Quartz Education 101

We have Quartz Education 101 here to help you make the best choice for your countertop needs! Quartz Countertops are categorized as engineered stone.  Engineered Stone is a composite material made of  crushed stone bound  together by a resin material.  Polyester Resin is a clear liquid plastic product that  hardens to bind the  stone together. The most complex of the cast polymer processes is the  Breton method  designed by Italian equipment  manufacturer Breton Spa in the 1960s.         Breton Technology, which is a “compaction by vibrocompression vacuum process,” uses elastomeric molds in which a crushed stone /resin mix is cast on a moving belt. The crushed quartz is combined with a small amount of resin, pigments, and other proprietary ingredients. The mix is heated and compressed under vacuum in a large press. The vibration helps compact the mixture and results in an isotropic slab with virtually no porosity in hundreds of custom colors that can be cut to fit any installation. Isotropic means “identical in all directions.” The global demand for cast polymer materials used in residential and commercial construction is substantial. According to a recent study by the Freedonia Group, the cast polymer market is forecast to grow by 8.1 percent per year by 2016. In 2016 kitchen and bath countertops are expected to  account for 86 percent of cast polymer demand.  Although new housing starts will provide the most  rapid gains, the majority of the demand will come from  the remodeling and institutional projects such as  hospitals and schools. In the US, the National Kitchen and Bath Assn. reports  that cast polymer surfaces continue to be key kitchen  and bath components, and their share in each sector is trending upward in competition with granite and engineered stone. NUSTONE QUARTZ is manufactured using the Breton Technology with ample colors available in stock at Dorado Soapstone in Denver, CO, Austin, TX, and Shrewsbury, MA. Contact us today to find your perfect NUSTONE QUARTZ!