Color Consistency
Silestone Natural Quartz® is made from natural quartz. As a result, variation in quartz color, shade, pattern and size are unique traits to be expected with Silestone Natural Quartz. Additionally, small blotches or random distribution of particulates are an inherent part of the overall design and composition of the product and are not considered to be defects. The Silestone Natural Quartz 25 Year Transferable Warranty does not cover color variance and Silestone Natural Quartz installation will not be replaced for these unique, inherent traits.
Cabinets
- Cabinets must be plumb, level and secured to the walls and/or floor before installation.
- It is the responsibility of the customer to ensure cabinets are plumb, level and square.
- The countertop must lie flat within 1/8” to eliminate stress on the corners, cut-outs and seams.
- All cabinetry and end panels must be completely and permanently installed (set and level) prior to the date the countertops are scheduled to be template/measured. Cabinets resting on top of the countertops (e.g. appliance garage) must be installed after the installation of the countertops.
Adequate Support
The surface type and material thickness dictate the amount of overhang permitted on a countertop. The countertop can support an overhang of:
- 6” (for 2cm thickness)
- 10” (for 3cm thickness)
Any overhang greater than 6” (2cm thick material) or 10” (3cm thick material) will require brackets or corbels and at least 70% of the total countertop must be supported by cabinets, an island, knee wall, etc. All overhangs exceeding the above measurements will require brackets or corbels. All support brackets and corbels must be installed prior to the field template/measure. New or existing cabinets must be structurally sound to withstand the weight of the countertop.
Literature, Photo Samples and Selling Wall Samples
Literature (brochure) photography should be used for reference only as printed representation will vary from the actual product. Selling wall samples of Silestone Natural Quartz will depict a very close representation of the actual product however, may not be an exact match.
Seams & Cut-Outs
- The Silestone Natural Quartz fabricator will take every precaution and consideration when determining seam location.
- Considerations include (but not limited to) slab size, customer wants, kitchen layout, site conditions, crew safety, material yield and cabinet structure.
- Although all seam location wants and needs are considered, the final decision is at the discretion of the fabricator.
- Seam placement will be reviewed at either point of template/measure or after the template/measure once material has been ordered and the template has been audited by the fabricator.
- Seams are always visible.
- An acceptable seam will be smooth but can be felt.
- Requesting fewer to no seams will increase your total square foot cost.
Incidental Damage
Final wall preparation (i.e. painting, wall papering, etc.) should not be completed prior to installation if at allpossible. Care will be exercised during the countertop installation; however, scrapes, punctures, or digs to wall surfaces are possible, as are scratches and scrapes to cabinetry. These items are considered incidental damage and are the customer’s responsibility to repair. In most cases, cabinets can be easily repaired with a cabinet touch-up kit.
What to Expect at Template/Measure and Installation
- Items to be mounted in the countertops MUST be on the job site prior to the date of the field template. All cutout information (including items such as sinks, faucets, soap pumps, hot/cold water dispensers, cook tops) must be at the job site prior to field template.
- All undermount sinks must be at job site the day of the template/measure
- Someone with the ability to make final decisions about selections such as the sink and faucet hole location must be present at both measure and installation.
- Please have all surfaces clear to aid in accurate templating/measuring.
- Cabinets must be level at time of installation. It is the responsibly of the customer to ensure cabinets are level. Countertops cannot be installed on unleveled cabinets.
- “Out-of-level” cabinets cannot be determined until the existing countertops are removed.
- If the Silestone installer is removing existing tops please have all surfaces clear and all plumbing and electrical disconnected at point of tear-out/installation.
- Remove all drawers, utensils and other items from the base cabinets before countertop installation.
- Remove all fragile items from the work area.
- Installation of countertops is a construction process and residual dust should be expected.
- Please plan a path that you would like the installer to use, keeping in mind that the path must be sufficient size.
- The Silestone installer will take precautions for dust collection; however, none of these precautions are 100% dust free. You may want to drape/cover area and/or items so that dust is contained to the construction area.
- Turn off HVAC System the day of installation.
- Customer must have cook top, sink and faucets on site at day of installation to confirm cutout dimensions and locations.
