How strong are quartz worktops?

[MJNewton]

I don't mean from scratches and dents, but standing on it...

 

There must've been a couple of occasions in the past where I've had to stand on my chipboard laminate worktop, whether that be to reach something or - most likely - perform some aspect of DIY. For our new kitchen, however, we've opted for a quartz worktop (30mm thick) and wondered whether this sort of practice would be out of the question? It also got me thinking about related questions such as whether there is any flex in it at all, how strong the joins are etc. Can anyone that has some knowledge of them shed some light?

[Declan52]

I have stood on mine regularly to change bulbs etc and I'm not exactly dainty on my toes. 

How strong the joins are will be more effected by any movement of the cabinets below.

[dangti6]

I think you’d be fine on continuous sections evenly supported across the carcasses, but probably wouldn’t recommend standing infront of your hob or sink where it’s thin and therefore weakest.

 

I’ve personally not taken the risk of standing anywhere on mine as the thing cost an arm and a leg and I’d never forgive myself if I cracked it. Fortunately I can reach up in to the corners of the ceilings by leaning from a platform without needing to hop up. 
 

[Big Jimbo]

Just be careful of shock. For instance very hot pans. Standing on big bits will be fine. As said avoid the thin bits. Quartz top cut outs should have a radius in the corners of the cut outs. Hobs etc. If they are cut square then they have been done incorrectly. They break from those points usually.

[MJNewton]

Okay, thanks all. Hopefully I won't have cause to climb up but as you say if needs must then will go carefully! I'm thinking duvet, cardboard, plywood, slippers etc. Or perhaps some sort of cantilever setup with the rest of the family perched on the other end.

 

I must admit the cost took me by surprise... I designed a kitchen layout and got a price... £3.5k. Sounded good I thought. Added on a worktop and it jumped to £7k. Eh? Did I double up on all my quantities? I've only ever bought one worktop before and I think that was £150, if that. I naively didn't realise quartz and other stone worktops were *so* expensive compared to laminate. Of course, it was too late by then - my wife's 'wants' mechanism has an irreversible ratchet so there was no turning back.

Edited September 27, 2020 by MJNewton

[Big Jimbo]

Never go up on your tops on a duvet. You will break your neck.

[MJNewton]

16 minutes ago, Big Jimbo said:

Never go up on your tops on a duvet. You will break your neck.

 

Better than the worktop though. £3.5k! ?

 

(It was said a bit tongue in cheek, same with the slippers although I do often find myself up ladders with slippers on wondering what on earth I'm up to!)

Edited September 27, 2020 by MJNewton

[ryder72]

You are fine to stand on a quartz worktop as long as you are standing on the carcase side so that your weight gets transferred down the  carcase gables. Do not stand in the middle of a unit. You will almost certainly crack it.

NEVER put any pressure on a hob or sink cutout front or for that matter within a 60cm zone even if its on a gable. This is where the worktop is stressed from the cutting and weakened.

Standing on a join is not a problem. Worse ccase the joint gives but thats fixable.

[Ferdinand]

Refraining from asking you your weight or shoe size, can you have a suitable sheet of eg OSB around to put on top of the worktop and spread the load?

 

The other thing that you could use would be the spare cupboard shelf you will have in the garage. 

[MJNewton]

There's every chance I wouldn't ever need to - it was more  question if curiosity really as I'd never given it much of a second thought on laminate. 

[daiking]

I have caught the wife doing it and it scares the bejesus out of me. We have a goal post island arrangement approx 1m wide with approx 300mm overhang for a breakfast bar on one side. ? Not something I would want to do myself. Luckily the tolix style stools are ideal for standing on instead.

[canalsiderenovation]

I did in my last house, never had any issues. Tin of beans dropped out of cuoboard and chipped it though. Also ended up with a stain on it from Oven Pride (white mark on a black quartz worktop).