Blue quartz countertops are an increasingly popular option for home kitchen and bathroom renovations. With their vivid blue hues and sparkling appearance, blue quartz delivers the look of natural stone with maximum durability. But with many quartz manufacturers and seemingly endless custom color options on the market, who makes blue quartz countertops?

An Overview of Blue Quartz Countertops

Blue quartz countertops provide a brilliant dash of color for any home. While traditional quartz counters come in whites, grays, and other neutral tones, blue quartz offers a bold and dazzling twist. Varying mineral compounds give blue quartz its vivid coloring, ranging from pale sky blue to dramatic navy.

With its crystalline appeal, a blue quartz countertop evokes the beauty of natural gems like sapphire and aquamarine. Unlike natural stone, engineered quartz combines crushed quartz with polymer resins for superior strength. This makes blue quartz an extremely durable surface that resists scratches, stains, and heat.

From energetic electric blue to cool glacier blue, blue quartz brings life to kitchens and baths. When shopping for blue quartz, key considerations include:

Color – Blues span a wide spectrum. Compare slate blue, denim blue, or cobalt blue samples to find your perfect shade.
Pattern – Many blue quartz slabs have veining or mottling for added dimension. Opt for uniform color or distinctive patterns.
Finish – Matte finishes dim the sparkle while glossy finishes amplify it. Consider the overall look you want to achieve.
Quality – Be sure to buy from reputable manufacturers for optimal durability and beauty.

With the right blue quartz slab for your space, you can enjoy a custom countertop that makes a spectacular style statement. Next, let’s look at the top companies crafting blue quartz today.

Major Manufacturers of Blue Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertop production has grown exponentially worldwide over the past decade. Many leading brands now offer blue quartz alongside their selections of whites and grays. When researching quartz manufacturers, be sure to ask about custom color options to get the exact blue hue you desire.

Here are the top companies producing blue quartz slabs and countertops today:

Cambria

As the first American company to manufacture quartz surfaces, Cambria remains an industry leader. Cambria’s vast palette includes several blue quartz color options:

Berwyn – Vibrant navy blue with sparse white veining
Brittanicca – Deep ocean blue with a luxurious sheen
Langdon – Dusty blue-gray with flowing dark gray veins

Made in the USA, Cambria quartz is known for superior durability and scratch resistance. They offer a full 10-year product warranty.

Caesarstone

This pioneer of quartz surfaces since 1987 offers blue quartz in two of its most popular lines:

Metropolitan – Rich blue-gray with subtle gray veining
Rugged Concrete – Unique blend of blue, gray, and white chips

Caesarstone quartz is made from up to 93% crushed quartz for unparalleled strength. Their slabs come with a warranty of up to 15 years.

Silestone

Part of the Cosentino group of brands, Silestone provides one lively blue option:

Cielo – Vibrant sky blue with minimal veining

Silestone uses a proprietary quartz formula with bacteriostatic properties for added hygiene. They offer a standard 25-year warranty.

MSI

This leading North American supplier produces blue quartz under its Q Premium Natural Quartz brand:

Cendre Blue – Cool, pale blue-gray with a soft finish
Midnight Ocean – Deep blue-black with vivid white veining

MSI provides a limited lifetime warranty on defects for residential applications.

Viatera

The Viatera brand by LG Hausys offers these striking blue selections:

Modena – Bright, electric blue with subtle gray mottling
Saragoza – Royal blue color swirled with white and gray

Viatera slabs feature high-performance acrylic resins for stain protection. Their warranty covers 15 years in residential settings.

Compac

This Spanish company uses fillers of recycled glass and mirror particles to create its glittery blue options:

Blue Nights – Dark midnight blue with intense shimmer
Blue Pearl – Shimmering light grayish-blue

Compac provides a lifetime limited warranty for residential quartz surfaces.

