Your Guide to Quartz Stone Surface Overlays: Quartz Carpet
We’ve been distributing Quartz Carpet in Australia for over 20 years for installation in residential and commercial interiors. One of our most durable and resilient finishes, it comprises coloured quartz granules bound together with an epoxy resin. Quartz Carpet has become a preferred alternative over stone flooring, pebblecrete, concrete or exposed aggregate.
Below, we’ve answered the most common questions about Quartz Carpet, including the method of application, costs of installation, where it can be installed, how it’s maintained and more.
General Questions About Quartz Carpet
What Is Quartz Carpet?
Produced in Belgium for over 20 years, Quartz Carpet™ is a floor covering that consists of coloured quartz stone granules sealed with an epoxy resin. The stones are hand-trowelled over existing substrates both indoors and externally.
How Is Quartz Carpet Different From Other Flooring Materials?
Quartz Carpet is one of the most resilient surfaces for high-traffic areas and vehicles. Compared to traditional flooring materials, a surface overlay like Quartz Carpet can be applied directly on top of old surfaces. This unique application process offers greater versatility for application plus a quicker installation time (eliminating the need to demolish existing flooring).
What Are The Common Applications Of Quartz Carpet?
Suitable for internal and external applications on floors, walls and some joinery pieces — Quartz Carpet is widely used in areas where clients are looking for a strong, durable and seamless finish. It’s been applied in residential, commercial, retail, educational and industrial projects across Australia.
This includes some of the most prestigious and well-known car showrooms around the world including Mercedes Benz, BMW Group, Audi, Land Rover & Jaguar. Well known commercial projects featuring our stone flooring include Deakin University, La Trobe University, HOYTS and Winning Appliances.
Can Quartz Carpet Be Used For Both Interior And Exterior Surfaces?
Quartz Carpet works indoors and outdoors, but the key to success lies in using the right finish. There are two different options.
For internal applications, the Pore Filled finish is best; the spaces between the quartz stones are filled with a clear liquid and an extra coat of sealer, making the floor suitable for mopping Externally, the Open Pore finish is used, as it’s water-permeable and UV stable.
Read more about choosing the right paving for outdoor floors.
How Durable Is Quartz Carpet, And What Kind Of Maintenance Does It Require?
This resilient and durable stone covering lasts years, even with heavy foot traffic and vehicle use. Clients are most commonly using tour Quartz Carpet is system for strong and slip-resistant flooring in: garages, gardens, and multi-level commercial buildings.
Quartz Carpet is a low-maintenance surface, but (as mentioned above) there are two types of Quartz Carpet finishes — and the methods in which they are maintained differ. For this reason, we’ve put together easy instructions in our product maintenance guidelines.
What Is The Installation Process Of Quartz Carpet?
Installation varies depending on the size of the project, whether it’s internal or external, and the substrate it’s applied over. Quartz Carpet is always applied using a hand trowel, which allows for a more precise and controlled application to ensure an even and smooth finish.
Quartz carpet has a quicker and easier installation process when compared to traditional surfaces. It can typically be installed within 3-5 days (for a 100m2 project over concrete). Keep in mind that a little more preparation is involved when applying to tiles than over a concrete slab.
Moreover, the hand-application process gives clients plenty of versatility when it comes to the design of their stone flooring as installers are able to neatly apply different colours to different areas.
What Are The Advantages Of Quartz Carpet?
It’s a highly durable, vehicle-friendly surface that’s easy to install and maintain.
Resurfacing damaged or old substrates is easy; like microcement, Quartz carpet is an overlay and can be installed directly over a wide range of existing surfaces. This can save you the inconvenience of demolition in your next renovation.
It comes in a versatile range of colourways for a unique, beautiful solution to practical flooring.
If you’re looking for a seamless finish for either practical or aesthetic reasons, Quartz Carpet is applied without any joint lines or grout and ticks both boxes.
Is Quartz Carpet Waterproof?
Each of the Quartz Carpet finishes has different specifications when it comes to wet areas, but neither are suitable for splashbacks or showers.
To compare, Pore Filled is used for internal wet areas like kitchens and bathrooms, as it’s a moppable surface. On the other hand, Open Pore is best externally. In fact, it’s the most recommended surface from our range for external applications.
Cost And Affordability
How Much Is Quartz Carpet?
The price to install Quartz Carpet varies depending on project location, total square meters, area of application, intricacy, height (for walls) and more. This makes it difficult for our team to estimate an end cost for projects, especially as each installer will price jobs individually based off a plan/site visit.
Is Quartz Carpet More Cost-Effective Than Tiling?
Cost comparisons between tiles and other flooring is largely dependent on the type of tiles you’re considering. Assuming you’re opting for a mid to high-end range of tiles, the cost comparison is fairly similar. Quartz Carpet application requires a high level of skill and expertise as it differs from traditional rendering, and labour costs reflect this.
However, our Remodel Without Removal method does lower renovation costs in the long run — and using an overlay like Quartz Carpet saves you paying to rip up and replace old tiles with new ones.
For all pricing and quotes of Quartz Carpet for your project, you’ll need to discuss this with a trained Quartz Carpet installer. You can find an installer to contact by clicking here. Your installer will price each job individually, either off plans or in person.
Installation And Application
What Substrates Can Quartz Carpet Be Installed To?
Quartz Carpet is applied in situ over a range of substrates including:
Floors: Concrete, Tiles, Compressed Sheeting
Walls: Plaster, Villaboard, Blue Board, Concrete, Ply, Tiles
Joinery: MDF, Marine Ply, Compressed Sheeting
Is It Possible To Apply Quartz Carpet Myself?
We’re the exclusive Australian Quartz Carpet stone flooring suppliers. We only sell the product to trained installers with a background in rendering, plastering, and related trades. To achieve the best results, it’s important that Quartz Carpet is installed by someone who has worked with it before.
If you’re a surfacing professional interested in receiving Quartz Carpet training, we run Melbourne-based surfacing courses.
Can Quartz Carpet Be Installed to Joinery?
Yes, it can! As it’s applied thinly by hand, Quartz Carpet can achieve a seamless stone coating on certain joinery pieces — particularly shop counters and niched wall shelving.
Do You Need To Plaster Before Quartz Carpet?
Yes, it is necessary to apply plaster before Quartz Carpet if you are planning to use it on a wall. This crucial step ensures that the product has a smooth and stable base to attach to, which is fundamental for its correct application and performance. Applying the plaster first helps to level out any imperfections in the wall, providing a uniform surface for the stones to bind to. This not only ensures the smooth appearance of the finished surface, but also extends its longevity.
Specific Applications
Can Quartz Carpet Go On Plasterboard?
Quartz Carpet can be applied straight onto plasterboard, which is useful in home renovations or building projects. It’s important to prepare the plasterboard properly to achieve the finish.
Is Quartz Carpet Good For Dogs?
Durable, easy to clean, and resistant to scratches, Quartz Carpet is ideal for homes with dogs or cats. It provides a smooth surface that's comfortable for pets to walk on while still being hard-wearing.
Is Quartz Carpet Slippery?
It’s important to verify slip ratings of the surface you select for your flooring needs. Quartz Carpet complies with the slip resistance guidelines for both commercial and residential flooring.
Pore Filled achieves a P2 slip rating, which is the requirement for indoor wet areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. It can achieve a P4 slip rating by including a non-slip additive on request. Open Pore has a P4 rating which is a very low slip risk when wet — perfect for external areas like swimming pool surrounds and garden pathways.
View our Quartz Carpet project gallery
