Quartz Countertops : Basic Fabrication Guidelines

Quartz countertops should be fabricated following special guidelines. Unlike granite countertops, the quartz countertops have to be handled according to the quartz manufacturers fabrication guidelines. As quartz is a man made stone, or better engineered stone, it does have a different behavior when doing specific features with diamond tools.
Here are some basic fabrication guidelines that will insure high quality to your quartz countertop:

• Use water cooled diamond tools appropriate for quartz
• Use water cooled tools for polishing, make sure they're appropriate for quartz
• When doing the cut-outs for stove or sink, do not do square corners. The probability of cracking at that point is huge, officially it's considered a stress point, as engineered stone tend to release tensions. To overcome this problem you should drill with a bigger than 5mm core drill, 4 holes, on on each corner, before cutting with a diamond disk.

• When L shape counters are required, avoid making L piece in one part, the same situation as the cut-out may occur, be careful
• Seam positioning: quartz manufacturers advise not to locate them over a dishwasher, if no other option is available re-enforce it underneath
• Adhesives: select the correct polyester paste for your job, don't forget that quartz has very low porosity and therefore requires a special adhesive ... normal paste may unglue with time, especially if the area is humid/wet at times