What is Greenguard and why is it so important?
Finely ground Quartz dust
Quartz is a fantastic material to use, and it can be used for a wide variety of applications, and this is due to many reasons that make Quartz stone suitable for use in many different environments. For instance, our quartz is made up of around 93% natural Quartz stone, ground into fine powder, and mixed in thoroughly with a few types of recycled materials, resins and pigments, in order to not only create a stunning design on the Quartz surface, but it also ensures that the background looks very smooth and silky, as the Quartz grains are ground into very small and soft particles, allowing the colours on the stone to really stand out, and creating a very elegant effect on the stone. In addition, this fine powder is really difficult to scratch, as the exposed surface area of each one is very minute, therefore making Quartz a very scratch resistant type of material.
Appealing features of Quartz
To be a little more technical also, this kind of Quartz mixture results in a very strong bond between the Quartz dust specs, and so consequently, this prevents any small pores from forming on the surface of the stone during the firing process of manufacturing Quartz (unlike natural stone which has many small pores spread across the surface), so in turn, Quartz is very stain resistant too, as liquids cannot get through the surface and decolourise the stone. With regards to durability, impact resistance and strength, Quartz stone is amongst the best, because unlike other types of stone such as porcelain or Dekton, which feature a glaze on a stone base that can be chipped off when under high impact, Quartz is purely made out of a mix of strong ingredients that are fired at high temperatures so that they bond very tightly.
Safety and Hygiene
There are so many other fantastic features that Quartz carries, which make it very popular within the market, and allow for Quartz to be used as work surfaces, wall cladding, driveway patching, fence building and so many other kinds of uses. However, one thing which is not often spoken about with regards to stone is the safety. Safety is an essential factor to consider always, and especially before starting large projects such as renovations and construction. Hygiene and safety behind the application of Quartz is vital to look into, especially if the stone is being used as a work surface where food is prepared, or chemicals are used (such as make-up or hair products), and especially if it is being installed indoors, as the air indoors tends to be four times more polluted than the air outdoors.
Anti-Microbial Quartz
As mentioned above, Quartz does not have any small pores on its surface, due to the way that it is manufactured and the materials that it is composed of. Small pores on natural stone may act as habitats for microbes and germs to enter and start growing, making it not very suitable for food to be kept on for a while. However, with Quartz, food, chemicals, and other products can be left on the surface with no worry at all about any infections or any hygiene concerns.
Greenguard
Even more significant than the hygiene of Quartz, UK imports of Quartz feature the Greenguard Gold certification, which comes from the Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI), whereby they measure the volatile organic compound emissions (VOCE), and ensure that the product they are testing has very low levels of certain materials and fumes, so that they can reassure the customer that the product is safe to use. This is especially important for the vulnerable, such as children, pregnant women or the elderly, to ensure that they are inhaling air that is as clean and as less polluted with hazardous substances as possible. In addition to the health concerns, it also ensures that the stone is very environmentally friendly, not only when it is installed, but also during the manufacturing process, and so therefore you can rest assured that you are not doing much damage to the environment at all when buying a Quartz surface with a Greenguard certification.
Because our Quartz is Greenguard certified, you can rest assured that when installing Atlanta Stone Centre Quartz indoors, the stone will barely pollute the environment within the house. In addition, if the Quartz stone is being used as a work surface whereby chemicals and food products are placed on top, then there is no fear of any harmful contamination or infection, as the Quartz surface is very hygienic and safe to use.
