Cornwall Living
Coastal quartz
Introducing a range of kitchen worktops that balance affordability, durability, and style.
If you’re new to the world of worktops, you might be wondering which material you should choose and why? Duke Stone of Cornwall has been designing and supplying stone to homes of distinction across Cornwall for over seven years. With the launch of their competitively priced Coastal Range – a new bespoke collection of quartz selected carefully from analysing recent trends and liaising with customers for current favourites – we asked them to explain the benefits of a quartz worktop.
What exactly is quartz?
Quartz is a man-made product which combines natural stone with resin to produce a durable composite. As it is a man- made, quartz is more uniform in colour and patterning than the natural alternative and is available in a huge variety of colours and patterns to complement any kitchen design. Be it a marble or speckled effect, sparkling or quietly elegant colour, chunky or slim and sleek, the choices are endless.
Is a quartz worktop durable?
Kitchen worktops are the most used surfaces in the home and so durability is key. A quartz worktop is incredibly hard-wearing as it’s made from one of the toughest materials available. You might be surprised to learn that it’s both tougher and stronger than granite, able to handle double the impact of granite with four times the flexural strength. However, it is certainly worth noting that quartz is prone to damage through heat, so no hot pans!
Will my worktop scratch?
There are few things worse than purchasing a new kitchen worktop, only to discover scratches on it shortly after. Thankfully, quartz is naturally scratch-resistant, with only three other natural minerals in the world that can scratch it; diamond, sapphire or ruby, and topaz. As long as you remove any jewellery containing these gems before cooking or baking, your worktop will remain in pristine condition.
Is quartz environmentally friendly?
Quartz is one of the natural materials that doesn’t emit chemical gases, resulting in better air quality throughout your home. In addition, with brands bringing out more sustainable ways to produce quartz, alongside the fact that quartz worktops are built to last, this is a worktop choice that’s kind to the planet.
DUKE STONE OF CORNWALL
