Quartz countertops are an engineered alternative to natural stone materials like marble, granite, and quartzite. Plenty of Bedrock Quartz customers prefer quartz because it offers many of the same advantages as natural stone along with a few unique characteristics. But what about aesthetics? Are quartz countertops easy to spot?
The aesthetic of a quartz countertop is not necessarily designed to fool anyone into thinking they are looking at natural stone. If that is a concern for you, know this: quartz countertops are easy to spot on sight if you know what to look for. Otherwise, you may look at quartz and just assume it is either marble or granite.
An Engineered Material
When we speak of quartz countertops, we are talking about an engineered material. Quartz itself is a naturally occurring mineral found all over the earth. It is found mostly in silica sand. Creating quartz countertops is a matter of combining those minerals with a variety of resins and dyes, then forming the material into slabs.
One of the benefits of manufacturing countertops from quartz is the ability to introduce an endless variety of colors and patterns. An extreme example would be a bright red countertop with white streaks. It wouldn’t fool anybody expecting to see marble or granite. However, these countertops can be designed to mimic natural stone as well. They can be pretty convincing.
Quartz’s Primary Characteristics
Mentioning a convincing quartz countertop brings us to the main point of this post: identifying the primary characteristics that would allow one to spot quartz on sight. Here are some of the things you might look for:
- Uniform Appearance – Natural stone countertops tend to display more random patterns. On the other hand, quartz countertops feature a more uniform appearance due to the controlled nature of adding colors and veining patterns.
- Uniform Finish – These countertops have a smoother and uniform finish. On the other hand, marble, granite, and quartzite slabs are known for their fissures in deep veining. Their finishes are not as smooth and shiny.
- Surface Texture – In addition to lacking natural fissures, quartz countertops tend to feature a fine surface texture. Natural materials like granite and marble have a more rugged feel.
- Colors – Color variations with natural stone are limited. On the other hand, there are very few limits with quartz. If you know what marble and granite typically look like, a countertop with an odd color could tip you off to a quartz installation.
Quartz countertops have their own unique aesthetic. They are appealing in a different kind of way. So even if you were to choose quartz in a color or pattern drastically different from natural marble or granite, you would still end up with a beautiful countertop surface you could be proud of. Quartz doesn’t have to look exactly like natural stone to be aesthetically pleasing.
Why Customers Choose Quartz
Quartz is one of the more popular materials here at Bedrock Quartz. Utah homeowners love it. Quartz countertops are known for:
- Scratch resistance
- Stain resistance
- Chemical resistance
- Easy care and maintenance
- More affordable pricing
If you are in the market for new countertops, we invite you to pay a visit to any one of our Utah showrooms. You will find a full selection of quartz, marble, granite, and quartzite countertops. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions you might have.
As far as quartz is concerned, it can be engineered to look like natural stone. Yet it doesn’t have to be. You can choose a slab that looks exactly like natural stone to the untrained eye, or something so obviously different that it can’t be missed.