What is Quartz?
Quartz is one of the most abundant materials found on the earth’s surface. It consists of one part silicone and two parts oxygen. However, quartz worktops are man-made.
They consist of 90 to 97 percent pure quartz crystalls and the remaining part of the slab consisting of resins, polymers and different types of pigments. In its natural form, this stone is highly resistant to weathering and thus the mineral is the primary constituent of the sand found in deserts, beaches, and riverbeds. It can be found in virtually every colour. Despite a similar sounding name, quartz is different from quartzite.
What Makes Quartz an Attractive Countertop?
Recently this stone has gained popularity as an attractive countertop. A few reasons for this include its attractive appearance and sturdiness when compared to natural stones. As it is a manufactured material it is available in a far greater variety of colours than are marble or granite worktops. It is as durable as concrete or granite however it has advantages over these materials as it does not chip or crack as easily. It can be pleasant to run one’s hand over a surface as although it is hard, it is attractive to touch even to people who dislike hard surfaces.
The non-porous characteristic of quartz makes it a resilient worktop that easily resists stains from food products such as juice, coffee, wine and other products likely to be found in a kitchen. Additionally, the same non-porous quality of this product also makes it a hygienic worktop as it does not harbour germs or bacteria. The price of a worktop is competitive with slabs made of other high-end countertops such as marble, slate, granite or concrete. This stone may not provide the same natural look as other stones such as marble as it is a manufactured material. A finished slab may show signs of being engineered by visible seams on its surface.
Compac: A Leading Supplier of surfaces
A world leader in high-quality decorative stone surfaces and stones, Compac has its head office in Spain but supplies its high-quality products all across the globe. Compac is the second largest quartz supplier in the world. Its particular line of Compac Unique Calacatta quartz is largely white with dark veins running through it. On the surface, Compac Unique Calacatta looks similar to Calacatta Marble; however, it is far more durable and does not stain or etch.
The Unique Calacatta model gives a room class and an atmosphere filled with opulence. In addition, unlike a marble worktop, a worktop with Calacatta quartz worktops will never have red circular stains caused by wine glasses. Therefore Unique Calacatta is a very low maintenance slab. My Kitchen Worktop is a leading supplier of Compac Unique Calacatta in London and the South of England. Despite being an engineered material, Compac’s Unique Calacatta looks remarkably similar to natural stone. It has been engineered for high traffic applications such as a kitchen worktop. Furthermore, as Unique Calacatta is non-porous it cannot contaminate any food placed upon it and does not require any anti-bacterial treatment. It is, in fact, a natural anti-bacterial material as no moulds can grow upon it and hence neither can bacteria.
