Bay Area Home Remodeling Including Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto ...

Article courtesy of Plamar USA, Inc.

So you’re remodeling your kitchen or bathroom and have decided you want engineered quartz for your countertop. What now?  With the many quartz products available today, how do you choose the best one for your countertop?

As countertop experts, we have been asked this question many times and can confidently answer that there is really no how-to-guide in choosing the right engineered quartz material. Our advice is to look at the range of products available in the market – Caesarstone, Silestone, Cambria, Pental Quartz, Color Quartz, Hanstone, Zodiaq, Icestone, Vetrazzo, and LG Viatera to get an idea of the range of choices. Educate yourself by visiting their websites to learn the features of each brand and how they differ from one another. In doing so, you’ll be able to identify each brand’s its composition, the range of colors and patterns available and how each brand compares to the others.

Three factors to consider when choosing quartz for countertops:

Color and Pattern
Choosing the right color and pattern is really the main focus here. Do you want a solid color for the clean look of a contemporary design or do you prefer a traditional pattern that mimics a natural stone? If you want consistency in your design then look into Caesarstone, Color Quartz, and Pental Quartz. These three  brands offer a similar color palette. For a more dimensional pattern with the character of a natural stone, consider Silestone or Cambria as both offer a wide array of patterns. Now, if you desire something with a history and eco-friendliness, then explore the Vetrazzo and Icestone lines. They turn recycled glass into works of art with a story in every surface.

Finishes
The finish of the Quartz countertop is also a major factor to consider. Quartz is available in polished, honed and leather textured finishes. Most quartz countertops have a polished finish.  Its reflective finish looks clean and elegant as light bounces off its surface. A honed finish, though not available in all colors, offers a matte look and is a current favorite of designers and architects. Leather finish is a matte, textured finish that is cool and soft to the touch and a perfect choice for beauty and luxury.

Price and Availability
Most lines of quartz have different levels of pricing, through they do not vary much. If you are remodeling a kitchen, you would need to provide the number of slabs your project requires to obtain a price. If you are completing a small bath vanity project, check to see if they have a remnant in the color of your choice because, if they do, you will save quite a bit. The last critical factor in your choice is availability.  Make sure the color and finish of your choice is available to complete your project on a timely basis. If it is not available from one manufacturer, there is a good chance it is available in another brand. Your fabricator can help you find similar offerings.

There are many opinions available and it will take time to choose the right quartz for your project. You can ask your contractor or fabricator for guidance, but ultimately, the final decision is yours. Once your quartz countertop is installed, you will appreciate its long-lasting, uncommon beauty.

Plamar provides fabrication services for natural stone and quartz projects of all sizes including large countertops with complex curves, intricate shapes, and/or non-standard edge details and simple, smaller countertops with straight and simple designs. Offering a comprehensive, integrated set of services, Plamar streamlines the process required to make your project a hassle-free success. Visit Plamar online at plamarusa.com to review all of their products and services or stop by the showroom and fabrication facility in Sunnyvale.