Quartz FAQs Can Quartz Worktops Be Cut On Site Why factory fabrication matters and what adjustments can realistically be made during installation. Get a Quote01234 348590 Home » Quartz FAQs » Can Quartz Worktops Be Cut On Site PM Precious Marble Team Quartz worktop specialists in Bedford with over 15 years of fabrication and installation […]
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Quartz FAQs Can Quartz Fade In Sunlight How UV exposure affects quartz worktops, which colours are most at risk and how to protect your surface. Get a Quote01234 348590 Home » Quartz FAQs » Can Quartz Fade In Sunlight PM Precious Marble Team Quartz worktop specialists in Bedford with over 15 years of fabrication and […]
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Quartz FAQs Can Quartz Worktops Be Cut On Site Why factory fabrication matters and what adjustments can realistically be made during installation. Get a Quote01234 348590 Home » Quartz FAQs » Can Quartz Worktops Be Cut On Site PM Precious Marble Team Quartz worktop specialists in Bedford with over 15 years of fabrication and installation […]
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Quartz FAQs Can Quartz Fade In Sunlight How UV exposure affects quartz worktops, which colours are most at risk and how to protect your surface. Get a Quote01234 348590 Home » Quartz FAQs » Can Quartz Fade In Sunlight PM Precious Marble Team Quartz worktop specialists in Bedford with over 15 years of fabrication and […]
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Can quartz worktops be cut on site during installation? Learn why factory cutting is essential and what adjustments can be made on the day.
If you are planning a quartz worktop installation you may be wondering whether the cutting happens in a factory or on the day in your kitchen. This is an important question because the answer directly affects the quality of the finished product and the safety of everyone in your home.
At Precious Marble all of our cutting, shaping and polishing is done at our Elstow factory using CNC and waterjet technology. The slabs arrive at your home ready to fit. This guide explains why that matters.
Factory Cutting vs On-Site Cutting
The difference between factory fabrication and on-site cutting is significant. Here is how they compare.
Factor
Factory (CNC)
On-Site (handheld)
Precision
Sub-millimetre accuracy
Approximate (1-3mm tolerance)
Edge finish
Polished, profiled, flawless
Rough cut (needs further finishing)
Dust control
Enclosed extraction systems
Hazardous dust in your home
Cut-out quality
Perfect curves and corners
Limited to straight cuts
Risk of damage
Very low
Higher (vibration can cause chips)
The precision of CNC cutting is particularly important for sink and hob cut-outs. These need to be exact to ensure a proper fit. Even a few millimetres of error can create gaps that look untidy and allow water ingress. Factory equipment achieves this consistency on every single cut.
What Can Be Done On Site
Experienced fitters do sometimes need to make minor adjustments during installation. These are small refinements rather than major cuts.
✓ Can be done on site
Scribing against an uneven wall (removing 1-3mm)
Minor trimming to fit around pipes or obstructions
Small notches for electrical sockets or brackets
Fine-tuning the fit at corners or junctions
✗ Must be done at the factory
Sink and hob cut-outs
Edge profiling (bullnose, ogee, pencil round)
Drainer grooves
Curved sections or shaped pieces
Reducing the overall slab dimensions significantly
The Silica Dust Health Risk
Health warning
Cutting quartz produces fine crystalline silica dust. Prolonged inhalation of this dust can cause silicosis, a serious and irreversible lung disease. This is the single most important reason why quartz should be cut in a controlled factory environment with proper extraction equipment.
In a factory setting the cutting is done with water suppression (wet cutting) that prevents dust from becoming airborne. Enclosed extraction systems capture any residual particles. The operators wear appropriate PPE. None of these controls are practical in a domestic kitchen.
When minor on-site adjustments are necessary experienced fitters use wet cutting techniques and local extraction to minimise dust. The small amount of material being removed during scribing produces far less dust than a full cut-out. Nonetheless any installer who proposes cutting a full sink or hob opening in your kitchen should be treated with extreme caution.
How the Factory Process Works
Understanding the factory process explains why the results are so much better than on-site cutting.
1
Digital template uploaded
The laser measurements from your kitchen are converted into a digital file that the CNC machine reads. Every dimension, angle and cut-out position is programmed with sub-millimetre precision.
