Quartz countertops look very similar to solid surfaces and natural stone countertop materials, and are the number one choice of kitchen and bathroom designers in Australia and the rest of the world. Similar to natural stone, quartz has an intense, posh appearance and feels as solid as a rock. Quartz is referred to as engineered stone because it possesses man-made additives that fortify the material and remove natural stone’s volatility.

Today, with an increase in brand offerings, quartz material is now more accessible and affordable. That’s why quartz, once the choice of an elite group, now is finding its way into more and more Aussie households.

What are the Characteristics of Quartz Countertop Material?

Quartz Countertop

Edges & Design: Edge profiles are developed into the slab at the factory and not made by the fabricator. The single most difference among quartz brands is in their design offerings. The design comprises the slab’s visual looks that include the size, colour-shade, shape of minerals and stripes.
Physical Composition: Quartz contains 93% mineral content; the high amount of mineral present in quartz make its look and feel unique.
Hardness: The hardest mineral in quartz retained while the softer minerals and impurities removed during the process of producing quartz countertops. Thus, quartz countertops are robust and lasting compared to natural slab granite.
Visible Seams: Often two slabs required to be joined together unless the countertop is small enough to be fabricated from a single slab. Depending on the installer’s skill and expertise, this joint can be curtailed but can’t make it invisible.
Differences in Quartz Designs: From varied styles and colour-shade selections to the available raw-material sizes, different quartz brands and product segments offer diverse material properties and features.
Size of Slab: As the need arises to join quartz, it is way better to select and use the largest possible slabs to lower joins. For instance, you can order a jumbo slab and refrain from using two slabs for a project. It will not only save you money but also you’ll get a slab with fewer joins or seamless, without the joins.
Water Absorption Rate: Quartz has quite a low water absorption rate at 0.5%, which is equal to another low porosity material such as porcelain tile.
Resistance to Heat: Quartz’s minerals aren’t fully resistant to heat, as its synthetic binders aren’t! At high temperatures, the binding materials can damage; for instance, think of a hot fry pan. Thus, quartz is vulnerable to extreme heat, so you need to shield it from extreme heat.
Warranty: No matter what quartz brand you choose, all of them come with a warranty but with different duration and restrictions.

How Affordable Is Quartz Countertop?

Quartz prices can differ between brands. That because quartz slab prices are wholesale-only and restricted between the manufacturer and the approved-dealer supply chain. Similar to buying an automobile, you can negotiate the price with the dealer.

Three Top Quartz Countertop Brands Highly Sought-After!

1. Caesarstone

Brand Caesarstone established in 1987, call themselves the pioneers and innovators of quartz surface. Headquartered in Israel, Caesarstone is a publicly-traded company having its factory at the Kibbutz Sdot Yam and the Bar-Lev industrial zone respectively. Caesarstone is known for bringing in new and unique designs to its quartz range. Its Concetto range is available in ten different surfaces that integrates semi-precious stones like dumortierite, agate, petrified wood and the tiger’s eye. And its Motivo range provides deep embossing in lace and crocodile skin textures respectively.

2. Silestone

Silestone is the flagship quartz of Italian brand Cosentino based in Almeria, Spain. Silestone is known for its lively solid colours — its Zen, Stellar and Mythology series provide bold and vivid blues, greens, reds and oranges that you won’t see in other brands. Silestone designs are not restricted to stone benchtops and splashback materials but also are available to match vanities, sinks and shower pans. Silestone provides a solid 25-year limited warranty, which is transferable to future owners without any pro-rata limitations.

3. Cambria

Started as a dairy business in 1936, Cambria ventured into the quartz countertop industry in the year 2000. Cambria is the only privately held American company in the quartz surfaces business, based out of Minnesota. Though Cambria is relatively a newcomer, it went on to open a 150,000 square-foot factory in Le Sueur, Minnesota, and within the next five years span, tripled its plant size. Cambria provides an array of quartz slab sizes in various designs, colours and edges. Nonetheless, you can only buy Cambria quartz products either at kitchen and bath dealers or through designers, architects and builders.

Let’s glance at the core attributes of the top 3 quartz countertop brands & see how they compare:

Core Attributes	Caesarstone	Silestone	Cambria
Textures	Smooth, Satin, Matt	Smooth, Suede (small pores), and Volcano (large pores)	Fine, Heavy, Blended
Thicknesses	3/4″/2 cm and 1 1/4″/3 cm	1.2cm, 2cm and 3cm / 1/2, 3/4 and 1, 1/14 inches respectively	1 cm, 2 cm and 3 cm respectively
Dimensions	Slabs are 56.5″ x 120″	Standard size slab is 55″ x 120″. Jumbo: 63″ x 128″	Standard-size slabs are 55.5˝ x 122˝. A jumbo-size slab is 65.5˝ x 132˝.
Design & Colour Selection	53	142	133
Warranty	Lifetime limited warranty for the original owner. It is transferable to future owners but only on a ten-year, pro-rata basis, and only if the original owner has transferred the warranty to the new owner.	The 25-year limited warranty. It is transferable to future owners but only if the original owner has transferred the warranty to the new owner.	Lifetime limited warranty only to the first owner of the product. The warranty can’t be transferred to the subsequent owner.

The Bottom Line

Whether it is your kitchen benchtop, sink or vanity countertop, buying from reputed and established brands (like the ones mentioned above), will give you peace of mind.

Also, you should see the quartz countertops slab in person before you buy it, to get the look and feel of its design, thickness, texture and colour. In this way, you can be 100% sure of buying the right product that will seamlessly blend with your home interiors.

If you need stone countertops for your kitchen or bathroom, get a benchtop quote or book a free consultation with Paradise Kitchens, we will help you to select the right stone benchtop to suit your needs.