It was around 1900s, when quartz started to gain popularity as a worktop material. It is an engineered stone that comprises of 93% quartz to be very exact. It is an inexpensive gemstone and is the most abundantly available mineral throughout the globe.
Today it is available in a plethora of colours and styles, but what apart from this makes an ideal choice for kitchen worktops. In 2013-14 the sales of quartz worktops have risen higher, and here’s listing why:
Extreme durability
One of the biggest reasons for the popularity of quartz is its durability quotient. It is extremely durable and does not scratch or scorch easily. It ranks at position seven on the Mohs hardness scale, which makes it one of hardest materials ever. No matter how much you use it, or how roughly you handle the worktops, it is going to take a good amount of strength to produce scratches on a quartz surface.
It’s non-porous and needs no sealing
The variety of worktop materials maybe endless, but when it comes to their ability to resist stains, quartz tops the charts. One of its most useful characteristic is that it’s non-porous, and needs no sealing, unlike materials like marble and limestone. This means coffee stains; olive oil stains or any other material will sit on the surface of quartz, but will not be absorbed by it.
Besides being stain resistant, it brings along several other advantages that include:
- Being non-porous, its nature also makes it very difficult for bacteria, mold and mildew to grow. This means that the surface is absolutely safe for your family. You can safely place your fruits and vegetables on the surface and fear no contamination.
- Quartz is virtually maintenance free. Of course you will have to clean it, wipe off the surface regularly, but it will never ask for more than five minutes. No annual expenditure on sealing and repairs also.
- Quartz also has something called the microban built into its surface. This microban is an anti-microbial compound that’s mixed into quartz as part of the structure. It effectively fights the buildup of pathogenic micro-organisms including bacteria.
Quartz is Green too
One more good reason why quartz is good for modern homes is the ‘green factor.’ It is considered to be greener than other countertop materials, because unlike them, it does not emit radon. Radon is gas found in different levels over the Earth’s surface, and many worktop materials like granite emit small amounts of the gas, but eco-friendly quartz worktops have been tested and show little or the complete absence of radon emissions.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for durable, safe and green worktop option, quartz is complete package. It also carries good looks, which is an added plus.
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