2
CNC cutting
The slab is placed on the CNC bridge saw or waterjet cutter. The machine cuts the outline, sink opening, hob opening and any other features with computer-controlled accuracy. Water suppression keeps dust to zero.
3
Edge profiling and polishing
The exposed edges are shaped to your chosen profile (square, pencil, bullnose, ogee) and polished through a series of progressively finer diamond pads until the edge matches the surface finish.
4
Quality check and dispatch
Every finished piece is inspected against the template before being loaded for delivery. The worktop arrives at your home ready to fit with no further cutting required.
Can You Cut Quartz Yourself
Not recommended
We strongly advise against attempting to cut quartz yourself. The health risks from silica dust are serious. The material requires diamond-tipped tools and specialist knowledge. An incorrect cut can ruin an expensive slab that cannot be easily replaced. Leave cutting to professionals with the right equipment.
Even with the right tools DIY cutting cannot achieve the edge quality or precision of factory CNC equipment. The cost of the slab itself makes the risk of a DIY mistake far too high. A replacement slab plus re-fabrication costs would be significantly more expensive than paying a professional to do the job correctly the first time.
Precious Marble – Bedford
Factory-Precision Cutting at Our Elstow Workshop
Every quartz worktop we install is cut and polished in our own factory using the latest CNC and waterjet technology. Get a free quote and see the quality for yourself.
If you want the confidence of a worktop that is cut with factory precision and fitted by our own team we supply and install quartz worktops in Bedford and across Bedfordshire.
For more information about the fabrication and installation process browse our full Quartz FAQ’s section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can quartz be cut on site during installation?
Minor adjustments can be made on site using handheld diamond cutting tools. Major cuts including sink cut-outs, hob cut-outs and edge profiling must be done in a factory using CNC machinery. On-site cutting produces dust and lacks the precision of factory fabrication.
Why is factory cutting better than on-site cutting?
Factory CNC machines cut with sub-millimetre accuracy and produce clean polished edges. On-site cutting with handheld tools is less precise and cannot replicate the finish quality of factory equipment. Factory cutting also contains the significant amount of silica dust produced during cutting.
What on-site adjustments can be made?
Experienced fitters can make small trimming adjustments on site to fine-tune the fit against walls or around pipes. These are minor scribing cuts typically removing just a few millimetres. Any significant reshaping should be done at the factory.
Is silica dust from cutting quartz dangerous?
Yes. Silica dust produced when cutting quartz is a serious health hazard. Prolonged inhalation can cause silicosis a serious lung disease. This is why all major cutting should happen in a factory with proper dust extraction equipment rather than in your kitchen.
This article is part of our growing Quartz FAQs hub where we answer the most common questions Bedford homeowners ask about quartz worktops. If you cannot find the answer you need feel free to call us on 01234 348590 or email info@preciousmarble.co.uk.
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Can quartz worktops fade in sunlight? Learn how UV exposure affects quartz, which colours are most at risk and how to protect your worktop.
UV fading is one of the few genuine limitations of quartz worktops. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Some sources make it sound like quartz will turn yellow in a matter of months. Others dismiss it entirely. The reality sits somewhere in between and depends heavily on your kitchen layout, window orientation and colour choice.
At Precious Marble we have been observing how quartz performs in real Bedford kitchens for over 15 years. This guide shares what we have actually seen rather than what marketing materials suggest.
Why Quartz Can Fade in Sunlight
The fading is not caused by the quartz crystals themselves. Quartz mineral is extremely UV-stable. The issue lies with the polymer resin and the pigments that are mixed into it during manufacturing.
UV radiation from sunlight breaks down the molecular bonds in the resin pigments over time. As these bonds weaken the colour intensity gradually diminishes. The effect is identical to how a coloured fabric fades when left in a sunny window for years. The structural integrity of the worktop is unaffected. It is purely a cosmetic change.
The rate of fading depends on two factors: the intensity and duration of UV exposure and the amount of pigment in the quartz. This is why darker colours fade more visibly than lighter ones. There is simply more pigment to lose.
