30

Jun

Is It Normal For Quartz Countertops To Chip?

Chips and cracks are the worst. They are not only hard to repair, but they can ruin the look of your beautiful countertops too. Here is everything you need to know about chips in quartz kitchen countertop and how to combat them if they ever occur.

Can Quartz Countertops Chip?

Everyone wants a kitchen countertop material that won’t crack or chip, but we all know that it’s almost impossible. Quartz is generally considered to be a very good and durable material and it’s stronger than most natural and man-made materials, but does it mean that it won’t ever chip or crack? Of course not! Quartz, no matter how hard and strong it is, is not invincible. It can get damaged or chipped during use and if you’re not careful with maintaining it, then it can crack more often.

Chipping is exactly what it sounds like. It is the removal of material from the surface in the form of peels. Countertop materials can chip very easily, especially around the areas where damage is clearly visible, like a crack or a hole. Chips can further transform into deeper cracks and the material can ultimately get ruined. It doesn’t look pleasing to the eye either. This is why you need to make sure that you’re taking care of the chips before they get worse.

Reasons Of Chipping In Quartz Countertops

Yes, quartz countertops can chip, but you want to be able to know the reasons behind it too. There are a lot of ways by which countertops can get chipped and you need to look out for these signs, which aggravate chipping so that it can be avoided in the future.

Not Protecting The Countertops

This one is quite obvious, but if you don’t protect your countertops, then chipping and cracks can become the norm. Although quartz doesn’t need to be sealed, it won’t hurt if you go the extra mile and have it protected in every way. Sealing doesn’t only prevent water damage, but it can also prevent scratches from forming on the surface of quartz.

Also, you don’t want to use sharp knives directly on the surface of countertops, because scratches are the first signs of chipping and over time, knife scratches can lead to a lot of damage, along with chipping.

Putting Too Much Weight On The Countertops

A kitchen countertop is not the place where you should test strength. You shouldn’t set heavy things like produce and groceries on top of the kitchen counters. You also shouldn’t stand on the countertops, while trying to reach for something at a height. You might not realize this, but you are damaging your countertops immensely by putting too much weight on them.

Over time, this weight can lead to chips and cracks forming on the surface and it can ultimately ruin the countertops.

Dropping Things On The Countertops

Putting too much weight on countertops is one thing, but dropping things with too much force is an entirely different thing. Sometimes, it’s a force of habit that you set things down with a lot of strength. You might not notice that you’re doing something, but clattering heavy things or even sharp things on the countertops with force can impart damage to the countertops.

There can be weak spots on the surface of quartz countertops, which can chip and crack if you keep clattering things on them. This is a very common culprit of the formation of chips on the countertop, no matter how strong and durable the material is.

Countertops Aren’t Properly Installed

This might sound weird, but this can be another reason why your countertops might be chipping prematurely. Your countertops need to be leveled and installed properly, in order to make sure that they are easy to work on.

If the countertops are skewed or they are installed in a crooked way, then it can lead to cracks on the surface, because one part of the countertop is exposed to more forces, and more weight, and is ultimately more fragile than other parts. This can lead to your countertops getting damaged very quickly. Make sure your the installation of quartz countertops is done well.

Using Harsh Cleaning Products

Cleaning quartz countertops is pretty easy, but sometimes people can take it upon themselves and damage the perfectly fine countertops by using harsh and abrasive cleaning products. You don’t need to use chemical and acidic cleaners to clean quartz countertops.

Quartz doesn’t usually stain and it can be cleaned pretty nicely with normal soap or detergent. Using abrasive pads and hard cleaning equipment, like metal scrapers or sharp needles is going to lead to scratches forming on the surface, which can ultimately lead to chips.

Direct Heat Contact

Quartz is very heat resistant, but it doesn’t mean that you need to test its limit. Try to avoid excessive contact with heat, because it can form very ugly black heat stains on the countertops. These stains are a nightmare to get rid of. However, more than this, you’re damaging the countertops and letting cracks form.

Quartz can get shocked from too much heat and this can cause very deep and large cracks on the surface, which not only look bad, but they can also lead to bigger problems.

How To Fix Chips On Quartz Countertops?

If you see a chip or crack starting to form on the countertop surface, then here’s what you can do to fix it:

Clean It

As soon as you see a chip forming on the surface or the edge of the countertop, you want to clean the area first. You should only use a cleaner that is made for cleaning quartz countertops to get rid of gunk and grease present on the surface of the chip.

