Quartz or Granite Stone
Quartz worktops are a mainstay of modern kitchens, but the process by which these durable kitchen worktops are manufactured was only developed in the 1960s. It had long been known that quartz was an extremely hard-wearing and rugged material, but the fact that it occurred in nature as small crystals rather than slabs meant that it could not be used in the same way as marble or other natural stones. An Italian company, Breton, realised that they could use resins to bind the quartz crystals together, add colouring agents, and then treat the material with heat and pressure to create a new material, perfect for use as a kitchen countertop or tile.
These quartz tiles could be used in the same way as natural tile but had many benefits compared to natural stone. Quartz tiles can be produced in specific thicknesses and sizes to suit demand and are generally both harder and more flexible than natural stone. This extra hardness is perfect for high-traffic kitchen worktops and, importantly, as composite stone is less porous than natural stone, quartz tiles are less likely to harbour bacteria.
As quartz worktops are man-made, the colouring of the quartz tiles can often be more consistent than natural stone, meaning that homeowners can more easily integrate their kitchen worktops with their overall interior design. A later remodel or addition will also likely to be able to use matching quartz tiles. In nature, quartz crystals occur in a range of sizes, and this is reflected in the different textures of various styles of quartz tiles. The fact that composite stone is man-made and coloured by the manufacturers means that there is an absolutely huge variety of colours available. No matter what design style is desired, everything from natural effects to bold bright colours can be found in a quartz worktop.
To discuss your requirements contact us today or call us on 0845 643 5910