This covers the major national brands producing blue quartz slabs. There are also many regional quartz manufacturers that can supply custom blue colors. When sourcing a custom color, be sure to visit the fabrication facility to view actual slab samples. This allows you to accurately judge the blue tone and veining patterns before finalizing your selection.

How Blue Quartz Countertops Are Made

To understand what makes blue quartz so vivid and resilient, it helps to look at how it is produced:

1. Gathering Raw Materials

Quartz – Mined natural quartz provides strength, shine, and scratch resistance.
Pigments – Mineral-based pigments add bold pops of color, like blue.
Resins – Polymer resins bind the materials and form a durable surface.
Additional compounds – Other fillers enhance qualities like translucency.

2. Mixing the Quartz Blend

At the manufacturing facility, the ingredients are combined in precise proportions to create blue quartz slabs. Colorants are added to achieve the desired blue hue. The mixture is vacuum processed to remove air pockets.

3. Molding the Slabs

The quartz blend gets poured into molds and compacted under intense vibration. This vibration removes any trapped air bubbles and maximizes density.

4. Curing the Material

The molded slabs move through a curing oven which activates the resins and bonds the quartz into a solid surface. The slabs cure at 150-200°F.

5. Finishing the Details

Once cooled, the slabs are sanded and polished to achieve their smooth, glossy finish. The edges are shaped and cut into finished quartz slabs.

6. Quality Control Checks

Throughout production, the slabs undergo rigorous testing per quartz industry standards. This ensures excellent durability, stain resistance, and color uniformity.

7. Fabrication and Installation

The finished quartz slabs are shipped to fabricators to be precision-cut for installation. Experienced pros then template, cut, and install the blue quartz counters.

Choosing a reputable quartz brand ensures this manufacturing process yields top-quality results. Your stunning blue quartz countertop starts as a scientifically engineered blend that gets expertly crafted into a lasting work of art.

The Pros and Cons of Blue Quartz Countertops

Like any material, blue quartz counters have both advantages and disadvantages. Evaluating the pros and cons helps ensure this is the right surface for your space.

The Pros

Vibrant Color – Blue quartz makes a brilliant, eye-catching statement. The rich hues lend energy and elegance.
Durability – Made from 90%+ natural quartz, the material resists scratches, stains, impacts, and heat.
Low Maintenance – Quartz needs little ongoing care. Simply clean with soap and water.
Customization – Quartz offers limitless color and pattern options to fit your unique style.
Nonporous – With zero pores, quartz does not harbor bacteria or require sealing.

The Cons

Seams – Visible seams are needed for most quartz countertop installations.
Cost – Pricing ranges from $80-$150 per square foot installed, on par with natural stone.
Weight – Heavy quartz tops often require cabinet reinforcement.
Slight color variations – Samples may differ slightly from the actual installed slab.
Limits on extreme heat – Prolonged direct heat exposure can damage the surface.

For most homeowners, the advantages of ultra-durable, low-maintenance blue quartz outweigh the disadvantages. But be sure to thoroughly research your options to choose the best counters for your needs.

Key Differences Between Blue Quartz & Blue Granite

Two popular choices for blue countertops are quartz and natural granite. Here are the key factors distinguishing these two materials:

Composition – Quartz is engineered from crushed quartz and resins while granite is a natural stone.
Hardness – Quartz rates about a 9 on the Mohs scale. Granite rates from 6-8, making it more prone to scratches.
Maintenance – Quartz requires little upkeep, just soap and water. Granite needs annual sealing to prevent staining.
Heat resistance – Quartz can tolerate brief heat exposure. Granite is more heat resistant.
Colors/Patterns – Quartz offers limitless custom colors. Granite has inherent, inconsistent natural patterns.
Cost – Blue quartz averages $80-$120 per square foot. Blue granite averages $50-$150 per square foot.
Sustainability – Quartz contains high percentages of recycled content. Granite is considered less eco-friendly.

