Design Details & Technical Information

Quartz Worktops – Truly Bespoke and Personal

Our Quartz worktops look sophisticated and elegant, and because they are so versatile can suit a variety of different designs whether that be traditional or a more contemporary style. The worktops are produced through a special process, which means that they can be shaped into a variety of different shapes and designs, for numerous uses, creating a highly personalised appearance for your worktop.

Here are some of the most popular design choices

Edge Details

Edge Details

Return Ends

Cutouts & Drainer Grooves

Belfast Sink

Sink or Hob

Drainer Recessed

Drainer Type A

Drainer Type B

Drainer Type C

Drainer Type D

Drainer Type E

Hobs are installed according to a patented high-strength cutout method, integrating the hobs and worktops according to specified guidelines.

Splash backs or wall cladding are installed with a minimum 50mm gap behind an electric hob and a minimum 100mm gap behind a gas hob. There must also be a minimum 50mm gap from the cutout to the front of the worktop. To accommodate these requirements, it is sometimes necessary to widen the worktop to what is called a “breakfront.”

  • Sink cutouts are placed a minimum 50mm from the worktop front edge
  • A minimum of 120mm is required between two hob cutouts
  • A minimum of 100mm is required between hob and sink cutouts
  • A minimum of 70mm is required between two sink cutouts
  • If a waste disposal unit is fitted to an undermounted sink after installation, additional support will be required, otherwise your warranty may be invalidated
Tough
Quartz is one of the hardest minerals in the world. This makes our products very durable, with a high level of resistance.
Durable
Proven to be remarkably durable, a versatile material that is easy to live with in both domestic and commercial environments.
Non-Porous

Bacteria and mould have nowhere to take root. When it looks clean, it really is clean.

Easy to Clean
With a non-porous surface that prevents dirt and stains from penetrating the material. Marks and stains stay on the surface and can easily be removed.

Technical Information

Bluestone offers a choice of four top grade quartz worktops, Silestone, Diore Quartz, Compac and Technistone.

These quartz worktops are fabricated by a high-tech process from at least 94% natural quartz, blended with polymer resin, making it extraordinarily hard and resilient, with unequalled hygienic properties and exceptional beauty and luxury.

Quartz worktops offer unmatched aesthetic appeal and are available in a huge range of colours and sizes. Our engineered quartz produces the same unique, elegant, crystal appearance of natural quartz. It has an incomparable density, strength and resilience, scoring 7 on the MOHS scale of hardness. That is just three less than a diamond and far outperforms all other worktop materials.

Quartz is the perfect material for kitchens and bathroom worktops and vanities, or for commercial worktops.

Tolerance in quartz worktops is ±2mm

All joints are finished with a small ariss to the top edge and are carefully sealed with silicone to allow for expansion and to prevent water seeping through or bacteria growing in cavities.

Solid surface worktops can expand up to 1mm per metre and therefore a gap of at least 3mm should be left between the worktop and any walls. These gaps are filled with decorators caulk for a neat finish.

When solid surface worktops are joined to other materials (such as glass, steel or wood) an elastic type of adhesive, for example polyurethane, is required for expansion.

Any overhang extending more than 300mm should be supported.

Due to the weight of quartz worktops, it is essential that your units are level and securely fixed.

Splash backs or wall cladding are installed with a minimum 50mm gap behind an electric hob and a minimum 100mm gap behind a gas hob. There must also be a minimum 50mm gap from the cutout to the front of the worktop. To accommodate these requirements, it is sometimes necessary to widen the worktop to what is called a “breakfront.”

  • Sink cutouts are placed a minimum 50mm from the worktop front edge
  • A minimum of 120mm is required between two hob cutouts
  • A minimum of 100mm is required between hob and sink cutouts
  • A minimum of 70mm is required between two sink cutouts
  • If a waste disposal unit is fitted to an undermounted sink after installation, additional support will be required, otherwise your warranty may be invalidated

Electric Hob – allow 50mm

Gas Hob – allow 100mm

Domino Hobs – for structural strength allow 50mm for the splashback and 120mm between the hobs

Flush Fit Hob – allow a 2mm expansion gap

Upstands less than 100mm high are extremely fragile and are not recommended.

Upstands are not normally cut from the same slab as the worksurfaces and therefore an exact colour match is not possible.

Because quartz upstands are straight and rigid, gaps will be visible if there are any imperfections or variations on the wall profile. To cover these gaps between the wall and the upstands, it is recommended that plastering or tiling be completed after the worktop installation.

Care and Maintenance

Bluestone offer a Care and Maintenance Kit which has been developed to offer the customer everything they need to keep their worktops looking good for years to come.

Scratches

Quartz worktops are highly scratch resistant but not scratch proof and the surface must be protected by chopping or cutting boards. Dark colours will show scratches.

Staining

Quartz worktops are incredibly hard and non-porous and will not absorb liquids, but it is still possible that grease, wine, coffee, nicotine, fruit juices and other strongly coloured substances can stain the surface if not properly protected or if the spills are not cleaned up immediately.

Care and Maintenance kits are available from Bluestone, call 01539 730282 for more info.

Hygienic

Quartz worktops is naturally hygienic as it is non-porous.

Handling

For installation of worktops weighing above 120kg, you will need to supply additional labour at no cost to Bluestone. Every additional 75kg requires an extra person to assist with lifting.