Engineered stone (also known as Quartz)
Quartz is a naturally occurring mineral which forms into clusters, but does not form into massive stone blocks like granite, limestone or marble. This means that Quartz in its natural state, is not suitable for countertop or anything that needs a large scale application. This means that it needs to be reformed into a form that allows it to be usable in large scale applications. That’s where engineered stone comes in. Quartz (engineered stone) countertops are manufactured using Italian Bretonstone technology which combines a blend of around 90 to 95 percent ground quartz with five to ten percent resins, polymers and pigments. The air is then removed from the material, which then gets heated and formed into slabs.
Advantages of Quartz
- The engineered stone countertop is extremely hard and durable
- It typically has a beautiful glossy sheen
- It is less porous than natural stone alternatives
- It is stain and crack resistant
- It does not require sealing or resealing (while natural stone counters do)
- It is easy to clean with warm mild soapy water and a soft cloth
Disadvantages of Quartz
- While Quartz stone is heat resistant, since the countertop is made with around five to ten percent resin, a hot pot or pan that is placed directly onto a quartz countertop can cause discoloration to the countertop
Sintered Stone (also known as Porcelain or Ultra-compact surfaces)
Porcelain Stone Surfaces are the newest high end stone surface application. Reasons for their popularity include being heat proof, stain proof and scratch proof.
Porcelain surfaces are created from a combination of natural stone, glass and porcelain. The combination of materials are then brought together through a process called Sinterised Particle Technology (SPT). This SPT process compresses the raw materials under extreme pressure (up to 3000 kilograms per square centimeter) before applying extreme heat of up to 1200 degrees Celsius.
This process is what provides the stone surface with its unsurpassed physical advantages in terms of resistance and durability.
Advantages of Sintered Stone
- Heat resistant: hot pots and pans are able to placed directly on the surface
- Ultra violet (UV) light resistant: surface will not degrade or fade due to UV rays, which make it very appropriate for outdoor usage as well as indoors
- Scratch proof
- Many options for colours and textures
- Can come in very thin slabs (as thin as 3mm) which are ideal for dramatic wall applications
Disadvantages of Sintered Stone
- Colours and veining do not go through the stone as they are laser printed on the top surface of the stone
- Can be damaged (chipped) if exposed to impact, especially on the edges
- Chips are difficult to repair due to the way the slabs are made