What's the Best Way to Prevent Cracks in a White Quartz Slab

Reducing Installation Stress

Reducing installation stress is one of the primary measures to prevent cracking in white quartz slabs. Although quartz is known for its hardness and durability, it can still become brittle under uneven stress conditions. According to industry reports, more than 70% of quartz cracks are directly or indirectly related to stress concentration during installation. Quartz slabs must be supported evenly and securely during installation.

If the base support is insufficient or uneven, certain areas will bear too much pressure, especially at the corners and edges. While quartz has excellent compressive strength, localized stress concentration can easily trigger micro-cracks. Once these micro-cracks form, they gradually expand with time and usage, eventually leading to visible cracks on the countertop.

In high-end kitchen renovation projects, designers often emphasize the scientific layout of support structures, especially at L-shaped corners or the center of long countertops. These areas are typically stress hotspots. If the support system is poorly designed, such as neglecting to add extra support in these concentrated stress areas during installation, the countertop may develop cracks over time. A renowned stone installation company reported that they had repaired multiple quartz slab cracks caused by insufficient support, with the average repair cost being twice the original installation cost.

In addition to support structure, temperature changes can also impact the stress on quartz. Although quartz has a relatively low thermal expansion coefficient, sudden temperature changes can still cause micro-stress variations within the material, especially on larger slabs. In environments with significant temperature differences (such as variations from 40°C to 5°C), the stress on quartz slabs increases by more than 20%, and long-term exposure to such conditions accelerates the formation and expansion of cracks.

Many successful projects have demonstrated the importance of reducing installation stress. A well-known five-star hotel, during the renovation of its dining area, specifically added a support system under the countertops, ensuring a fixed support point every 30 centimeters. This design effectively prevented cracks caused by frequent use or excessive weight, and the quartz countertops in the dining area showed no cracks or maintenance issues for five years.

Avoiding High-Temperature Contact

Quartz has excellent heat resistance and can withstand temperatures of around 150°C, but this does not mean it is entirely impervious to prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Without proper protective measures, such as placing hot pots or pans directly on the countertop, the internal structure of quartz may experience stress due to drastic temperature changes, leading to cracking.

When quartz countertops are exposed to temperatures exceeding 200°C, the resin components within the material begin to decompose, weakening its overall structure. This decomposition may not appear immediately but usually results in cracks after multiple thermal shocks. Some users overlook this issue when cooking at home and habitually place hot pots or pans directly on the quartz surface, leading to cracks in less than two years of use.

A renowned restaurant that installed large white quartz countertops noticed small cracks appearing in the kitchen area just a few months after opening. Upon investigation, it was found that frequent placement of hot cookware directly on the quartz surface had damaged its internal structure. Over 90% of quartz countertop problems can be prevented by adding heat-resistant measures.

Many families and restaurants skip this step during installation, assuming that quartz is sufficiently heat-resistant, but this misconception leads to premature aging or cracking of the countertop due to heat damage. Quartz countertops that use heat protection during installation have an average lifespan that is 25% longer than those without protection.

If a hot pan straight from the oven is placed on a cold quartz countertop, the sudden temperature change can cause the microstructure of the material to expand or contract rapidly, leading to stress concentration and cracks. A test experiment showed that the crack formation rate increased by 15% after quartz countertops experienced multiple sudden temperature changes.

In a high-end hotel kitchen, where large white quartz countertops were installed, heat-resistant boards were placed on every work surface to prevent direct high-temperature contact. After years of use, the quartz countertops remained intact, with no signs of cracks or aging.

Preventing Damage from Heavy Objects

Quartz is said to be very hard; it is not indestructible. Too much weight and extreme impact cause localized stress on the stone, which creates partial cracking on the countertop. This slight crack might not be visible to our naked eye but takes shape with time and starts developing toward complete destruction. More than 30% of quartz countertop damage is caused by direct impact from heavy objects or long-time application of high pressure.

Although quartz is indeed hard, its structure is vulnerable to concentrated undue pressure. Because of this factor, large kitchen appliances that remain in the same place for extended periods without efforts to distribute the weight will continue to collect internal stress that gathers reasons for cracks in that portion of the quartz.

