When going through a kitchen or bathroom remodel, there are many choices you’ll need to make, including the best countertops for the space. For those countertops, you will want to consider color, the thickness of the slab, the edge profile, how you’ll use it, and more. However, the most important consideration is the quality of the quartz slab. Opting for a slab of lesser quality could prove a major mistake, as you may spend more to repair flaws or damage than the original cost of your countertops. (Ambien)
Here we will look at the determining factors used by professionals and consumers alike when selecting quality quartz slabs, as well as the ways you can avoid making costly mistakes. When searching through samples that may work as your new countertops, watch for these three key factors to give you the best quality material:
- Color Consistency
- Through Body Color
- Quality Resin
Color Consistency
A quality slab of quartz will come from a series of slabs that share color consistency among them. But that consistency can also be seen within the single slab itself. In finding consistency throughout the slab and in other slabs, you will be able to match your countertops in a kitchen that requires more than one slab. Without this color consistency, even minor variations will become quite obvious, especially when the two different colored slabs share a seam when installed. While some color variance in a quartz countertop is expected, it should be uniform through the other slabs used.
Through Body Color
Top-quality quartz slabs have what is known as through body color. This means the veins, patterns, and overall design found on the surface of the slab will go all the way through to be seen on the bottom of that same slab. Without good through body color, your countertop edges and your under-mount sink cutout will not carry the pattern seen on the surface, making them stand out. This can make a waterfall edge with an exposed side look completely different from the top of the slab. Many homeowners miss looking for through body color and will not realize their mistake until the quartz slabs are installed. This is completely avoidable simply by checking the slab edges. This is not a quality slab if the color is not there or fades.
High-Quality Resin
The resin quality used by quartz manufacturers is an important factor in finding an excellent slab. But it’s also difficult to determine. Where poor resins fail to hold the countertops together, resulting in durability issues, a quality resin can last decades. Look for GreenGuard or Leed certifications on the slabs to be sure. You will not be able to identify a high-quality or a poor-quality resin simply by looking at the slab. But if you avoid non-brand name imported slabs, you can limit your exposure to low-quality resins during your search. Make sure you look for bleached or burned edges as poor resin quality makes fabrication difficult for the quartz manufacturers and these flaws can arise during the polishing process.
