Marble, Granite, Quartzite, Engineered Quartz, Neolith, Porcelain, Formica and the list goes on and on.  What’s the latest and greatest surface you can use?   Not exactly the right question.  The question you should be asking is what is the best surface for my particular needs.     As described in the blog “What’s the Difference” there are several natural stone choices that could be best for you.   In addition to marble, granite, quartzite and soapstone, Intrepid offers engineered quartz supplied by various different manufacturers.  Engineered quartz gives our customers more than 500 choices of colors and patterns to choose from.  Most come in various thicknesses, slab sizes and pricing.   Quartz has definitely become a very popular choice in the solid surface industry.     

Quartz is a man-made product.    Made from natural crushed stone mixed with a resin, colored and  patterned; quartz is a completely non-porous material.     Not having to worry about staining is one of the main reasons customers love quartz.   Durability is another great selling feature of this product.   Although it is not indestructible, quartz will hold up better over time than some natural stones like marble.     

One misconception about quartz are the warranties.  Many manufacturers offer a warranty but this is mostly for manufacturer defects, it does not cover installation errors or damage by the homeowner.   You should research the individual warranties before purchasing these products.     

Another big misconception is that you can put heat directly on a quartz top – this is wrong.  Although most quartz products are heat resistant to a certain temperature, they are not “heat proof”.   Quartz, under enough heat, will crack – and the surface of quartz is not repairable.   

This is just some information to help you make your decision.  For more information, contact our office to speak to a sales representative that can assist you in your quest for the best counter tops!