Silestone Quartz Countertops Can Be a Great Buy!

Silestone, manufactured by Cosentino, is an engineered quartz product that is used in kitchen countertops, vanity tops, bathroom surfaces and floors. Silestone is made from natural quartz and a small amount of polymer resins, plus coloring.  It is extremely durable, does not stain easily, and comes with Microban, a substance that inhibits the growth of bacteria.  It is often compared to granite since they are similar products.  One way in which Silestone has proven preferable to granite is that its surface never needs sealing.  Granite must be sealed upon installation and at regular intervals after that. Whereas other countertops are susceptible to coffee, wine, and other stains, Silestone is not, thanks to its non-porous surface.

What is Silestone Made From ?

Quartz is the fourth hardest substances on the earth. On the Mohs hardness scale it rates a 7.  For comparison, a diamond is 10.0. This quality of hardness makes products of Silestone very durable.  It is resistant to scratches and knife marks, but the consumer should be aware of two caveats: first, knives will go dull more often when they are used on Silestone, and second, Silestone is resistant to scratches, not immune to them.  Damage can be done if there is heavy usage by very sharp knives.  Silestone is also resistant to heat but can be burned or cracked by extremely hot pans. The manufacturers caution against placing crock pots and electric skillets directly on the surface.

Decorating Using Silestone Quartz In Your Kitchen

Decorating with Silestone is a breeze.  The company offers special tiles for backsplashes as well as floor tiles in standard sizes to match the Silestone countertops.  They even offer switch plates in coordinating colors.  Silestone is available in many colors, with more colors coming available all the time.  This ensures that it will be easy to find a Silestone pattern to coordinate with any color scheme in the home.  The color choices are extensive and can range from a single dominant color to a speckled pattern of many colors.  The latest development in Silestone is the leather texture.

Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other large builder supply companies carry a variety of Silestone products.  They can also be ordered from cabinet dealers, smaller local companies, and online sources.

Silestone prices can vary to a significant degree from one outlet to another, from style to style, and from area to area.  There are online calculators that will determine what the price will be according to specific input.  They ask the consumer to enter specific information, including length and width of the counters, and information regarding stove and sink cutouts.  The process is complicated but the calculators do all the work. Investigate silestone for your own remodeling project…we think its a winner!