Quartz

In its natural state, quartz is a crystalline mineral composed of silicon and oxygen. Colorless, transparent, and extremely abundant in the Earth’s crust, it has been historically classified as a semiprecious stone. It has not been used in construction, at least not until the twentieth century when technological advancement brought about engineered stone.

While the mineral quartz is naturally occurring, the building material of the same name is not. Instead, it is a substance composed primarily of ground-up quartz crystals (93%), with some binding resin (6%), and various other additives which provide coloration (1%). The end product is sturdy and flexible, resistant to staining and chipping, and available in a wide variety of colors.

As an engineered stone, quartz presents a cost-efficient alternative to natural stone. It has been well established in Europe for decades, and its popularity is rapidly growing in the US as well. Here’s just a couple of the reasons why people are turning to quartz.