utensils on quartz worktops.

Read More

Why granite worktops are right for your kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in your home, and it certainly deserves time and money spent on it. According to Affordable Granite, a specialist granite company, if you are planning to give your kitchen a facelift, granite worktops are one of the best options

Here are a few reasons for installing granite worktops in your new kitchen.

Elegant and attractive

According to Affordable Granite, there are few stones that are as elegant and attractive as granite. Each slab of granite is unique and the colour and the texture of the stone mainly depends on the region it comes from. You will find a large range of hues and a wide variety of colours and designs in granite. No matter what your kitchen theme is you will find a perfect match for your kitchen update project. Granite worktops are extremely pleasing to the eye and can raise the overall value of your home.

Easy to clean

The kitchen by definition can be one of the messiest places in your home, there are likely to be water spills, grease and food leftovers are also a common thing.  Affordable Granite recommends granite for kitchen worktops and countertops as they are so easy to clean. Many natural stones which are sold as industrial granite are non-porous in nature, which means that any microbes, bacteria and germs will not be able to find any hiding place in your granite kitchen worktop. You can always spray disinfectant on the worktop to kill germs and keep your family safe. If the kitchen worktop gets dirty, you can easily clean it with mild soap and a damp cloth and the kitchen will be sparkling clean again.

Long lasting

Granite is sturdy and is likely to outlast any material (synthetic or natural) used in kitchen worktops. What is sold as industrial granite covers a wide variety of rocks of varying properties. The darker stones for kitchen worktops tend to igneous rocks, formed due by the solidification of magma. Other rocks used ibn the industry may be metamorphic schists – sandstones that have been heated and compressed under the earth’s surface until all the particles fuse together into a hard and often brilliantly patterned rock.  Granite worktops are resistant to scratches and they do not get chipped, cracked, or damaged.

Perfect for kitchen conditions

Granite worktops are considered perfect for the kitchen as they are resistant to heat and the surface of the kitchen top should not get marked by hot pots, pans or utensils placed directly on the surface. Affordable Granite would still recommend the use of a trivet for pans straight out of a really hot oven, though.

Read More