One common example is when using a kitchen island in homes. Most families would like to use marble or quartz for their islands because of their good appearance and serviceability. Some users are used to putting big items like bread makers or coffee machines on top and keeping them for a long time there and can even cut food right on the surface, or process other heavy items.

According to the usage survey, it can be identified that more than 50% of cracks occur in the kitchen countertops due to setting heavy objects on the countertop for quite a period or even something falling on it. Though quartz countertops have the high surface hardness, their ability to bear impact is considerably restricted under conditions when underneath the countertop support is not that good.

Refrain from putting heavy items in one spot on the quartz countertops for a longer period. For large equipment, set them on stands or pads, this will help in distributing the weight evenly to avoid concentrated pressure. Avoid dropping hard solid objects, such as pots and jars, from height to the surface. There is a well-known stone maintenance company; it once handled damages of quartz countertops in a high-class restaurant.

In its busy hours, massive quantities of food, together with heavy machinery, were normally placed directly on the top without necessary moves taken for weight distribution. Less than a year later, some quartz countertops had begun to crack in many areas of the restaurant. The repair costs of such cases were close to 60 percent of the original installation fees.

The edges and corners of quartz countertops are also the weak points which can be easily damaged by heavy objects. Many family renovations do not highlight the protection of those parts to lead to cracks resulting from impacts or accidental collision. To prevent that, it is advisable to install a quartz countertop with rounded or beveled edges, because these do not break as easily compared to the sharp edges. Due to this design, quartz countertops designed with rounded edges have an additional 20% to 30% in impact resistance compared to its straight-edge counterparts.

In some high-end design projects, the designer pays great attention to the placing of heavy objects in the kitchen and adds concealed supports inside cabinets to bear the weight, so that the countertops do not bear too much weight directly. In a residential luxury project, the reinforced brackets were specially designed under the quartz countertops during their installation. This not only helped in spreading the weight of heavy objects but also effectively prevented cracks arising from daily use and collision with heavy items.

Regular Cleaning and Maintenance

Despite the hardness of a quartz surface, it still needs maximum care during daily usage, especially in kitchens, which generally is the most used area of the home. Daily cooking, knife usage, along with other spilt liquids, can cause wear or stains to the surface. If these are not cleaned immediately, they might gradually penetrate deep inside the quartz and can hardly be removed. This not only affects aesthetics but also, on uncleant quartz surfaces, the rate of penetration of a stain increases with time by 25%, causing discoloration and loss of shine.

After using quartz countertops in his kitchen for some years, a user noticed darkening of part of the surface. Upon examination, it was found out that this resulted from accumulated grease and inadequate cleaning. This problem becomes more evident when the color of the countertop is light. The grease and dirt marks can easily be cleaned from the surface with the help of gentle cleaning agents using soft clothes that render the countertop shiny as new. Cleaning the quartz countertop every week can reduce wear and tear on the surface by over 30% and increase its life span.

Besides daily cleaning, deep maintenance is necessary periodically. Although quartz is highly scratch-resistant, after a while the surface might get minor scratches or wear marks. In high-traffic areas like kitchens, when cutting and shifting pots and pans, sometimes minor scratches can be generated unconsciously. Deep care is recommended every year or half a year by using some special stone care products or polishes to bring back the original luster of the surface.

Some professional stone maintenance companies also provide ongoing care services whereby the surface is polished and glazed. Through this, minor scratches are not the only ones repaired, but an additional layer of protection is provided to the quartz surface to avoid further stains penetrating the surface and further wear. Quartz countertops maintained this way can go on shining without a change for 2-3 years, thus giving great durability to the surface.

Other important information in maintaining quartz countertops is to keep away from highly acidic or highly alkaline cleaners. As much as the surfaces of quartz are hard, the resin components inherent in the material are sensitive to chemicals. Strong acids or alkalis can corrode this surface, making it lose its shine or even develop micro-cracks. Daily cleaning should be done with neutral stone cleaners or simply with warm water and mild soap. For those huge quartz countertops to remain beautiful for life, this five-star hotel uses deep cleaning and polishing treatments with a stone care company quarterly. This countertop is still smooth and spotless without considerable wear and cracking after years of use.