calacatta-orella-quartz
A countertop we fabricate and install — see it in real kitchens below, then get your free quote.
Details
- Material
- Engineered Quartz
Templated, fabricated, and installed by our own crew across the northwest suburbs.
How we do quartz countertops →
Free in-home quoteAbout Calacatta Orella Quartz
This is engineered stone, not a slab out of the ground. Quartz mineral plus resin means no sealing, ever, and no surprises between one slab and the next. It also means keeping a trivet within reach.
Rated 5/5 for standing water and 2/5 for direct sun — it shrugs off standing water and will show direct sun. Day-to-day care is soap, water and a cloth. That is the entire routine.
Our crew templates it, cuts it here in Elk Grove Village and sets it. One company for the measurement, the cut and the install — so there is nobody to blame but us. Installed, this material benchmarks around $85/sq ft in the Chicago suburbs — the table below shows the full range and where it came from.
How it lives — durability & care
Independent ratings and the real maintenance routine for quartz.
| Factor | Rating | What that means day to day |
|---|---|---|
| Etch/acid | 4/5 | No acid etching like marble, but harsh solvents, oven cleaners, and high-pH cleaners can dull the resin. |
| Heat | 2/5 | Resin binder can scorch, discolor, or crack from direct hot pans (roughly 300 F and up); always use trivets. |
| Impact/chipping | 4/5 | Tough in the field of the slab; edges and corners can chip under hard impact. |
| Moisture | 5/5 | Non-porous; unaffected by water at sinks and seams. |
| Scratch | 4/5 | Quartz filler is ~7 Mohs and resists knife marks in normal use, but cutting directly on it dulls knives and can mar the resin. |
| Stain | 5/5 | Non-porous; coffee, wine, and oil wipe off. Never needs sealing. |
| Sunlight (UV) | 2/5 | Not UV-stable — resin can yellow in strong direct sun; not warranted for outdoor use. |
| Everyday wear | 4/5 | Keeps its factory finish for decades in normal kitchens; heavy-use spots can lose a little sheen over many years, and unlike solid surface it cannot be re-polished at home. |
1–5, higher is better. Independent material ratings, not a manufacturer claim.
Care routine
- Daily wipe-down — Daily · Wipe with warm water and a soft cloth or sponge; add a drop of mild dish soap for grease. Rinse and dry so soap film does not build up. Quartz is non-porous, so this is genuinely all routine care requires. · Avoid: Abrasive powders (Comet, Ajax), red/green scouring pads (they contain aluminum oxide, the same abrasive as sandpaper), steel wool, bleach left to sit · If you skip it: low — quartz forgives lapses; dried-on spills just take more effort later
- Dried-spill and stain removal — As-needed · Soften dried food or gum with a plastic scraper, then clean with a 50/50 mix of water and isopropyl alcohol or a glass cleaner and a non-scratch pad. Bon Ami and Bar Keepers Friend are manufacturer-approved non-abrasive powders for stubborn marks — check your own brand's approved-cleaner list first. · Avoid: Oven cleaner, drain cleaner, paint stripper, anything containing hydrofluoric acid or methylene chloride — these permanently discolor the resin and the damage is not warranty-covered · If you skip it: medium — the stain itself is usually fixable, but reaching for a harsh chemical can cause permanent discoloration
- Heat protection (trivet habit) — Daily · Always set a trivet or thick hot pad between the counter and anything that generates heat: pots straight off the burner, slow cookers, electric griddles, air fryers. The resin binder in quartz scorches and the slab can crack from sudden temperature change (thermal shock). · Avoid: Setting hot cookware directly on the surface, running slow cookers or air fryers directly on the slab · If you skip it: high — scorch rings and thermal-shock cracks are permanent, and manufacturers exclude heat damage from warranty
- Sealing — do NOT do it — Never · Quartz is non-porous and never needs sealing or polishing. Sealers cannot penetrate the surface; they sit on top, wear unevenly, and leave the gloss dull or streaky. Politely decline any annual "quartz sealing" service offer. · Avoid: Stone sealers, penetrating impregnators, topical polishes and waxes · If you skip it: n/a — the mistake is doing it, not skipping it; sealer residue on quartz often takes professional stripping to remove
How it gets into your kitchen
7 steps, 14–42 days end to end.
Choose material and get quotes
Shortlist materials, visit a showroom or slab yard, and get an itemized quote: material, fabrication, edge profile, cutouts, tear-out, template fee. Selection pace is the homeowner's to control — a few days to two weeks is typical.
Tip: Rough tape-measure dimensions within an inch are fine for quoting; the fabricator laser-measures before anything is cut. Take samples home and look at them in your own morning and evening light before committing.
Lock in sink, faucet, and cooktop before template day
Every cutout and faucet hole is cut at the shop from exact specifications, so the sink, faucet (including soap dispenser or filter taps), and cooktop models must be final before templating. An undermount sink usually needs to be physically on site at the template appointment.
Tip: This is the deadline that ambushes people. Changing the sink or cooktop after templating typically adds 1-3 weeks of re-fabrication. Buy the sink early and keep the spec sheets handy.
