Brestonstone Quartz Worktop Brands In The UK in 2022

Do you know what is Breton quartz and what quartz worktop brands use this system? -Here’s a definitive list, so you don’t have to spend hours crawling the internet -We have compiled a definitive list, so you don’t have to spend hours crawling the internet.

There are hundreds of (re-branded) quartz countertops brands globally. But before making a purchase, you want to check that they use BretonStone manufacturing, the leading technology for making quartz slabs. This article will outline everything you need to know about manufacturers’ primary ways to make their slabs. In addition, we discuss the countries manufacturing quartz and which are the Brestonstone brands present in the UK.

Table Of Contents

• What is BrestonStone? History and manufacturing process.
• The different ‘Effects’ of quartz worktop brands.
• Countries with Brestonstone technology in 2022.
• List of BrestonStone quartz brands you can choose from in the UK.
• Conclusion.

The History of Quartz Surfaces

Breton was born in 1963 by Marcello Toncelli. He saw the immense potential in establishing a market that was utterly novel and virtually untouched at the time. Notably, it invented new technology and constructed industrial plants for composite stone production. The Breton plant technology results from years of research and development and has multiple international patents.

What is Breton Technology in Quartz?

Bretonstone is a method that uses tiny stone aggregates and stone-like materials to create a surface looking like genuine stone. Instead of blocks cut to different sizes, the composite material contains slabs that quartz brands can manipulate like natural stone.

Essentially, the Bretonstone system’s Vibro-compression vacuum technology allows combining natural stone with a polymer resin. Then, it vacuums out air, catalysing the moulded result while vibrating and applying pressure to this combination. Finally, the mix is heated, resulting in a non-porous stone surface, uniform in colour and pattern, and durable.

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The Ten Most Popular Effects in Quartz Worktop Brands in the UK Today

One of the main advantages of Brestonstone quartz worktops is that the surfaces resemble natural stone and varies in appearance. But it depends on the types of stone additives and stone-like materials employed in the process. These are ten popular quartz worktop looks by quartz brands using BretonStone systems.

Marble-effect: also known as ‘veined quartz’, these are a stunning choice of worktop for any kitchen style. The stones are beautiful, resulting in the ultimate finishing touch in any home.

In addition, they offer a budget-friendly alternative to genuine marble. And these quartz stones have the advantage of being scratch, stain, and heat resistant. Marble effect worktops result from careful formulas. For example, quartz brands combine crushed marble and quartz with precise ink to create veining in different shapes and sizes.

Granite-looking quartz: manufacturers achieve a natural granite look by mixing crushed quartz crystals with polymer resins. Therefore, the main characteristic of quartz that looks like granite is the arrangement of randomly scattered speckles throughout the worktop surface. Quartz brands design different granite-looking worktops by changing the colour and pattern textures. In addition, they change the size of the speckles in them.

Glass Inserts in Quartz Worktops Convert Them into Terrazzo

Over the last three years, you may have seen a lot of terrazzo worktop products popping out. But did you know that approximately 50% of the terrazzo countertops in the market today are made from quartz?

Even though quartz brands make their products with the same technology, each has its own Research and Development teams, creating innovative surfaces. And they come up with inventive solutions to satisfy the market’s demand.

Coloured glass inserts: an advantage of worktops with recycled glass inserts is a sustainable surface option. Quartz brands create terrazzo worktops that are quartz-based by adding broken pieces of glass to their surfaces. Some examples include Compac Venecia and Soho by Quarella.

One of the key advantages of using terrazzo-looking quartz is that they don’t etch if exposed to acidic substances. They don’t require sealants or the maintenance associated with terrazzo marble.

No More Scratches With These Practical Metallic Quartz Worktop Brands

Many of us find that a steel worktop is glossy and free of scratches when you first buy it. However, it would be best to know that it only lasts a short time. And as they get more wear and tear, scratches continue to appear. Therefore, some quartz brands apply metallic inserts such as steel, brass, aluminium to their quartz worktop materials, making them unique and distinctive. By doing so, they offer metallic worktops that are scratch and highly stain-resistant.

