4 reasons everyone is using this product!
Engineered stone has solidified its place as a core option for use in kitchens and bathrooms in recent years. The trending use of these surfaces can be attributed to the generally more suited characteristics the quartz material houses, separating them from other stone surfaces such as marble and granite. The popular brands of this material include Caesarstone, EssaStone, Smartstone and Silestone. The following are some reasons you should seriously consider these brands for your next project.
Aesthetics
Hundreds of different pigments have been mixed into sheets of engineered stone to provide homeowners and designers alike with countless colour and nature-inspired finishes to match any design goal. The surface can be mitred to make a waterfall end, and economic use of off-cuts reduces cost when presenting the surface in a thicker format. There is also a consistency between sheets of engineered stone due to its man-made manufacturing process. However for some designers and owners the uniqueness of natural stone is still preferred to the generic pattern you can find in some styles of engineered stone.
2. Durability
Generally, it is harder to damage a quartz surface. The resin implemented into the surfaces makes the sheet resistant to staining. This non-porous nature means the surface doesn’t have to be continually resealed like many natural stone surfaces. The surface is also resistant to scratches and abrasions, more-so than natural stone or more traditional laminate surfaces. There is also an aspect of heat resistance which comes in handy for kitchen applications where hot pans and trays may find their way onto the surface. However engineered stone surfaces do not have the same outdoor capabilities as some of the ultra compact surfaces available. It is also important to note that no surface is completely scratch, heat or stain proof (but some come pretty close).
3. Composition
Quartz surfaces are comprised with approximately 90% ground Quartz and about 10% resin. Quartz is one of the hardest minerals found on earth, ranked not far behind diamonds on the scale of strength. This ensures that the final surface will house this durable quality and ultimately provides the scratch and stain resistant qualities. This make-up provides the surface with a flexible core strength — meaning that the surface can withstand greater amounts of weight and pressure.
4. Maintenance
Easier to clean is also a big bonus when it comes to an active area of the house. Quartz surfaces are easy to maintain and almost all liquids can be cleaned off easily. Non porous surfaces enhance the ease of cleaning as minimal absorption keeps the liquid on the surface of the material to be wiped away in minimal time. However some household chemicals such as nail polish remover or paint stripper (or anything else that is obviously chemically potent) can do serious harm to the engineered stone surface. Caesarstone and Silestone in particular actually offer their own surface cleaner to their customers, and in the case of Caesarstone, it can be received for free by applying for the entitled warranty.
Caesarstone Fresh Concrete in a display Kitchen (Kitchenext Adelaide)
