Best Ideas for Decorative Quartz Flooring and Installation Methods

Decorative Quartz has become one of the most in demand decorative products in the U.S. The elegance of quartz and its low maintenance are added factors in its popularity for both commercial and residential uses. Decorative Quartz floors are a superb alternative to terrazzo and other high-priced alternatives. The quality and price points of quartz make the installation reasonably priced. A quartz floor will provide a long life span and a maximum amount of durability.

The installation of an aesthetically appealing quartz floor can also be useful for showrooms, offices, and restaurants. Quartz flooring is a valuable investment – these floors are maintenance-free and will keep a brilliant appearance for many years.

Quartz flooring is used almost universally in the commercial, residential and institutional sectors. Quartz is highly durable and resistant to chemicals and impact. Wet bar areas, pool houses, hot tub areas, screened in porches and gazebos can all benefit from a quartz foundation – a combination of epoxy resin and quartz aggregate creates a substantial and impact-resistant surface, ideal for areas where there is high traffic.

Quartz is an extremely tough mineral – composed of silica, it is found worldwide. The varieties of quartz include opal, flint, rock crystal, chalcedony and agate. These types of silica are combined with resins to produce quartz flooring, which is available in pre-blended patterns or solid colors.

Epoxy quartz is a floor system which has colored quartz sands dispersed throughout the system, and afterwards a clear coat has been applied to the surface. An endless combination of colors can be produced. Ideal for areas which are wet, these systems are highly slip resistant and offer low water absorption qualities.

Color quartz floors feature a specially formulated clear epoxy or polyurethane sealer. Polyaspartic- coating is the polymer technology that allows a garage floor to be completed in as little as a day. These coatings cure very quickly and are excellent as a top layer for a coatings system.

Quartz has durability similar to granite, but will not chip as easily. It looks softer – it really doesn’t appear to be a stone. It is stain resistant due to its non-porous qualities. Quartz provides you with a uniform and solid look.

Quartz flooring is a popular option for both residential and commercial applications because it is elegant, durable, and low-maintenance. Composed of tough, silica-based minerals that can be found in abundance all over the world, quartz aggregate is combined with resins to make flooring in a broad range of colors and patterns. Because quartz comes in a number of varieties—opal, flint, rock crystal, chalcedony, and agate—it’s possible to create a look to match almost any design aesthetic.

Whether you decide to use quartz flooring in your home or business, you can count on it to withstand impacts, resist stains, and look great for many years to come.

Uses Cases for Quartz Flooring

Decorative quartz flooring systems can be used for a variety of applications because of their impact-, chemical-, and slip-resistant properties. Because they are also aesthetically appealing, they are in high demand for homes and customer-facing areas.

Quartz flooring is particularly well-suited for spaces that have heavy traffic, wet areas, and areas that are subject to frequent impacts. Some of the places you might find quartz flooring include:

• Pools and hot tub decks
• Gazebos and porches
• Healthcare facilities
• Manufacturing facilities and warehouses
• Retail stores
• Gyms and locker rooms
• Showrooms
• Offices
• Restaurants
• Airports
• Laboratories
• Food processing areas
• Kitchens and garages

Benefits of Quartz Flooring

Quartz can be used for a wide variety of applications because it is such a versatile material, but its versatility isn’t the only benefit of using quartz flooring for your home or business.

Durability

Quartz is highly durable and resistant to both chemicals and impacts. In fact, quartz is just as hard as granite, but it will not chip as easily. It also has a softer, warmer look and can be customized to match the surrounding design. The compressive strength of quartz flooring is typically 12,000-13,000 psi, making it highly resistant to impacts.

Cost efficiency 

Quartz floors are an excellent alternative to terrazzo and other high-priced alternatives. Quartz offers a high quality at a lower price point, and the installation can be done by you or by a professional. Because it’s so durable, quartz flooring has a long life span, making it a smart investment for any home or business.

Uniform, solid surface

Quartz aggregate suspended in epoxy provides a uniform and solid look. Each option has a consistent pattern or color, so you can be confident that the floor will look flawless when finished. After the flooring system has been installed, no seams are present, which not only creates a consistent look but is also hygienic for food processing and healthcare applications.

Versatile designs 

Epoxy quartz flooring has colored quartz sand dispersed throughout the resin with a clear coat applied after installation. An endless combination of colors and patterns can be produced, so no matter what look you’re going for, you can find a quartz floor that complements it. The top coat can also have a variety of finishes, allowing you to further customize the look and feel of the floor.

