How are Quartz Countertops Made & Manufactured?

Many people get confused and inquire if quartz is man made because quartz is a well-known naturally occurring mineral. Quartz is among the most abundant minerals present on the planet and happens to score high on the hardness scale. It is, therefore, a widely available material that is durable and scratch-proof.

While granite countertops are made out of the actual mineral, which is cut and polished for a finished look, their quartz countertops are man made. Quartz countertops are what can be best described as engineered stone. So, is quartz man made? The answer is yes, and the process used to manufacture it is detailed below.

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What are quartz countertops made of?

The process that converts quartz crystals into solid, large countertops is known as the Bretonstone Technology, and the process involves the following steps:

Creating the mix:

Quartz countertops are composed of 90%-94% of quartz. The ground-up quartz is combined with resins, polymers, pigments, and even crushed pieces of other minerals and mirrors. The resin and polymers provide a binding force to the mixture, and pigments are added in to add color.

Molding into shape:

The next step in the process of what are quartz countertops made of is pouring the mixture into molds. All the raw materials, once combined, form a texture similar to wet sand. This is poured into huge molds to shape the quartz into slabs. The mixture is distributed evenly to ensure a perfectly flat piece of slab.

Implementing pressure:

To make the quartz mixture into a solid piece of a slab that is nonporous and rock hard, extreme pressure is implemented. The mixture is compressed, so all the polymers, resins, grounds of quartz, and other materials are bonded together. Vacuums are used to make the process airtight, so the compression is absolute, and the slab has no air pockets.

Heating the slabs:

To further solidify the quartz slabs, they are dried and heated at high temperatures to increase the hardness of the finished slab.

The finishing touches:

The last step consists of putting the final touches. This primarily means polishing the pieces of slabs after they have been heated and cooled down. Polishing the countertops is what makes them shiny and gives them the beautiful clean look that is perfect for such places as kitchens.

Buying your quartz countertop:

Now that you know what quartz countertops are made of and how quartz is man made, you can determine just how suitable it is for your kitchen. Quartz is easy to clean and keep bacteria-free, and it is available in plenty of colors and designs. Ed Stone provides high-quality countertop options in all manner of designs at the best prices. With professional installation capabilities available, all you need to do is select the quartz countertop that grabs your attention and leave the rest to the professionals at Ed Stone.

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On average, homeowners remodel 10.2 million kitchens each year. That’s a lot of countertops being replaced! One of the key decisions any homeowner must make during their remodel is what material they want to use for their new countertop. This is no small challenge given there are many types of countertops to consider.

Quartz countertops are an increasingly popular option these days. They are beautiful, durable, and easy to take care of, making them a great choice for many homeowners. What you may not know is the material used in these countertops is man-made. Unlike granite or marble, quartz counters are a mixture of different materials. This means manufacturers can create unlimited designs and colors, so you’ll have many options to choose from if you decide to go with a quartz countertop.

Now that you know that, you’re probably wondering how these countertops are made. Let’s Dive In!

Where Does Natural Quartz Come From?

Quartz is a naturally occurring mineral commonly found in many types of rocks. This includes the igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks you probably learned about in your high school science class.

Because quartz is a very hard material, it does not erode like the surrounding rock material. As a result, over time the rocky material erodes and leaves the quartz behind. You’ve probably seen this before. Most white sandy beaches are made of quartz eroded out of rock.

While pure quartz is transparent in color, many types of quartz contain other inclusions that change the color of the quartz, with colors varying from white, gray, pink, and purple. It is often mined from veins found beneath the surface of the earth. 

How Are

Quartz Countertops

Made?

A lot of people love Quartz but are always asking, How are Quartz Countertops Manufactured? Quartz Slabs are made & manufactured using Bretonstone Technology, a process that many different quartz manufacturers employ to create the finest quartz slabs known to man.

The process starts when Pure White Quartz is mined from the Earth. The quarried pieces of Quartz then make their way to Manufacturing Facilities  Next, Quality Control Technicians sort the quartz into varying shades of white, choosing only the highest quality and pure white pieces to be made into quartz slabs.  These hand-selected pieces of quartz are then ground down into varying sizes, from Bean-sized chunks, all the way down to Sand, and the varying sediment levels between.

Once this is complete, the quartz pieces are aggregated together using the Bretonstone technology as mentioned above.  Binder is added to the mixture, while air is simultaneously vacuumed out of the mixture through vibration.  After all the air has been vacuumed out, the slabs are then pressed into the desired slab sizes and baked at high heat.  This is what creates Slabs that are denser than traditional Granite Slabs, while also being Non-Porous.

This manufacturing process,  used by almost every Quartz Countertop Manufacturers, ensures the gorgeous natural colors of the design are locked in within every inch of the material—creating unparalleled consistency from piece to piece. And because the slabs are kiln-fired at nearly 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit, all surfaces resist stains and scratches better than any other natural quartz while providing stellar stain protection from spills or contact with various household objects.