They achieve the ‘metallic effect’ by placing pieces of metal throughout the quartz’s surfaces. However, the insertion of metals into quartz countertops doesn’t always reach massive adoption because of their cost. Would you like to know more about quartz surfaces with metal inserts? Then, watch the short film below showing eight work surfaces from Silestone, Cimstone and Stone Italiana, including metallic inserts.

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Quartz Worktops That Look Like Natural Quartzite and the ‘Exotic Granite Effect’.

Exotic worktops give your kitchen and bathrooms a unique look and feel. So, if you worry about staining your quartzite worktops, take a peek at the exotic granite effect worktops. Therefore, these types of quartz surfaces will provide you with something different to make your kitchen stand out. And all without the maintenance that natural stones require.

One quartz brand that achieves exotic granite looks perfectly is Cambria Quartz. This top surfaces manufacturer from the USA uses its proprietary land to quarry natural quartz crystals of the highest quality. The result is evident when you see the depth in colour and pattern in a Cambria Quartz worktop. Generally slightly more expensive than other quartz brands, Cambria kitchen worktops’ luxury is second to none.

The most glamourous quartz kitchen worktops with semi-precious stones

Do you want your kitchen to stand out from the crowd? Do you have a generous budget? Then, you can choose quartz countertops with semi-precious stones such as pure white quartz, blue agate, rose quartz, and more. In addition, collections such as Caesarstone’s Concetto combine art, nature, and technology. As a result, they offer the elegance and vitality of semi-precious stones into interior spaces.

You can distinguish the Concetto Collection from its unique aesthetics and characteristics. First, the brand selects the surfaces by hand from semi-precious stones cut and inserted one by one. These are notorious for their rich textures and transparency, allowing for novel back-lighting options and stunning patterns. But here is a warning: these are expensive surfaces. Therefore, you will see them displayed primarily in the world’s best hotels and bars rather than in most UK homes.

Solid Colours and Homogeneous Quartz Surfaces with Uniform and Intense colours.

This category of effect in quartz worktops offer surfaces that are consistent in colour and pattern. These are popular among UK architects and interior designers creating minimalistic spaces and modern kitchens.

One of the main reasons quartz is the most popular worktop material on the market is its exquisite look. In addition, solid surface quartz worktops are almost maintenance-free and stain-resistant. As a result, it is unnecessary to polish or reseal the worktop surface.

How do Mirror Flecks make the stunning ‘Mirror-Effect Quartz’ worktop?

The UK’s popular mirror-effect quartz worktops from several worktop brands offer glittery surfaces to brighten any interior. The quartz manufacturers achieve these stunning mirrored worktops by following a 5-step process.

1. Crushing quartz crystals and placing these into a mould.
2. Breaking mirrors and adding the fragments into a mix containing over 90% crushed quartz and bonding resins.
3. Then, the different quartz brands follow a similar process: they bake the mix in an industrial oven.
4. Additionally, they cure the surfaces by letting them cool for up to 48 hours.
5. Finally, they inspect each slab manually to remove any residues from the production process.

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Quartz Worktops with Crystal Fragments that Won’t Cost You a Fortune

If you want distinctive worktops but can’t afford rare and expensive gemstones, there are plenty of choices in the market. For example, quartz brands offer worktops with crystals bringing luxury to any space, making them an ideal option.

Also known as ‘Crystal Countertops’, these surfaces mix crushed quartz with polymer resins. Then, the manufacturers add crystal pieces and distribute these throughout the surface, offering brilliant looks and smooth textures. And the best part is that these glittery quartz worktops are highly affordable and require no additional maintenance.

