About Corian Quartz – Helpful Information
One of the most popular hard surface materials used in homes all over is engineered quartz. One of the brands of quartz available to consumers is Corian. Such materials are very desirable and continually are selected to be the material used for all sorts of hard surfaces. In this post, we will consider some basic information about Corian Quartz, including what it is, fabricating it, and how to care for it.
What Quartz Is Made Of
Engineered quartz is a combination of raw materials, polymer resins and coloring pigments mixed together into a composite material. This composite is then heated an formed into a slab. The mixture varies in percentage by weight for each of the above ingredients. The ranges generally used by the companies that produce engineered quartz are:
- +90% Crushed Raw Quartz and Other Raw Materials
- -10% Polymer Resins for Binding and Coloring Pigments
The process by which engineered quartz slabs are made consist of mixing certain ingredients together to form a composite. This composite is then formed and the air is removed from the mixture. After that, the mixture is baked at a high temperature and then cooled. The ingredients that are mixed to produce the slab are:
- Polymer Resins
- Coloring Pigments
- Natural Stone Aggregate
The ingredients may vary to a degree, but the overall recipe is pretty consistent.
As mentioned, most of the engineered quartz falls within those parameters, but Corian might have a mix that varies from that guideline. The best way to determine the exact mix is to check out the information on the website for Corian. And keep in mind, companies are constantly adjusting their recipes and protocols to tune the product.
Quartz Popularity & Corian
There are many reasons that people choose quartz to be the material for their surfaces. Kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, and even shower walls are often times fashioned from quartz. In fact, many online resources make mention of the benefits and/or reasons that quartz (including Corian) is an appealing choice.
And when it comes to popularity, engineered quartz ranks reasonably well in the stone industry. There are a number of things that make it a frequently chosen material. Notice the following quote taken from This Old House.
In the past, the biggest knock against quartz was that it lacked the patterns and color variations you get with natural stone. But that’s a moot point now, with all the manufacturers offering multihued slabs with enough flecks, swirls, and random patterning to make them almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Quartz in general is really a desirable material and that helps as well. In general, the engineered quartz industry has a variety of benefits that get focused on. However, there are usually specific focus points talked about by each brand or manufacturer. For example, notice the point that Corian highlights in its material. On the website Corian
Corian® Quartz (formerly known as Zodiaq®) surface brings the best of nature and science to contemporary residential and commercial design. Engineered with pure quartz crystals, beaming with diamond-like radiance, Corian® Quartz is visually striking — and utterly unique.
Properties of Engineered Quartz
As we mentioned, quartz surfaces are generally produced following similar processes. The nuances of the process varies, but that doesn’t mean that all are necessarily created equal. There are different grades of quartz just as there are various grades of natural stone. Corian and even other engineered quartz materials though, will promote the following appealing traits:
- Non-porosity
- Stain Resistance
- Resistant to Scratching
- Easy to Clean
Like other engineered surfaces, Corian Quartz no doubt offers variations of the benefits listed above. Additionally, the maintenance and care procedures for Corian will be much the same as the other brands. We will cover some of those care and maintenance practices shortly, be first, let’s take a look at the color selection.
Corian Color Selection
The colors in which Corian Quartz is available is another reason for its success. After all if a company offers a product and the color palette is not chosen carefully, it could mean another trip to the drawing board to create more colors needed by the consumer. Corian has put together the following color selection for the product they offer:
- Ashen Gray
- Bianco Marmor
- Bianco Pur
- Geo Grigio
- Oyster Grigio
- Slate Geo
- Snow White
- Snow Flurry
- Cloud White
- Pearl Stone
- Coarse Carrara
- Snowdrift
- Stratus White
- Bianco Dolomite
- Calacatta Natura
- Neve
- London Sky
- Marble Mist
- Versilia Grigio
- Valente Pearl
- Blue Carrara
- Venetia Cream Leathered
- Venetia Cream
- Nebula
- Papyrus
- Coarse Marfil
- Toffee
- Caraway
- Antique Pearl
- Lunar Pearl
- Toasted Almond
- Indus Red
- Dove Grey
- Dove Grey Leathered
- Concrete Carrara
- Coarse Pepper
- Coarse Pepper Leathered
- Graphite
- Storm Grey
- Storm Grey Leathered
- Saddle Brown
- Indigo Swirl
- Onyx Carrara
- Portoro
- Galaxy Black
- Grigione
- Mystic Black
- Black Quasar
Fabricating Corian Quartz Surfaces
Fabricating Corian brings with it some of the challenges that are common to the quartz material. There are some key things that fabrication professionals need to be aware of if they choose to begin working with Corian Quartz – or another brand of quartz for that matter.
Dust Collection Equipment for Corian Quartz Fabrication
Nearly all hard surface materials used in construction projects contain at least some silica. When this material is cut, shaped, or polished, it creates dust. Those dust particles contain silica that can be dangerous if inhaled. So, when working with Corian Quartz, it is recommended that quartz fabrication dust collection equipment be used. Having the proper dust collection equipment can keep your working environment as free of respirable silica as possible.
Corian Quartz Fabrication Water Treatment
Even after the quartz dust is removed, it could still be a potential hazard. For example, some Corian Quartz fabricators are running wet tools that produce a slurry. This slurry is produced when water traps the particles that would become air particulates. The slurry is then processed using a quartz water treatment plant to separate the particles from the water. Then, the water is sent back to the shop where it can be used again to fabricate more Corian Quartz surfaces.
Proper Tools for Corian Quartz Fabrication
When working with engineered stone, many of the tools are the same as they would be for cutting or fabricating natural stone. However, there are specific variations of these tools for use on quartz. Let’s look at just a couple of examples.
First, let’s look at diamond polishing pads. When working with Corian, just like other quartz, you need to be aware of the need to keep the material from getting too hot. Excess heat during the polishing process can turn the material a different color. By using either wet polishing pads or polishing pads designed for quartz, you will likely get the best results when polishing Corian.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all materials have the same hardness. Because Quartz is among the harder materials (quartz is very hard), it requires a diamond bridge saw blade for cutting quartz.
Of course, there are other best practices to follow when fabricating Corian Quartz but they are too numerous to mention here. The thing to take away form this post regarding Corian Quartz fabrication is that there are specific practices and tooling to consider. There is also some equipment that can be used for both natural stone and Corian Quartz
How to Care for Corian Quartz
Caring for Corian Quartz is likewise a matter for consideration. Maintenance and cleaning processes are fairly standard for virtually all kinds of quartz, including Corian. So what is involved?
Although, Corian does not require sealing after installation, there are occasions that can cause it to need to be sealed. There are quartz sealers that exist for treating materials like Corian Quartz should they come to need sealing due to improper care.
How to Clean Corian Quartz
Cleaning Corian can be very simple. Since Quartz is stain resistant, cleaning it is as simple as using the appropriate quartz cleaning solution and not using harsh chemicals or abrasive scrubbing products. Cleaners designed for use on quartz are generally the correct cleaners to use. We do recommend reading the information provided by Corian or whichever quartz surface you are considering to see which kinds of cleaners are approved.
As we have seen in this post, Corian is a quartz brand that offers benefits. It also has a color palette that distinguishes it from other quartz brands. It is necessary for fabricators to have the proper kinds of equipment and tooling to work with it. And, it can be cared for and maintained using the proper cleaner and stain removers. Hence, there are a number of reasons for taking a close look at Corian Quartz.