Quartz Countertops
A surface that rocks 

By: Paul  Bianchina

If you're thinking of building or remodeling a kitchen, one of the tough questions you'll be facing is what material to use for the counters. One product that definitely needs to make the list of possibilities is engineered quartz, which offers the striking natural beauty of granite without all the drawbacks of natural stone.Engineered quartz is made from approximately 93-95 percent natural quartz, with the remaining 5-7 percent consisting of resins and pigments. Natural quartz is first ground to small particles of varying sizes, then mixed to specific color and size blends, and combined with the resins. The resulting mixture is then molded into slabs, and the slabs are then vibrated and compressed while a vacuum removes air, all of which is designed to eliminate air pockets and create a very hard and dense material. The slabs are then heat-cured, rolled to specific thicknesses, and polished to a beautiful sheen.This carefully controlled manufacturing process results in a finished material that does not have many of the problems associated with all-natural stone counters such as granite. Engineered quartz counters are very hard and very dense, are resistant to knife cuts, and do not require ongoing application of sealers to prevent the staining common to porous natural stone. Because the air pockets have been removed, engineered quartz counters do not have fissures and cracks, and are also more heat-resistant. All this combines to create a counter with the natural beauty of real stone, but in a material that manufacturers can warranty for reliable performance.

CHOICES ABOUND
Thanks to the careful selection and blending of the quartz crystals and the addition of specific pigments, engineered quartz counters come in a variety of colors, with grain patterns that range from fairly soft to a little bolder. As with natural stones, the color combinations offered by the various manufacturers are somewhat similar but also different enough that it pays to check out a few different samples.In addition to selecting your color and pattern, you will be offered a choice of several different edge treatments. Standard edges include square and bullnose, with available upgrades such as beveled, double and triple bullnoses, and even custom edges. Be forewarned, however, that those upgraded edges can be quite expensive, and will add considerably to the overall cost of the installation.One very popular option that's definitely worth considering is an undermount sink. Undermount sinks do not have the overlapping edge common to most sinks that drop in from above. Instead, the top of the sink is flat to allow it to seat up against the underside of the counter. A hole of a specific size and layout is cut into the counter; the edges of the hole are rounded over and polished; and the sink is then set from below and sealed into place. The result is a cleaner, sleeker countertop without that dirt-catching sink edge to contend with.With the increase in popularity, most plumbing fixture manufacturers now offer a variety of undermount sinks. You'll find single-, double-, and triple-bowl combinations in stainless steel, enameled cast iron, enameled steel, and composites, all in different bowl shapes and colors. You will, however, need to make your selection early, since the fabricators will need to have the specific sink available in order to correctly cut the counter.

DO-IT-YOURSELF IS NOT AN OPTION
No matter how ambitious you might be, undertaking the installation of an engineered quartz counter is not an option. Accurately cutting and fitting these big, heavy slabs requires specialized tools and training, and the manufacturers require their installers to be factory trained.Once your cabinets have been installed -- or, in the case of a remodeling project, once the old counters have been removed from the existing cabinets -- the fabricators will make a site visit to create templates. Using sheets of corrugated plastic, they will carefully cut, fit and glue up an exact replica of your counters, including the location of sinks and other cutouts. These exact templates are then given to the manufacturer, and the slabs are precision cut to match, a process that can typically take one to two weeks.Once the slabs have been cut, an installation team will do the final fitting. Small adjustments will be made on-site as needed, then the counters will be installed using a sealant that adheres them to the top of the cabinets. Larger kitchens will typically require seams between some of the slabs, but a good installer will carefully place the seams where they will be the least visible, and then blend color putties to make the seams all but disappear.

Engineered quartz counters are available from several manufacturers, including Silestone, Cambria, Zodiaq and CaesarStone. For more information, including dealer locations, you can check the specific manufacturer Web sites or look in the Yellow Pages under "Counter Tops."

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