Isn’t All Quartz, Just Quartz?
Q: I heard there is ‘on-brand’ and ‘off-brand’ quartz. Isn’t all quartz, just quartz?
A: No, not all quartz is created equal. Namely because unlike natural stones like Marble or Granite, quartz is a manufactured stone made with varying percentages of natural quartz, combined with resins and polymers. The higher the percentage of quartz, the higher the quality.
Top branded quartz companies will warranty their product and it will have around 90% or more quartz and the rest resin, polymers and fillers. The different amount of quartz occurs because of design.
Off-brand quartz can chip or crack easier, colors may fade, or finishes may not be uniform making it hard to match other slabs.
So how can a contractor/designer/homeowner know if the quartz they are looking at contains around 90% or more?
Well, quartz is a manufactured stone. Things manufactured in the USA usually come with an ingredient list if it’s edible, and if it is not edible most companies include an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets). However all companies who have chemicals that are potentially hazardous in their product are required by law to list publicly in Section 3 of their MSDS*.
Why is this noteworthy? Quartz dust inhalation is hazardous, and the resins and polymers inside them to bind and color them are also. These MSDS sheets breakdown the percentages of each manufacturers quartz composition (on average) and all the other components. Why on average? Because Quartz quantities can vary because of its design. Now we can understand why there are On-Brands & Off-Brands.
Since we are designers who look for both quality and value in the products we sell & install, we are only listing the top 6 quality quartz manufacturers currently on the market .
So who are the top 5 brands to buy from?
Cambria: > 87% quartz; 3 groupings of ingredient types
Hanstone: ≥ 87% quartz; 3 groupings of ingredient types
Silestone: 85-90% quartz; 3 groupings of ingredient types
Cesarstone: 24-92% quartz; 7 listed ingredients
LX Hausys Viatera: ≤93% quartz; 3 groupings of ingredient types
MSI: 0-93% quartz; 7 listed ingredients
Cambria, Hanstone, and Silestone are top tier brands, consistently working around 87% and above. Whereas Cesarstone, LX Hausys Viatera, and MSI do the higher end of the quartz composition of 93%, but they aren’t consistently there and do have much lower quartz percentages in their manufacturing process (or they are being more honest because of the variation than the other 3 and possibly offer different pricing options).
Summary:
When it comes to quartz, since its a manufactured stone, the amount of quartz varies based on design and price points. On-brand companies use higher compositions of quartz around the 90% range. The higher the content of quartz in the stone, the more durable and higher quality, but also a higher price tag that comes with a manufacturer guaranty.
If you are interested in purchasing Quartz or looking at some options for your kitchen or bathroom renovations let us know!
—C O N T A C T U S F O R M O R E I N F O—
•
•
*The MSDS lists the hazardous ingredients of a product, its physical and chemical characteristics (e.g. flammability, explosive properties), its effect on human health, the chemicals with which it can adversely react, handling precautions, the types of measures that can be used to control exposure, emergency and first aid procedures, and methods to contain a spill. When new regulatory information, such as exposure limits, or new health effects information becomes available, the MSDS must be updated to reflect it.
Employers and employees need the information contained on MSDSs to protect themselves from hazardous chemical exposures and to work safely with chemical products. In reality, MSDSs are prepared and provided for many products that are not covered by the HCS (Hazard Communication Standard).
#designerqanda #askdayna #quartz #brandnamequartz #onbrandquartz #offbrandquartz #knockoffquartz #manufacturedstone #cambria #silestone #ceasarstone #msi #vitalia #lg #coastal #cozy #clean #chic #interiordesign #kitchenandbath #interiordesign #remodel #transformation #ckb #dnlhomes #coastal #cravencounty #newbernnc #enc #newbern #encdesigner #easternnc #designer #localbusiness #smallbusiness