Do You Have to Seal Quartz Countertops?

When it comes to home furnishings, quartz has become one of the crowd favorites, especially in American homes. Specifically, it has been widely used as a material for countertops. With their durable and aesthetically pleasing nature, quartz countertops have undoubtedly gained some popularity alongside granite and travertine countertops. Despite quartz surfaces gaining popularity, it’s not uncommon for our team at Granite Selection to get questions about the best way to care for this material. After all, we understand that it’s an investment in your interior design that you’ll be able to enjoy for years to come.

Quartz is a man-made material and it’s composed of varying natural stones and resin. It’s also highly concentrated with silicon dioxide. Quartz pieces are even combined with coloring elements to suit different buyer preferences and to match a range of aesthetics. However, what makes it stand out the most is not just its sleek design or its sturdy nature. It’s the fact that quartz countertop sealing is not necessary!

Quartz countertops are made of very cohesive materials and they’re made with a combination of natural stones. Because of this, they don’t have the porous characteristics that natural stone such as granite does. Do quartz countertops need sealing, then? The answer to this again is no. Even though a white quartz countertop is made up of several natural stones, a permanent seal is created on their surface during the manufacturing process. As a result, people get strong, enduring, and visually pleasing countertops for their homes. If someone asks our team for a low-maintenance countertop, quartz is almost always at the top of our list.

Meanwhile, other options such as marble, limestone, and granite countertops need to be sealed because they have a porous structure. If you don’t seal them, they’ll easily be subject to material wear. It also explains why in ancient history, many Greek and Roman architectures haven’t been preserved or are in ruins because they didn’t use sealants for their structures in the past.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU END UP SEALING QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS?

Does quartz need to be sealed? Although the answer is technically no, there are benefits to sealing a quartz countertop that we encourage you to consider. Like with natural stone countertops such as marble countertops, sealant won’t hurt, as it adds extra protection from damage. Our team at Granite Selection has outlined only a few reasons why you should seal your quartz.

SEALING QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS IS CHEAP

Quartz counters are very inexpensive to seal. Simply head to your local hardware store and grab a DIY kit, but make sure you pick up the right natural quartz sealant, as the wrong sealant can do more harm than good. It’s a cost-effective, low-maintenance option.

SEALING IMPROVES DURABILITY

Quartz countertops are an increasingly popular choice for home users and commercial businesses alike. Not only do quartz countertops look great, but with quartz sealing, they’re significantly more durable.

Quartz sealing, for those maybe not be familiar with it, is a special coating applied over quartz to help protect the surface from scratches and staining. It makes quartz countertops ideal for anyone looking to add a long-lasting durable material to their home or business.

More importantly, quartz sealing is a relatively low-cost way of improving quartz countertop durability and offers a strong return on investment for those that choose quartz for their projects.

SEALING QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS PROTECTS FROM STAINS

Do quartz countertops stain? Quartz is a popular choice when it comes to countertop material, and while it doesn’t stain easily or absorb stains, sealing the surface provides extra protection from stains.

This sealing process benefits both durability and aesthetics, as quartz doesn’t require frequent maintenance or topical applications like other materials.

With proper care, your beautiful quartz countertops will continue to look and perform at their best for a long period of time while protecting against unwanted marks or stains.

Quartz countertops do best without sealing and look like this Bianco Pepper MSI quartz countertop in Chicago, Il.

Check it out

BEST TIPS TO CARE FOR YOUR QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS WITHOUT SEALING

Even though sealing your quartz countertops isn’t needed, you’ll still want to care for them properly if you want them to last a lifetime. Despite their modest maintenance requirements, quartz countertops still require proper maintenance to avoid problems. We’ve outlined some simple guidelines to provide the ideal care for your quartz countertops:

1. Never clean with products that can cause abrasions. Doing so may scratch your shiny quartz countertops over time. As a result, you may face dull, unpolished worktops as using abrasive products takes away the shine from their surfaces.
2. Be careful with the chemicals that contact your countertops. Sealing quartz countertops may be unnecessary, but this doesn’t mean that they’re invincible from the damages that incompatible solutions may bring. Ensure that they aren’t exposed to other chemical products, such as paint thinners or cleaning products for kitchen appliances, like oven cleaners.
3. As much as possible, use heat protectants. Exposing your quartz countertop to extreme heat may also destroy it. Quartz countertops’ heat tolerance is high, but this doesn’t mean that it’s heat-proof. In other words, it may be fine when you place your occasional coffee mug or a hot bowl of soup on it, but laying heat sources such as a scorching pot or pan on it for a long time is a different story. As a matter of fact, this can lead to discoloration or burn marks on your precious quartz countertop surface. Always remember to place a potholder or a trivet before putting a pan of just-cooked food on your countertop.
4. Cutting things on the surface is a big no-no for your quartz countertop. It’s not scratching the surface that you have to worry about, but the effect of certain foods on it. For example, never cut citrus fruits or other acidic food on it. Otherwise, the acids from these foods may cause deterioration of your quartz countertop and leave an obvious dull spot.
5. Quartz countertops are perfectly kept clean with a damp sponge or cloth. To get rid of routine spills and messes, simply use a damp cloth with a little dish soap. While it’s essential to avoid leaving water on marble surfaces for long periods of time, it can be beneficial to place a damp towel over any tough stains before cleaning them with a moist sponge and dish soap.

WHAT CHEMICALS CAN DAMAGE YOUR QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS WITHOUT A SEALANT?

As a general overview, there are several harsh chemicals that you should avoid to protect quartz countertops from any damage. As advised by TechniStone, Silestone, and Cambria, steer your countertop clear of the following:

• Concentrated alkaline products
• Abrasive cleaning materials
• Oxidizers
• Free radicals
• Cleaning products with high acidity

Without a protective sealant, you need to be mindful when using products to clean your quartz countertops. As mentioned earlier, warm soapy water can work, but if there are some forms of a mess that this alone cannot handle, here’s how we recommend cleaning it:

1. If there’s dried gunk, scrape it away with a plastic tool, such as a putty knife. Remember to do this gently!
2. In case of grease, wipe this away with disinfectants or degreasing products that do not contain bleach. Wash it off immediately once you’re done.
3. For tough stains, adhesive remover will do the trick. For example, you can use a small amount of citrus cleaner such as Goo Gone on the stain, leave it on for five to ten minutes, then wipe it off. It’s especially effective when the stain is so stubborn. Afterward, wipe it off completely with warm water.

TO SEAL OR NOT TO SEAL? FINAL WORDS ON SEALING QUARTZ COUNTERTOPS

Quartz countertops are scratch-proof, heat-resistant, and durable in general. However, these impressive qualities don’t guarantee its perfect state over time. Protecting your quartz countertops with the right sealer is a good way to ensure they can withstand wear and tear while still looking flawless. Although sealing quartz surfaces isn’t required, it’s still highly encouraged by our team in order to maintain their quality over time.

Best of all, choose only the best quartz countertops for your household! Granite Selection is the premier supplier of quartz, granite, and other stone countertops for kitchens and bathrooms in the Chicagoland area. Customers can choose from a wide variety of quartz products at our showroom in Elk Grove Village, IL. We provide full installation services so that customers have their perfect countertop as soon as possible. Call us at (888) 906 3317, and we will be happy to help you!