Which Colours Are Most at Risk
Colour Group
Fading Risk
Notes
White / cream
Very low
Minimal pigment means minimal visible change
Light grey
Low
Excellent choice for sunny kitchens
Mid-tone colours
Moderate
Visible over many years with direct sun
Dark grey / charcoal
Higher
More pigment to lose means more visible change
Black
Highest
Avoid for areas with prolonged direct sunlight
If your kitchen has a large south-facing window that floods the worktop with direct sunlight for several hours each day we would steer you towards a white, cream or light grey quartz. These colours look beautiful in bright kitchens and the minimal pigment content means any UV effect is virtually undetectable even after many years.
How Long Before You Notice Fading
In the UK climate quartz fading from sunlight is a very slow process. The UV intensity in Bedfordshire is significantly lower than in Mediterranean or equatorial regions. Most homeowners with standard window exposure will not notice any colour change within the first 5 to 7 years.
The fading is also uneven. Only the areas that receive direct sunlight are affected. This can create a subtle difference between the sunlit section and the shaded section of the same worktop. The change is so gradual that you may not notice it until you move something that has been sitting on the surface for years and compare the shaded area underneath.
What we have observed
In kitchens with standard window exposure (not floor-to-ceiling south-facing glass) we have not seen significant fading on any colour within the first 10 years. The issue is primarily relevant for kitchens with unusually high UV exposure such as conservatory extensions or rooms with skylights directly above the worktop.
How to Protect Your Worktop
Use blinds or curtains. Closing blinds during peak sunlight hours (typically 11am to 3pm in summer) reduces UV exposure significantly. You do not need to block all light. Just filtering the direct rays makes a big difference.
Consider UV-filtering window film. Transparent window films that block UV rays while allowing visible light through are an effective and discreet solution. They are particularly useful for kitchens where blinds are not practical.
Choose a lighter colour. If your worktop will sit in a sun-drenched position this is the simplest and most effective protection. White and light grey quartz handles UV exposure with virtually no visible change.
Avoid leaving items in the same position. Periodically moving fruit bowls, appliances and decorative items prevents a “shadow” effect where the covered area stays darker than the exposed area.
How Quartz Compares to Other Materials on UV Resistance
It is worth putting this limitation in context. UV fading is not unique to quartz. Many materials change in sunlight over time.
Granite: Extremely UV-stable. Natural minerals do not fade in sunlight. This is one of granite’s advantages for sunny kitchens.
Marble: UV-stable. Natural stone does not fade. Marble does yellow from other causes (iron oxidation) which can be confused with UV damage.
Solid wood: Changes colour significantly in sunlight. Oak and walnut darken over time while lighter woods can yellow. This is generally considered part of the character.
Laminate: Can fade in direct sunlight particularly cheaper laminates with UV-sensitive print layers. The fading rate varies widely by brand and quality.
Precious Marble – Bedford
Choose the Right Colour for Your Kitchen
Our team will help you choose a quartz colour that works beautifully with your kitchen’s light conditions. Visit our Elstow showroom to view samples in person.
If you would like advice on the best quartz colour for your specific kitchen layout and lighting conditions our team is happy to help. We offer the full range of quartz worktops in Bedford and can guide you through the options.
For more answers to common quartz questions browse our full Quartz FAQ’s section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does quartz fade in sunlight?
Prolonged direct sunlight can cause very gradual colour fading in quartz worktops over many years. The UV radiation breaks down the pigments in the polymer resin. This is a slow process and is most noticeable on darker colours. In a typical UK kitchen with normal window exposure the effect is minimal.
Which quartz colours fade the most?
Darker colours like black, dark grey and deep brown show fading more visibly than lighter colours. White and light grey quartz are the least affected because there is less pigment to degrade. If your worktop will be near a south-facing window lighter colours are the safer choice.
How can I protect my quartz from fading?
Use blinds or curtains to filter direct sunlight during peak hours. UV-filtering window film is another effective option. Choose a lighter quartz colour if your worktop sits directly under a window. Rotate decorative items periodically so the surface ages evenly.
Is quartz fading covered by warranty?
Most quartz manufacturers exclude UV-related colour change from their warranty because it is caused by environmental exposure rather than a product defect. Check the specific warranty terms of your chosen brand. Some premium brands offer broader coverage than others.
This article is part of our growing Quartz FAQs hub where we answer the most common questions Bedford homeowners ask about quartz worktops. If you cannot find the answer you need feel free to call us on 01234 348590 or email info@preciousmarble.co.uk.
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