The Growth of Quartz
Throughout our years of fabricating countertops, we have seen trends come and go. Materials and colours that were desirable 5 or 10 years ago may not catch the eye of a homeowner this year. It is important that countertop manufacturers keep up with trends as they develop. York Fabrica has a constantly changing stock as we bring in new colours on a weekly or even daily basis to offer our customers a wide variety of options.
 
We have seen demand for quartz, or 'engineered stone' grow steadily over that last 5 years. New colours are being introduced on a regular basis. Most manufacturers in our market have at least doubled the number of colours in their palette and have introduced some very innovative patterning, they continue to expand their technology and are coming closer to replicating a natural stone appearance.
 
According to research firm The Freedonia Group Inc, laminate countertops accounted for about 25% of global sales. Next to that were solid surfaces and natural stone at about 20% each. This firm predicts that quartz, which was seen as primarily a high priced option in the past, will achieve the highest gains by 2013. A quartz counter top is typically price about the same as a mid range granite.  The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) agrees. They have surveyed designers and expect that the demand for quartz to catch up and possibly surpass other options on the next few years.
 
The fabrication of most stone countertops can present a challenge when it comes to the edge profiles. Recently many fabrication shops use machines such as waterjets and CNCs throughout the entire process. Although this process may decrease the time required to produce the countertops, the finished product may not be best possible. Although York Fabrica does utilize the same machines for the cutting and initial finishing, we find that the only way to currently achieve a proper polish along the edge profile is to give them a final polish by hand. That extra attention to detail makes the difference between a good finish and a great finish. It also allows for the bottom edge to be under-polished so that, although rarely seen, the under side feels smooth like the top.   


This picture shows a typical machine finished edge next to edges that has been finished by hand.

While still dedicated to all stone products, we are committed to offering quartz and education about quartz to our customers as the demand increases. A recent survey predicted that the demand for natural stone would increase at a rate of 20% per year whereas quartz would increase at 30% per year. Through the combination of new technology available for the fabrication process and the hands-on finishing touch, we are able to offer a quality finished product to you and your customers.