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The New Generation Of Bespoke Concrete Effect Quartz Worktops

A new breed of Concrete Effect worktops is now available. These dramatic display gradients of sturdy concrete greys also display white-haze patinas. Similarly, they show industrial-inspired defects enhanced by deeply textured surfaces. This new generation of cement effect quartz also offers soft white swells. And they also veil clear, creamy backdrops that reflect the uneven characteristics of fresh cement intensified by a rough finish.

The technique for making a quartz worktop that looks like real concrete is not an easy task. The research and development teams of leading manufacturers create specific formulas. These contain perfect recipes of ingredients to result in a natural cement look. But only a few of the leading quartz brands present in the UK get it right. These are Caesarstone, Silestone, and most recently, Cimstone Petra Concrete.

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Exclusive patent protection for quartz brands around the world

One of the smartest moves by BrestonStone is that it grants its patent exclusively to one company in each country. The policy ensures careful control of its production process. As a result, only a few exceptions allow more than one brand to benefit from the Bretonstone patents. These are Italy, where Bretonstone has its head office, and Spain, leading the world of stone production alongside Italy.

The essential principles of the BretonStone patent system guarantee innovation while also being compatible with fair market standards. In other words, every quartz brand with a license must produce the highest quality of stone products by adhering to set criteria.

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Comprehensive List of UK Quartz Brands for Fail-Proof Kitchens in 2022

The difficulty with low-cost imports is the raw material quality and lack of overall quality control. From a staining and maintenance standpoint, it is best to choose a BretonStone worktop. It is typically better polished, has more depth, and has a superior surface polish finish. However, keep in mind that it all boils down to the raw material inputs. Even among BretonStone manufacturers, you can see a difference in quality between the products of the different brands. For example, quartz is a mineral, just like gold. Therefore, if a quartz product is cheaper than others, its raw materials’ quality is also inferior.

We have put together the below chart initially posted by Bretostone showing which quartz companies use Breton technology. But we went a step further, marking only the present brands in our country. You will be familiar with some, and others offer quartz tiles instead of quartz slabs.

Quartz Worktop and Quartz Tile UK Brands List (in alphabetical order)

• Agglobaghin S.P.A.: Agglo UK distributes Agglo Baghin Srl. It makes Ecostone single layer composite tiles for flooring and cladding for indoor and outdoor use. The Company uses up to 75% of natural stones and cement in its formula. The Tiles are pre-finished and require no grinding or finishing on-site, with thicknesses starting at 15mm.

• Cambria Quartz Surfaces: Cambria is one of the companies that uses a 93 per cent natural quartz-based composite worktop brands. Cambria’s expert artisans guarantee that each design and pattern is unmistakably consistent. They’re the only quartz surfaces made in the United States. The quality of their products is second to none.

• Caesarstone: is a publicly listed company that manufactures and markets quartz surfaces for kitchen worktops, vanity tops, flooring, wall cladding. The brand was created in 1987 in Israel, and it was the first brand to produce quartz surfaces at scale. Today, Caesarstone offers one of the highest quality products, and it is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NASDAQ).

• Cimstone: is an engineered stone using cutting-edge BrestonStone technology amongst the quartz worktop brands. Born in 1996 in Turkey, it offers a durable natural stone with strength and durability. The Cimstone Warranty lasts 10-years aand it’s processed by distributor AKG Trading (UK) Ltd.

• Compac Marmol: the first Spanish company specializing in manufacturing and distributing marble composite in 1975. In 2022, Compac is a major multinational with 100% Spanish capital. And it has figured out how to expand while maintaining flexibility and decision-making independence.

• Compac, The Surfaces Company: It is also known as Compac Quartz. And it is led alongside Compac Marmol by Paco Sanchis and his family. This Surface Company is one of the three most significant quartz manufacturers globally. Additionally, its innovative and aestetically driven products never fail to impress. Compac Obsdiana, its latest technological surface, is 100% recycled and recyclable.