Stain resistance

Due to its nonporous qualities, quartz flooring is also stain-resistant. This allows building owners to install lighter-colored floors without worrying about how they will look in a few years. This feature is especially appealing for retail stores, salons, grocery stores, and other places that want a bright, airy look and feel without concerns about durability or stains.

Mold and bacteria resistance

Quartz flooring is nonporous, which makes it more resistant to the water absorption that  would otherwise lead to the growth of mold and bacteria. This is another reason quartz is such a popular choice in food processing facilities and kitchens.

Slip resistance

Quartz floors are highly slip-resistant and absorb little water, making them ideal for areas that are often wet, such as pools, locker rooms, food prep areas, and more. It’s also possible to install a quartz floor with a little texture on the surface to enhance the nonslip properties.

Important Considerations for Installation

Although the installation of decorative quartz flooring must meet meticulous standards, it is a good DIY project for smaller applications. Duraamen uses a double broadcast system that follows these steps:

Preparing the substrate

It is important to start with a concrete floor that is moisture-free, stable, free of cracks, and smooth. The ideal concrete surface profile (CSP) is between 3-5, which can be achieved through shot blasting or dustless grinding. The quartz must also be applied on a surface that has a moisture level of 5 percent or less.

Applying the primer

After the concrete has been prepared, apply the primer for the quartz system and allow it to dry overnight, or at least for 10-12 hours. Follow the recommendations for the appropriate ratio and mixing time and apply the primer within a few minutes of mixing. For large areas, spread the primer with a notched squeegee to cover the entire area and then back-roll it. Look for any pin holes or bubbles and sand them down to smooth the primed surface, vacuum the dust, and wipe it with solvent.

Pro tip: When mixing any type of two-part primer or epoxy, make sure that no unmixed material stays on the side of the bucket. When this happens, unmixed material could end up on the floor as you pour the mixture out of the buket, causing it to not set properly. To avoid this common problem, some people choose to mix in a third bucket to ensure that nothing remains on the sides when they’re pouring one part into another.

Applying the body coat and broadcasting quartz aggregate

Mix the two parts for the body coat at the recommended ratio for three minutes and roll it onto the surface with a 3/8-inch nap roller, being sure to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle the quartz aggregate across the entire surface and make sure that there are no shiny spots left behind. Err on the side of over-applying because any excess will just be brushed away after it dries. Allow it to sit overnight, or at least for 8-10 hours, before sweeping the excess away and then vacuuming. You can also check the surface for larger nibs that can be scraped off to keep the surface smooth.

This process—applying a body coat and then broadcasting quartz aggregate—is repeated a second time to get a level, even surface. However, for some applications, a single broadcast could be sufficient, especially if the substrate is flat. For any commercial or industrial application where heavy traffic or frequent impacts are expected, a second broadcast is always recommended.

Applying the top coat

After the floor has been installed, the product used for the clear coat on top will depend on the final application. For example, you might choose a different product depending on whether you want to make the floor resistant to various types of chemicals, scratches, or bacteria. Certain products will also allow you to keep a little texture on the floor (this is especially useful in wet areas where extra slip resistance is warranted), whereas others create a thicker coat that is completely smooth. Regardless of which type of you choose, the top coat will help make the floor more durable.

Mix the product at the recommended ratio, time, and speed, and then apply it from a pan with a roller. Be sure to saturate all of the aggregate and reach every area on the surface. For large applications, use a flat squeegee to apply it quickly, and then back-roll it to smooth it out.

Pro tip: Have extra rollers on hand to replace them as needed. If the resin starts to set on the roller, it can impact the quality of the top coat. We recommend replacing the roller covers every 15-20 minutes to avoid this common issue.

Choosing the right crew size

For smaller jobs, such as a kitchen or garage, a couple of people can typically manage the installation. However, because of the need to move quickly after the resin has been mixed, larger jobs require more people. In general, for a 2,000-square-foot space, we recommend a crew of at least four people, and larger spaces would naturally need more hands.

Choose Duraamen Quartz Flooring Systems

Quartz flooring is a valuable investment. These floors are maintenance-free and keep a brilliant appearance for many years. The seamless look is impossible to achieve with tiles, and the uniform surface is also easier to keep clean, especially in commercial and healthcare environments.

Duraamen’s seamless decorative quartz flooring system is available in a broad range of colors and patterns that can complement any space. If you’d like to learn more about which quartz flooring products are right for your application, get in touch with us today.