5 Reasons to Choose Quartz Stone for Your Kitchen
5 Reasons to Choose Quartz Stone for Your Kitchen
Kitchen is the heart of the home and choosing the right materials for your kitchen is extremely important. Don’t underestimate the power of countertops to change your kitchen. Durable and stylish kitchen countertops are also considered highly desirable in adding value to your home. But how do you choose the right work surface for your kitchen? Quartz worktop or countertops is one of the most commonly used materials in kitchen and hereby check out the 5 reason to choose quartz stone for your kitchen.
Quartz stone is one of the most common minerals found in the Earth’s crust. Quartz is the crystalline form of silica or silicon dioxide (SiO2) and it consist minor impurities such as lithium, sodium, potassium, and titanium. When quartz-containing rocks are weathered and eroded, the grains of resistant quartz are concentrated in the soil, in rivers, and on beaches. Quartz usually are found together white or pink feldspar in the white sands typically found in river beds and on beaches. Silicon dioxide are dissolves in water at high temperature and pressure (magma). Then, as the temperature and pressure drop, the solution saturates and form quartz crystals.
Reason No. 1 for Choosing Quartz Stone for Your Kitchen: Hardness
Quartz is one of the minerals with high level of hardness. This characteristic provides Quartz the resistant to abrasion and scratch and also made it harder to crack, break or cleft.
According to Mohs Hardness Scale, Quartz is categorised under scale number of 7 in hardness which is slightly higher than steel nail hardness. The Mohs Hardness Scale is founded by German geologist and mineralogist – Friedrich Mohs. This method is used as a convenient way to identifying minerals and determine the relative hardness of minerals and other objects with a set of ten reference minerals which are numbered from 1 to 10.
Reason No. 2 for Choosing Quartz Stone for Your Kitchen: Porosity
Each type of the natural stone have pores and porosity is the percentage of void space within the stone. Porosity is defined as the ratio of the volume of the pore space divided by the total volume of the bulk stone. Most stone has porosity range from 1% to 40%.
Stones with high porosity are vulnerable to stains if they are left untreated. For example, spillage of liquid or food on surface with high porosity and they haven’t been sealed, they may stain and it will be extremely difficult or impossible to remove the stains. Quartz stone on the other hand is a non-porous mineral which made the worktop or countertops to be completely waterproof. Therefore, you can minimize the risk of stains by choosing the low porosity quartz stone for your kitchen worktop.
Reason No. 3 for Choosing Quartz Stone for Your Kitchen: Low Maintenance
Beside style and functionality of the home kitchen, maintenance is one of the important aspect need to take into consideration when upgrade their countertops. Quartz surfaces products are very easy to maintain because the material is man-made where it is engineered to be durable, scratch-resistant, and long-lasting. Thanks to the material non-porous property, it doesn’t need sealing from time to time such as granite.
The only maintenance work you need to do is simply wiping the surface with warm soapy water or cleaning product on daily basis and there is no additional maintenance required. You can keep the product looks new all the time by go for a thorough clean once a week. Therefore, as we are experiencing the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Quartz stone is definitely perfect choices for the kitchen.
Reason No. 4 for Choosing Quartz Stone for Your Kitchen: Bacteria Free
Eating nutritious food, a breath of fresh air, exercise and enough rest is one of the aspects in staying healthy. Another important factor is to prevent the spread of disease by washing your frequently, covering your coughs and sneezes, and wiping the surface around your house to keep it hygienic. Kitchen is one of the perfect place or “hot spots” for bacteria to grow and settle due to the moisture and residue from food preparation. If not thoroughly cleaned, the bacteria then will spread to other kitchen wares or utensils as you work on the worktop or countertops.
IIf you are using minerals with high porosity such as granite, then periodically sealing of the surface is required to stop bacteria growth. The bacteria will enter the surface as the seal gradually deteriorates over time and it will be difficult to remove them once they are seeped inside. Quartz worktop on the other hand can keep germs from penetrating the surface without sealing due to its non-porous property. Therefore, all you need to do is to spray the surface and wipe it down with a microfiber cloth or a soft sponge on a daily basis and make sure to wipe it dried in order to avoid formation of white streaks.
Reason No. 5 for Choosing Quartz Stone for Your Kitchen: Aesthetics Value
Compared to granite and other materials, quartz can be cut and manufactured to create beautiful and unique patterns and designs. From solid neutrals and bold tones to natural stone styles and concrete looks, it is available in a variety of shades and patterns to perfectly complement your interior design project. These beautiful designs have a huge impact on the overall look, feel and even atmosphere of your kitchen, walls and flooring, which certainly helps add value to your home.
