Quartz stone material is the leading countertop requested from our Texas homeowners. Realtors and builders are using Quartz countertops more than ever now because of their growing popularity! Stone Age Granite Countertops has tons of slabs to choose from. 2 Locations in Texas, call us 972-276-9943.
Quartz countertops are hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon-oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall chemical formula of SiO2. Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in Earth’s continental crust, behind feldspar.
There are many different varieties of Quartz countertops, several of which are classified as gemstones. Since antiquity, varieties of quartz have been the most commonly used minerals in the making of jewelry and hardstone carvings, especially in Eurasia.
Quartz exists in two forms, the normal α-quartz, and the high-temperature β-quartz, both of which are chiral. The transformation from α-quartz to β-quartz takes place abruptly at 573 °C (846 K; 1,063 °F). Since the transformation is accompanied by a significant change in volume, it can easily induce micro fracturing of ceramics or rocks passing through this temperature threshold.
Engineered stone quartz surfacing is made from approximately 95% natural quartz and 5% polymer resins (by weight). Testing has shown that they retain much of the toughness of quartz but display increased ductility due to the resin, improving impact resistance. Countertops are custom-made and more scratch resistant as well as less porous than natural quartz surfaces and don’t need to be sealed like other stone surfaces. Due to the presence of the resins, quartz counters are less prone to staining. Thicknesses may be 6mm, 1.2 cm (1/2 inch), 2 cm (3/4 inch), 3 cm (1¼ inch), or 4 cm (1½ inch). Brands include CMMA Solid Surface by World BMC, Hanstone, NaturaStone, Silestone, Q, Caesarstone, Technistone, Cambria, and Zodiaq.
A countertop, also countertop, counter, benchtop, worktop (British English) or kitchen island (Australian or New Zealand English), Bunker (Scottish) is a raised, firm, flat, and horizontal surface. They are built for work in kitchens or other food preparation areas, bathrooms or lavatories, and workrooms in general. The surface is frequently installed upon and supported by cabinets, positioned at an ergonomic height for the user and the particular task for which it is designed. A countertop may be constructed of various materials with different attributes of functionality, durability, and aesthetics, and may have built-in appliances, or accessory items relative to the intended application.
Quartz countertops
The commonly fitted Quartz countertops in Western-style kitchen, developed in the early 20th century, is typically an arrangement of assembled unit cabinetry covered with a more-or-less continuous countertop work surface. The “unfitted” kitchen design style exemplified by Johnny Grey may also include detached and/or varied countertop surfaces mounted on discrete base support structures. Primary considerations of material choice and conformation are durability, functionality, hygiene, appearance, and cost.
When installed Quartz countertops in a kitchen on standard (U.S) wall-mounted base unit cabinets, countertops are typically about 25-26 inches (635–660 mm) from front to back and are designed with a slight overhang on the front (leading) edge. This allows for a convenient reach to objects at the back of the countertop while protecting the base cabinet faces. It can also act as kick space that may not have been provided on the floor, allowing a person to stand closer to the countertop, improving ergonomics. In the UK the standard width is 600 mm (approximately 24 inches). Finished heights from the floor will vary depending on usage but typically will be 35-36″ (889–914 mm), with a material thickness depending on that chosen. They may include an integrated or applied backsplash (UK: upstand) to prevent spills and objects from falling behind the cabinets. Quartz countertops in the Kitchen may also be installed on freestanding islands, dining areas or bars, desks, and table tops, and other specialized task areas; as before, they may incorporate cantilevers, free spans, and overhangs depending on the application. The horizontal surface and vertical edges of the Quartz countertops can be decorated in manners ranging from plain to very elaborate. They are often conformed to accommodate the installation of sinks, stoves (cookers), ranges, cooktops, or other accessories such as dispensers, integrated drain boards, and cutting boards.
Quartzite is a hard, non-foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to grey, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink and red due to varying amounts of hematite. Other colors, such as yellow, green, blue and orange, are due to other minerals.
The term quartzite is also sometimes used for very hard but un-metamorphosed sandstones that are composed of quartz grains thoroughly cemented with additional quartz. Such sedimentary rock has come to be described as orthoquartzite to distinguish it from metamorphic quartzite, which is sometimes called metaquartzite to emphasize its metamorphic origins.
Quartzite is very resistant to chemical weathering and often forms ridges and resistant hilltops. The nearly pure silica content of the rock provides little material for soil; therefore, the quartzite ridges are often bare or covered only with a very thin layer of soil and little (if any) vegetation.
Quartzite has been used since prehistoric times for stone tools. It is presently used for decorative dimension stone, as crushed stone in highway construction, and as a source of silica for the production of silicon and silicon compounds.