Homes in Colonial Terrace, Monticello, Pershing Place and Pemberton get the same quartz process as every other part of West University Place.
West University Place started with 1920s to 1950s bungalows, and teardown rebuilding in the 1990s and 2000s replaced a large share of them. On a narrow lot, a rebuild that fills its footprint can leave only a side gate or the front door for carrying in a long top.
What quartz is and how it performs
Quartz is an engineered surface: about 90 percent ground quartz bound with polymer resin and pigment. It is non-porous, so it never needs sealing, and coffee and wine wipe off. Its pattern holds from slab to slab, which helps on a long island or where the kitchen stone continues onto a vanity. The resin is its weak point. Sustained heat above about 300 F can mark it, so a hot pot belongs on a trivet, and harsh solvents dull it.
Quartz next to granite and quartzite
Next to granite, quartz wins on upkeep and gives up heat: granite handles normal pan heat, and quartz resin needs protecting from it. Next to quartzite, quartz costs less for most patterns and repeats its pattern exactly, while quartzite is real stone with veins that never repeat. Outdoors the choice is made for you, since quartz stays inside. We bring samples of all three to the estimate.
Choosing your quartz
Choosing quartz means choosing a pattern, not a slab. Look at the sample in your own kitchen light, next to the cabinets and the floor. Solids are calm and hide seams, veined patterns are bold and need seam planning, and some patterns carry a fine sparkle. For a long island, ask whether the pattern comes in a slab long enough for one piece.
Sinks and cutouts in quartz
Quartz takes undermount, drop-in, farmhouse and vessel sinks. An undermount sink shows the polished cut edge, which on quartz looks as clean as the top. The sink and cooktop openings are cut in our shop from the template. A farmhouse sink needs its own base cabinet and a cutout sized to its front.
Seams and edges in quartz
Because the pattern repeats, seams in quartz match more easily than in natural stone. Solid colors hide a seam well. A veined pattern needs planning so the veins meet as closely as the slab allows. We place seams at the sink or the cooktop where the layout allows, cut the joint tight and fill it with epoxy matched to the color. A seam is still visible up close. Eased and beveled edges suit the clean look of most quartz patterns, and a mitered edge makes a thin top read as a solid block.
Caring for quartz
Clean quartz with a damp cloth and a drop of mild soap. Skip bleach, oven cleaner and abrasive or high-pH cleaners, which dull the resin. A chipped edge on quartz can be repaired.
From estimate to install
You will see our crew three times. First comes the free estimate, with samples and a written price that lists the quartz, the edges, the cutouts, tear-out and the sink install. Quartz is picked from samples, and every slab of the pattern matches its sample. Second is the template, once the cabinets are set and level. The digital template catches walls that are out of square. Between the visits, our shop cuts the quartz and its sink and cooktop openings. Third is the install: old tops out, quartz in, seams filled with tinted epoxy and the sink set, with the faucet holes drilled on site at install. The counter is ready to use once the seams have cured.
Where we work and how to start
We also cut quartz for kitchens in Braeswood Place, Bellaire and River Oaks, and for West University Place we cut granite and quartzite as well.
If quartz feels right for your kitchen in West University Place, the next step is the free estimate. Use the form below or call us.