- Customer should plan to be without sink use for up to 2 days (pending plumbing reconnection).
- Customer is responsible for arranging plumbing and/or gas reconnection. The countertop installer will not reconnect any plumbing or gas.
Routine Cleaning
Silestone Natural Quartz countertops are easy to clean and maintain. Silestone is a non-porous material that is highly resistant to stain, scratches and heat, however it is not stain proof. Please follow the recommended care and maintenance for your everyday cleaning. For more information regarding care and maintenance visit http://lowes.silestone.com/customer-service/quartz-countertop-maintenance/
Cleaning Guidelines & Instructions
- Clean all spills and food residue on your countertop surface on a frequent basis.
- For everyday cleaning simply wipe the surface with a mild household cleaner such as Windex® or warm water and soap. Any mild household soap or cleaner may be used (e.g. Dawn, Palmolive, Lysol, Windex®, 409).
- Dilute cleaning solution with water if necessary. Apply the appropriate cleaner with a paper towel and wipe. If necessary the area may be soaked with pads of paper towels from 3-10 minutes.
- Only if necessary, scrub the area with a NON-SCRATCH Scotch Brite pad.
- Rinse and dry thoroughly.
Difficult Spills
For more difficult spills wipe the surface with Dawn dish soap scrub and a non-scratch Scotch Brite pad and rinse with warm water. For stains that harden as they dry, such as food, gum, nail polish, and paint, remove by gently scraping off of surface (using a blade or putty remover), and then clean using warm water and soap. Gray marks lefts by the razor, can be wiped away with soap and water.
Preventing Damages
Heat
Silestone Natural Quartz is designed to be resistant to heat and can withstand exposure to normal cooking environments for brief periods of time without being damaged. Although Silestone Natural Quartz withstands heat better than most surfacing materials on the market, all surfacing materials, including stone, can be damaged by extreme temperature changes whether prolonged or sudden. It is recommended that you protect your countertop surface from direct heat sources by using placemats, coasters and/or trivets.
Scratches
Although natural quartz is one of the hardest minerals/surfaces on earth, quartz can scratch. Quartz is scratch resistant to normal everyday use but is not scratch proof. It is recommended to always use a cutting board to protect the surface.
Chemical
Avoid exposing Silestone Natural Quartz to any strong chemicals and solvents. It is important to note that some of these chemicals and solvents can be found in household items like paint removers, paint and stain strippers that contain trichlorethane or methylene chloride, nail polish removers, bleach, furniture cleaners, oil soaps, permanent markers or inks, and chemicals with high alkaline/PH levels (oven cleaners, drain openers, etc.). Avoid using cleaning products that contain oils, powders or abrasives.
Warranty
Silestone Natural Quartz is a surface that is made out of quartz, one of the strongest minerals on earth. While Silestone Natural Quartz is not indestructible, it does provide superior performance qualities over other natural stones. Its built-in antimicrobial properties provide an unprecedented advantage over any other material in the market today. Cosentino, S.A. warrants to the residential owner-occupants of installed Silestone Natural Quartz for a period of Twenty-Five (25) years from the date of installation that the Silestone material will be free from manufacturing defects. Visit http://lowes.silestone.com/customer-service/quartzwarranty/ for additional warranty details.
Silestone Natural Quartz Program Stainless Steel Sink Care & Maintenance
Silestone Natural Quartz stainless steel sinks are made from the highest quality 18-guage alloy stainless steel with an 18/8 chrome/nickel content. Each sink comes with a satin finish and sound deadening undercoating.
For General Care and Cleaning
- After each use rinse thoroughly. To minimize deposits or water spotting simply wipe sinks dry with a clean soft cloth.
- Avoid any abrasive cleaners such as steel wool or scrub pads, as this will dull the finish.
- Avoid having household cleaning agents sit in the sink (such as bleach) as this may dull the finish.
- Stainless steel does not rust; however the use of appropriate stainless steel sink cleaning agents is recommended for removing various surface residues.
- Scratches are normal is any sink material. With regards to stainless steel, most minor scratches can be softened with Soft Scrub, a Scotch Brite pad and deep cleaning agents such as Comet. Gently rub across the entire surface and rinse thoroughly.