The choice ultimately comes down to your design priorities and budget. For uniform blue hues and fuss-free care, engineered quartz has the advantage. Granite offers an organic, unique look with excellent heat tolerance.

FAQs About Blue Quartz Countertops

Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about blue quartz counters:

Is blue quartz more expensive than white quartz?

The base price for quartz is fairly consistent across colors. However, more intense blues may fall into manufacturers’ premium color categories, which add $5-$10 per square foot. Unique custom hues also cost more.

How does blue quartz compare to marble lookalikes?

Quartz mimics marble’s veining but offers far greater stain, scratch, and heat resistance. Blue quartz also keeps its vivid color rather than mellowing patina like marble. Quartz lacks marble’s vulnerability to acids.

Does blue quartz offer greater durability than blue granite?

Thanks to its ultra-hardness and nonporous surface, blue quartz does outperform blue granite in durability. Granite is still quite durable, but more prone to scratching, staining, and potentially cracking.

What thickness is best for blue quartz countertops?

A 2-3cm slab is best for quartz in most residential kitchen applications. Thicker 3cm+ slabs minimize seams. Bathrooms often use 2cm slabs. Quartz under 1.2cm thick can crack under stress.

How does blue quartz hold up over time?

Made from über-strong crushed quartz, polymer resins, and pigments, blue quartz maintains its vibrancy and durability for decades. With proper care, blue quartz should keep looking like new for the lifetime of your home.

Picking the Perfect Blue for Your Space

With so many gorgeous options, choosing that perfect slab can be overwhelming. Keep these tips in mind when selecting blue quartz:

Consider how natural and artificial light impacts color. Blues take on different hues at different times of day.
Bring large samples home. Small store samples don’t reveal how a full slab will look.
Coordinate with other finishes like cabinetry, flooring, and backsplashes.
Decide the amount of veining or patterns that suits your style – uniform, subtle, or prominent.
Know that color perception is subjective. The shades you see in a slab may differ from your companions.
Think about the overall atmosphere you want the space to have – relaxed, elegant, rustic, modern, etc.
Be open to unexpected discoveries. You may fall for a blue you hadn’t originally considered.

Take your time deciding and don’t hesitate to revisit multiple samples. Your blue quartz counters should bring you joy for many years to come.

Caring for Blue Quartz Countertops

To keep your blue quartz counters looking like new:

For day-to-day cleaning, use a soft sponge or cloth with mild soap and warm water.
Thoroughly wipe up spills as soon as possible, especially oils, wines, and acidic substances.
Avoid exposing blue quartz to strong chemicals like paint removers, oven cleaners, etc.
Use trivets and hot pads under very hot pans. Brief exposure is fine, but intense direct heat can damage quartz.
Reseal any seams every 1-2 years with a dab of clear silicone caulk.
Inspect your counters periodically for any cracks or damage that may need professional repair.

With minimal maintenance requirements, blue quartz lets you enjoy durability with dazzling low-maintenance color.

Conclusion

With its brilliant blue hues and crystalline sparkle, blue quartz brings life to kitchen and bath design. Leading quartz manufacturers like Cambria, Caesarstone, Silestone, MSI, Viatera, and Compac are producing gorgeous blue options ranging from pale sky blue to dramatic navy. Engineered quartz combines crushed quartz with resins and pigments, yielding an ultra-durable, low-maintenance surface. While pricier than materials like laminate, blue quartz provides superior beauty, durability, and stain resistance for decades. Thanks to easy customization, you can achieve the perfect blue tone to suit your unique style. With proper care, blue quartz countertops offer vibrant, worry-free beauty for a lifetime of use.

Hopefully this detailed overview has answered the key question “who makes blue quartz countertops?” and provided helpful guidance for choosing the ideal blue quartz slab. With the right research and planning, you can install showstopping blue quartz counters to create your dream kitchen or bath. Let the search begin for your perfect slice of blue quartz heaven!

Who Makes Blue Quartz Countertops?