Post 9: Prep Space Perfection

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Quartz: engineered for excellence

I knew I wanted quartz countertops before I started this project. I had a lot of friends that had quartz counters and they always looked so beautiful. I had a “marble-like” look in my head, without the high price point for marble. Unlike granite, marble, and other natural stone countertops, quartz countertops are man-made. They are manufactured by grinding natural quartz into dust and combining it with other materials such as polymers, resins, and pigments. Many people buy quartz countertops because they are ultra-durable, a result of the quartz stone being combined with other materials. If you are looking for a material that won’t crack, scratch, or get chipped easily, quartz is the way to go. In addition to their durability and elegant look, unlike natural stone counters, quartz countertops are non-porous making them extremely resistant to stains.

I originally liked a new Caesarstone design called Empira White, but it was the top-end of Caesarstone’s pricing and the veining was darker than I wanted. Once again, as my mom always used to say, “champagne taste on a beer budget.” I looked at a few slabs from Cambria and Silestone, as well as other import companies from China like MSI. I was considering a few options before I wound up looking at Hanstone Quartz.

Field trip to Hanstone

I originally really liked like the Tranquility pattern from Hanstone, so I visited their showroom (in Vaughan, ON) to see a larger sample of the stone. When I visited Hanstone, I immediately found the Tranquility pattern too busy, it got worse when I looked at a narrow slab that was similar to the dimensions of my counters. It almost looked like snakes crawling across the slab! Right next to Tranquility was the Chantilly slab. When I was able to see the full slab, I loved it. It was a bright white, with a feathery dark grey veining, that I thought would compliment my blue cabinets. Yes, it was a higher price-point than originally in budget but getting the quartz I wanted was an increase I was willing to make.

Rookie Tip: A few decisions you will have to make when selecting your quartz countertops include style, thickness, and edge profile.

Style: Quartz countertops come in many colours (both light and dark) and patterns (plain, veining, or with crystal flecks). Be sure to bring home a few quartz samples before settling on a specific colour or design. Evaluate your samples under your own lighting, and against the backdrop of your cabinets and walls to help choose a pattern and design that complements your space. As I chose a bright white colour for my cabinets (Chantilly Lace), I wanted a bright white countertop, and I loved the look of subtle grey veining.
Edge: The edge profile you select affects the style of the space, but has a big effect on cleaning, safety, and durability. I wanted a very simple edge profile, so I chose an eased edge (sometimes called straight edge) that is a square edge that is rounded ever so slightly to prevent damage to the countertop. Edge options include bevel, miter, bullnose, ogee, and many others.
Thickness: Quartz comes in a variety of thicknesses, but the most common are 2cm or 3cm (1 1/4″ for my US friends). A 2cm piece of quartz is better suited for vertical installations as it’s more fragile. These pieces are commonly used for fireplace surrounds, wall coverings, backsplashes, and bathrooms, or when a more minimalistic look is desired in a room. The thicker quartz pieces cost more, but they are also more resilient. To keep costs down, Debby (my designer) suggested I select a 2cm thickness with a miter edge that would give the illusion of a thicker slab, but I had a very clear vision of how I wanted my counters to look and, in the end, I decided I wanted to 3cm slab.

Technology mixed with some good old-fashioned math

The counter measurement process was really cool to watch! Debby (my designer) arranged for a company called Stone Edge to make my counters. Once the cabinets were installed, someone from Stone Works came out and did the templating for the counters. It was all done by laser, as well as some good old-fashioned math to ensure 100% accuracy. Then the waiting began as the counters needed to be cut according to the template which takes a few weeks.

Please don’t damage the brand-new merchandise

The night before the counters were installed, I didn’t sleep very well. I wasn’t sure how they would look and didn’t want them to be too “busy” in my small space. When the slabs arrived for install, I tried to watch them bringing them in, but it way way too stressful. 🙂 They dragged them across the top of the brand-new cabinets and I couldn’t bear to watch. After they were installed, they looked exactly as I had envisioned. The tone of the grey veining complimented my navy cabinets perfectly. The bright white background creates a clean look to my kitchen. I am petrified of scratching them, so trying to be very careful what I place on top of them. Good thing I didn’t replace my stove, as it has become the only “safe” spot in my kitchen to place items on. 🙂 I added little cutting boards to each surface, so that nothing would directly touch the quartz. I imagine this care will dissipate over time, but for now it is on high alert.

Hardware sneak peek in a few of these pics. When the cabinets were installed, my handles were on backorder except for a few select pieces the demo crew used to determine hardware placement.