What Is Quartz? How Engineered Quartz Worktops Are Made
Quartz is the most popular worktop material in UK kitchens, but a lot of people are unsure what it actually is. Here is the plain-English version.
What quartz is
A quartz worktop is an engineered stone. It is made from roughly 90% crushed natural quartz (one of the hardest minerals on earth) bound together with about 10% polymer resin and pigment. That mix is what gives quartz the best of both worlds: the hardness and look of natural stone, with the consistency and low maintenance of a manufactured surface.
It is worth clearing up one common question: quartz is not the same as quartzite. Quartz is engineered; quartzite is a 100% natural stone.
How quartz worktops are made
The process (often called the Bretonstone method) is broadly:
- Natural quartz is crushed into grains of varying sizes.
- It is blended with resin, pigments and any decorative elements (reflective flecks for sparkle, or veining for a marble look).
- The mix is poured into a mould and compacted under vacuum and vibration to remove air, then cured with heat into a solid slab.
- The slab is gauged to thickness and polished (or honed for a matt finish).
That manufacturing is why quartz comes in such a wide, consistent palette, from crisp whites to marble looks and sparkle finishes.
Why people choose it
- Non-porous: it never needs sealing and resists stains from wine, coffee and oil.
- Hard-wearing: very scratch-resistant under normal kitchen use.
- Consistent: colours and patterns are predictable slab to slab, which helps with joins.
- Low-maintenance: warm soapy water is all it needs. See the quartz care guide.
The one thing to respect: quartz is heat-resistant but not heatproof, because of the resin. Always use a trivet, as we explain in can you put hot pans on quartz.
How quartz differs from other surfaces
- Versus granite and marble: those are 100% natural stone, quarried rather than engineered. They are more heat-tolerant but porous, so they need sealing, and marble also etches. Compare in our quartz vs granite and quartz vs marble guides.
- Versus sintered stone: sintered stone (Dekton, Neolith) contains no resin, so it is far more heat- and UV-resistant. See what sintered stone is.
A note on silica
Quartz naturally contains silica. A finished, installed worktop is completely safe to live with; the dust risk applies to fabricators cutting the slabs, who manage it with proper controls. If it is on your mind, lower-silica ranges exist, covered in our low-silica worktops guide.
See quartz for your kitchen
Browse the quartz range and the most popular colours, then build your quote.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quartz worktop?
A quartz worktop is an engineered surface made from roughly 90% crushed natural quartz bound with about 10% resin and pigment, then formed into hard, non-porous slabs. It combines the hardness of natural stone with consistent colour and very low maintenance.
Is quartz natural or man-made?
Both, in a sense. The quartz mineral is natural and makes up most of the slab, but a quartz worktop is engineered (man-made) by binding crushed natural quartz with resin. So it is a natural material in a manufactured surface.
What is quartz made of?
About 90% crushed natural quartz, plus around 10% polymer resin (the binder) and pigments for colour. Some designs also add reflective flecks for sparkle or printed veining for a marble look.
Do quartz worktops need sealing?
No. Quartz is non-porous, so it never needs sealing, unlike granite or marble. Day-to-day care is simply warm soapy water and a soft cloth.
Does quartz contain silica, and is it safe?
Quartz naturally contains silica, and a finished, installed worktop is perfectly safe to use. The health risk is from the dust created when cutting it, so it concerns fabricators, not homeowners. Lower-silica options are also available.