• Cosentino: Cosentino is the largest surface manufacturer globally with the Silestone, Dekton, Sensa and Prexury brands. Silestone by Cosentino offers over 70 quartz designs and a comprehensive selection of free samples to choose from.

• Dal-Tile: Daltile is a prominent manufacturer and distributor of porcelain and ceramic tile in the United States. A Dal-Tile product accounts for one out of every three tiles sold in the United States. The brand has launched a quartz slab range with 3450 x 2000 mm slabs. But you can only find its quartz slabs in the USA in 2022.

• Diresco:  a Belgian family-owned company that produces BIO-UV quartz composite quartz. You can use its surfaces in kitchen worktops, bathroom applications, stairs, tiles, wall cladding, furniture, and more. Diresco is suitable for indoor and outdoor applications due to its natural BIO-UV resins. The slabs measure 3.18×1.55 metres and come in thicknesses of 12 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm.

• Quarella: Since 1965, the Quarella brand has been a leader in manufacturing marble and quartz engineered stone. Quarella has established technological competence, making its surfaces a reference point for the whole market as innovators from the start. The Company markets its worktop products through the Quarella Marble and Quarella Quartz brands.

• Quartzforms: The business was founded near the end of the 1970s. Patriarch Luigi Scapin and his sons created the first factory, which specialized in stone manufacturing for building construction. This was Scamar’s commencement, Scapin Marmi. Today, Quartzforms is an Italian brand with 71 different colour designs. In 2010, the Quartzforms made its debut by acquiring a production plant in Germany. The brand adheres to the highest safety and environmental requirements.

• Radianz: Also known as Samsung Radianz, it is a high-quality composite material with 93 per cent natural quartz and resins. Radianz Quartz is highly durable and low-maintenance, thanks to its highly polished gloss appearance. In 2019, Radianz became part of the BretonStone family by purchasing the plants belonging to Belenco in Turkey.

• Santa Margherita: born over fifty years ago, the brand produces 80,000 square feet of slabs each day. Then, it ships its stones to over 70 countries. It offers its products through the brand’s SM Marble and SM Quartz. UniSink is the newest brand from Santa Margherita. It integrates quartz surfaces and matching quartz sinks to produce a seamless worktop experience.

• Okite: it is a quartz brand of Seiffe S.R.L. Okite offers a specifically developed product made from quartz (up to 93 per cent), polyester resin, and 47 natural colours. Besides Okitte, The Seiffe Group owns O-Kera, Ready Toop, and i-Quartz.

• Stone Italiana: It was founded in 1979 in Verona, Italy. It is a family-owned business that has stayed at the forefront of quartz and marble surface manufacturing ever since. They were the first business to produce engineered marble, followed by engineered stone. Today, they offer a range of more than 120 quartz colours.

• Technistone: It was founded in 1997 in the Czech Republic. Technistone is a compact, long-lasting, and non-porous product made of carefully chosen natural materials (quartz and granite).In 2019, Wilsonart, an American company, purchased Technistone. Wilsonart aims to focus on quartz expansion globally, and this purchase is likely to help achieve the brand’s long-term success.

• Vicostone: a pioneer in manufacturing quartz-based engineered stones in Asia. It was born in 2002 in the Hoa Lac High-Tech Park in the Thach That district of Hanoi, Vietnam. Its surfaces contain up to 90% pure natural quartz. The Company commercializes its products in the UK under the Unistone brand, owned by the German producers and wholesalers Brachot-Hermant.

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Conclusion

The BretonStone manufacturing system was born in Italy in 1963. Since then, it has prevailed as the leading technology for manufacturing quartz worktops. It helps create surfaces looking like genuine raw materials. Overall looks include marble, granite, concrete, metals, and more.

There are seventeen quartz brands in the UK using BrestonStone. Although you may use the UK quartz worktop brand utilising this system, the quality of the products can vary. If you want to know which is the best one for your needs, contact us.

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