About Gemini 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 Gemini Quartz. Quartz materials such as Gemini 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 Gemini 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. Workers then heat and form the composite 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
To make quartz slabs, manufacturers blend raw materials into a composite substance by means of special mixers. The composite substance is molded and heated at high temperatures. Professionals use solid sheets (or slabs) for hard surfaces. The resulting “slab” though, has properties that differ from natural stone.
As mentioned, most of the engineered quartz falls within those parameters, but Gemini might have a mix that varies from that guideline. The best way to determine the exact mix for Gemini is to check out the information on the website for Gemini. And keep in mind, companies are constantly adjusting their recipes and protocols to tune the product.
Quartz Popularity & Gemini
There are many reasons that people choose quartz to be the material for their surfaces. Fabricators fashion kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, and even shower walls from quartz. In fact, many online resources make mention of the benefits and/or reasons that quartz (including Gemini) is an appealing choice.
In fact, engineered quartz offers some very desirable features. Notice the following quote from hgtv.com
One of the main reasons quartz has exploded in popularity is due to appearance. Quartz has the look of stone while also allowing homeowners to customize the design. While granite offers many options in terms of appearance, you may have to search for the right piece that matches your color scheme. With quartz, the selection process is much easier.
Quartz in general is really a desirable material and that helps Gemini as well. In general, the engineered quartz industry has a variety of benefits that get focused on. Manufacturers or brand representatives usually discuss specific focus points. For example, notice the point that Gemini highlights in its material. On the website Affordable Worktops
Gemini Quartz® is made from the purest raw materials, clean resins and is made through a superior manufacturing process. This is reflected in the consistent and high-definition patterns, colours of the surfaces and its performance as the most durable of kitchen worktops.
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. Gemini 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 quartz surfaces, Gemini no doubt offers variations of the benefits listed above. Additionally, the maintenance and care procedures for Gemini will be much the same as the other brands of engineered quartz. We will cover some of those care and maintenance practices shortly, be first, let’s take a look at the color selection.
Gemini Color Selection
The colors in which Gemini 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. Gemini has put together the following color selection for the product they offer:
- Arctic Starburst
- Silver Starburst
- Midnight Starburst
- English White
- Grey Mist
- Capri White
- Taurus Grey
- Scorpio Black
- Aspen Ice
- Falcon Ice
- Graphite Ice
- Black Magic
- Highland White
- Timberwolf
- Ultra White
- Venetian White
- Atlas White
- Emperador Gold
- Mercury Grey
- Nero Marquina
- Persian Grey
- Statuario
- Anthracite
- Arabescato
- Cool Cement
- Fantastic Grey
- Urban Concrete
- Calacatta Gold
- Metallic Rust
- Iron Ore
Fabricating Gemini Surfaces
Fabricating Gemini 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 Gemini Quartz – or another brand for that matter.
Dust Collection Equipment for Fabrication
Nearly all hard surface materials used in construction projects contain at least some silica. Fabricators create dust as they cut, shape, and polishe quartz. Those dust particles contain silica that can be dangerous if inhaled. So, when working with 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.
Gemini Water Treatment
Quartz is potentially hazardous even after dust is removed. For example, some Gemini 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. The machine pumps water back to the shop for creating more Gemini surfaces.
Proper Tools for Gemini 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 Gemini, just like other brands, 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 Gemini.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all materials have the same hardness. Because Gemini is among the harder materials (quartz is very hard), it requires a diamond bridge saw blade for cutting.
Of course, there are other best practices to follow when fabricating Gemini but they are too numerous to mention here. The thing to take away form this post regarding Gemini fabrication is that there are specific practices and tooling to consider. Professionals use equipment for both natural stone and Gemini Quartz.
How to Care for Gemini Quartz
Caring for Gemini Quartz is likewise a matter for consideration. Maintenance and cleaning processes are fairly standard for virtually all kinds of quartz, including Gemini Quartz. So what is involved?
Although, Gemini Quartz 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 Gemini Quartz should they come to need sealing due to improper care.
How to Clean Gemini Quartz
Cleaning Gemini Quartz can be very simple. Since Gemini 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 Gemini Quartz or whichever quartz surface you are considering to see which kinds of cleaners are approved.
In conclusion, Gemini Quartz is an appealing material for use in homes and businesses. We have seen what some of the benefits are to selecting Gemini Quartz and what it is made of. Additionally, we looked at some important fabrication practices that need to be considered. And we looked at what kinds of cleaner to use for maintaining Gemini Quartz as well as why some quartz surfaces may need to be sealed even though they do not need to be sealed initially.