There are many materials in the stone industry that offer great performance as countertop surfaces. One of the brands of engineered stone (also called engineered quartz) that is available is Smartstone Quartz. Like other materials in this category, Smartstone Quartz are an effective solution for use in kitchens as countertops. They also are used for worktops, tabletops, and more. Products compatible with Smartstone Quartz exist for fabricators and homeowners that either work with the material or need to care for it. In this article we will look at why certain products are good choices for Smartstone Quartz. If you would like general information about quartz, you can check out our article about engineered stone.
Summary of Quartz
Smartstone Quartz is a specific brand of Quartz and even though we won't go into detail about the material's general information here, it does make a lot of sense to briefly explain what the material is. Therefore, we will spend just a moment to convey that information here.
What is Smartstone Quartz? Like many other brands of quartz, Smartstone is a man-made material that resembles (sometimes extremely closely) natural stone. In fact Good Housekeeping say this about Smartstone Quartz:
...this engineered stone is named after its principal ingredient, quartz, which is held together by polymer resins. The result is an exceptionally durable, low-maintenance material that's available in a wide range of colors and patterns, including those that resemble natural stone.
Not complicated, and fairly easy to grasp. But since it is similar to natural stone, the products used to work with and maintain it are available through stone product channels.
Smartstone Quartz Care & Maintenance
Caring for and maintaining Smartstone Quartz is a primary aspect of which people look for products when they own quartz surfaces. This aspect may be described in two main aspects.
Cleaning Products for Quartz
The first area in which care and maintenance of Smartstone Quartz comes into play is cleaning the surface daily. In order to get the best results, Smartstone Quartz benefits from using a cleaner that is not harsh and won't react with the material itself. One such product that is Lustro Italiano stone cleaner for countertops. It is made for use on all sorts of stone countertops, including Smartstone Quartz surfaces.
Maintaining Smartstone Quartz
You have most likely seen statements that indicate there is no need to seal Quartz. This statement is fundamentally true. However, it is a lot like saying, "There is no need to wax your car." It is true that there is no need for sealing Smartstone Quartz surfaces. But if you choose to, you will be adding a benefit that does not inherently exist on Quartz countertops. What is it? The benefit of having a barrier between the material and any water-based or oil-based liquids that may get on the surface. Preventing liquids form contacting the material itself has the potential to make clean up easier since the liquid is sitting on the barrier and not the material. So, if you choose to seal Smartstone Quartz surfaces, we recommend using a stone sealer designed to be quartz safe.
Smartstone Stain Removal
You may have been under the impression that Smartstone Quartz does not stain. If so, you may be surprised to learn that Smartstone Quartz can become discolored. These discolorations can be treated by using a cleaner designed for removing the substance that is either dried on the surface or has seemingly attached itself to the material. An example of a discoloration that you may encounter is limescale, or mineral deposits that can be stubborn when it comes to removing them from Smartstone Quartz and other brands as well. For this type of care, we recommend using a lime descaling product for quartz.
Fabricating Smartstone Quartz and Restoration
Working Smartstone Quartz surfaces is much like the fabrication of natural stone in many ways. And although it is not exactly the same, principles apply to both. So we feel like it is good to talk a little bit about some fabrication and restoration products that you may find useful for Smartstone Quartz.
Stone Cutting and Smartstone Surfaces
Stone fabrication involves the use of diamond blades. Some natural stone is very hard and requires the use of specific blades. Smartstone Quartz is also a hard material and therefore takes blades designed for cutting hard materials. Nearly all blades made for cutting granite, sintered stone, or quartzite will effectively work on Smartstone Quartz. As an example, these turbo blades for hard material are effective for cutting hard materials. Either of the granite or quartzite turbo blades there would be sufficient for cutting Smartstone Quartz.
Restoring a Polish On Smartstone
Another aspect of working with stone surfaces is that they, at times need to have their polish restored. Any stone surface (natural or engineered) that is polished can become dull in its appearance and need to be re-polished. Even before it is installed a Smartstone Quartz receives polishing. For this task, an effective polishing pad for quartz will yield the best results since these are designed for polishing quartz.
Stone With a Proper Tone
Not all quartz surfaces are cared for the same and at times some Smartstone Quartz surfaces can become dull. When this happens, there are products designed to enhance the appearance of the slab. For achieving this, use a color enhancing toner for Smartstone to deepen the tones of color in the material.
Well, there you have it, a brief rundown of some of the products compatible with Smartstone Quartz and a summarization of its characteristics. As we have seen, there are a number of parallels between natural stone and Smartstone Quartz as far as fabrication, restoration, care, and maintenance are concerned. So if you haven't tried products that are designed for use on Smartstone Quartz, maybe you have found the right place.