Fill Up The Chip

Once your countertop is clean, you want to grab an adhesive and fill up the space the chip has created. This adhesive will act as a filler and it will cover up the hole. Fill up the chip space liberally with the adhesive, then use a scraper, spatula, or nail file to flatten and level the surface.

For lighter-colored quartz countertops, you can use superglue or a clear adhesive to fill in the small holes or cracks. To ensure that you stay within the lines of the crack, cover the surrounding areas of the cracks with masking tape. This will ensure professional and clean results at the end.

Let The Adhesive Dry

Let the adhesive dry and harden for a bit. You don’t want to proceed further until the filler is completely dry.

Sand Down The Dried Adhesive

Once the glue has dried, you will need sandpaper of a grit ranging from 300-600. You will need to sand down the dried adhesive until the surface is smooth.

Try to go slow during this process, because it’s very easy to over-sand the surface and you don’t want to sand off too much, otherwise, the surface may look uneven. Voila! Your countertops will look good as new.

Conclusion

There you have it! Chips are very normal in quartz countertops, even though the material is quite strong and durable. Well, now you know how to deal with them and prevent them in the future. If the countertop is severely damaged, get it replaced by a quartz countertop contractor Potomac.

05

Aug

Tips On How To Maintain The Shine On Your Quartz Countertops

There are plenty of reasons you can opt for quartz countertops. They are durable, they last for a long time, they are easy to maintain, among many other things. No homeowner wants ugly countertops, so when you install them, you should take good care of them to retain their great appeal.

To help you out, here are tips on how to keep your countertops looking awesome for years:

Clean them daily

Cleaning the countertops daily not only eliminates dirt and dust, but it also gets rid of germs that might contaminate your food. The cool thing is it’s easy to clean the countertops. Using soap, water, and a soft rag is enough. You can also use a mild detergent, but take care the detergent isn’t too tough for the surfaces; hence end up causing damage.

While regular daily cleaning is enough to keep your surfaces in top shape, you should occasionally use a glass cleaner to clean the countertops deeply. To clean the surfaces, spray the cleaner on your countertops, let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it off with a wet cloth.

You should stay away from harsh cleaners as they will damage the surfaces. These cleaners are highly acidic or alkaline. Some of the cleaners to stay away from include: bleach, oven cleaner, drain cleaners, Methylene chloride, trichloroethane, and dishwasher rinsing agents.

Get rid of stains as soon as possible.

Although, the countertops are highly resistant to stains, liquids such as coffee and wine can spill on the counters and leave a stain that is hard to remove. To remove the stains, you should use an adhesive remover.

Pour a little bit of cleaner on the stain then let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then remove the stain with a soft cloth. After removing the stain, clean the surfaces with warm water.

Watch the edges

The countertops are tough, but the corners and edges of the surfaces will chip and crack if you consistently strike them with a blunt or sharp object. While you can always hire a countertop restoration professional to fix the surfaces, it’s always good to prevent the chipping in the first place.

When working on the surfaces, avoid working on the edges. If you have many people in the house, let them know how to take care of the surfaces and how to conduct themselves around them.

Keep hot objects away.

The countertops will rarely crack at high temperatures, but when you regularly expose them to hot objects, you put them at the risk of losing their color. To avoid this, you should keep hot pots, pans, and baking sheets from the surfaces.

If you have to place the hot items on the surfaces, use a mat, trivet, or pad.

Use a cutting board

While quartz is highly scratch-resistant, it’s not scratch proof.  So to keep the countertops free of unnecessary scratches and avoid dulling the knives, you should use a cutting board when cutting meat, onions, tomatoes, or any other material.

Keep off permanent markers.

As you are preparing the meals, it’s normal for the kids to come and stay with you in the kitchen. As they are there, it’s tempting to allow them to do their school projects on the kitchen island.

Sometimes they might be using permanent markers that are known to adhere to the surfaces making it hard to remove them.

To remove the colors, you have to use harsh chemicals. While the chemicals will remove the colors, they also tend to damage the countertops. If you have to invite the kids to the kitchen to complete their homework there, ensure they are using water-based markers.

Keep the warranty certificate.

Most reputable manufacturers give a warranty for their products. While quartz is known to last for decades, sometimes problems might come up. For example, the countertops might break or even lose their original color.

When this happens, you can’t return the slabs without the warranty certificate. To have an easy time getting a replacement for your quartz kitchen countertops Potomac, you should keep the warranty certificate.

The certificate also means the countertop company can send a technician to repair or even replace the countertops at no cost on your end.