Template appointment
The fabricator laser-measures or physically templates the installed cabinets and walls — capturing out-of-square corners and bowed walls the stone must be scribed to. Takes 1-2 hours. Cabinets must be set, level, and permanent; seam locations and overhangs are agreed on the spot.
Tip: Be home for this one. Decisions made at template (seam placement, overhang depth, backsplash height) are cut in stone — literally.
Fabrication at the shop
Slab is cut, cutouts made, edges profiled, and surfaces polished. Typical shops run 1-3 weeks; imported or exotic material can run 4-8 weeks. Fall pre-holiday rush and spring-summer peak stretch queues.
Tip: This is the quiet gap where nothing seems to happen at your house. If timing matters (holiday, listing), ask for the shop's current queue length before signing — it changes by season.
Tear-out and prep
Old tops come off, plumbing is disconnected, cabinets are checked level and shimmed. Often done the morning of install day; complex tear-outs (tile-over-mortar tops) can take a full day.
Tip: Clear the counters and empty the sink base cabinet the night before. Expect the water to the kitchen to be off from now until reconnection.
Installation day
Slabs are set, seams joined and color-matched, sink mounted, cooktop cutout fitted. Typically 4-6 hours; large or multi-seam kitchens can run a second day.
Tip: Plan dinner out. Keep pets and kids clear — crews are moving several-hundred-pound slabs through your doorways.
Reconnect plumbing and let adhesives cure
Silicone and seam epoxy cure 24-48 hours before the sink returns to service and heavy loads go on the tops. Faucet and disposal hookup is often a separate plumber visit the next day.
Tip: Do not mount the faucet, load the dishwasher against the new top, or stand mixer-anything on the counters until the cure window passes. Ask who reconnects plumbing — fabricators often do not.
What it costs installed
Published benchmark ranges, so you can sanity-check any quote — including ours.
| Line item | Typical range | Unit | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Countertop fabrication and installation labor | $20–$50 | per sq ft | 2025-01 |
| Quartz countertop installed | $50–$120 | per sq ft | 2026-07 |
| Quartz countertop installed | $50–$150 | per sq ft | 2026-07 |
| Quartz countertop installed | $60–$200 | per sq ft | 2025-01 |
| Quartz countertop slab material only | $15–$50 | per sq ft | 2025-09 |
| Quartz slab material only | $50–$200 | per sq ft | 2025-01 |
| Faucet/accessory hole drilled in stone countertop | $65–$120 | per hole | 2026-07 |
| Kitchen countertop project, 30-50 sqft | $2,000–$10,000 | per project | 2026-07 |
Regional benchmarks for the Chicago market — not an Ace quote. Your number depends on square footage, edge, cutouts and tear-out.
Edge profile upcharges
| Edge tier | Upcharge | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Edge upgrade — mid-range profiles (full bullnose, ogee, cove) | $12–$20 | per linear ft |
| Edge upgrade — premium profiles (DuPont, chiseled, laminated, triple pencil, mitered) | $20–$35 | per linear ft |
| Edge upgrade — simple profiles (wide bevel, pencil round, half/demi bullnose) | $5–$12 | per linear ft |
Over a standard eased edge. chiseled rock-face, dupont, laminated double edge and the rest are explained in the edge-profiles guide.
Sources: Granite Selection (Chicago-area fabricator), 2025; SlabWise, 2026; Arete Renovators (Chicago remodeler); SlabWise
Pairs well with
Cabinet, hardware and wall colours that hold up next to White Veined (Marble-Look).
Cabinets
- Pure White — the bright gallery kitchen — veining supplies the movement plain white lacks classic
- Charcoal — inverted tuxedo — dark base, light top classic
- Oxblood Burgundy — Dried-wine cabinetry under crisp veined white is old-London-pub-meets-gallery, and neither half will ever look dated. classic
- Sage Green — keeps green kitchens bright current
Island
- Navy — white top lightens the dark base classic
- Walnut — Cool white veining over chocolate walnut is the tuxedo of islands — the wood deepens with a decade of hand oil while the stone stays crisp above it. classic
- Forest / Emerald — white stone keeps deep green from swallowing light solid
Backsplash
- Pure White — run the slab up the wall — one material, zero grout current
Similar surfaces
Same family — worth seeing side by side before you commit.
Questions about this surface
Are concrete countertops as low-maintenance as they look?
No — concrete is one of the highest-maintenance counters despite its industrial toughness. It needs resealing at least yearly (plus waxing in between), acids etch both the sealer and the cement paste, and hairline cracks from curing and settling are considered normal, not defects. Budget-wise it is also not a shortcut: at $65-135/sq ft installed you are paying artisan labor rates. Choose it for the custom look, not to save money or effort — or get the same aesthetic in a concrete-look quartz.
Are countertops priced by the square foot or by the slab — and why does it matter?
Quotes are usually expressed per square foot, but stone is bought by the slab, and that mismatch explains several surprises. If your kitchen needs 55 sq ft and slabs run 50 sq ft, you are buying two slabs and paying for the waste — sometimes a small layout tweak that fits one slab saves four figures. It also makes vein placement a real decision: ask to see your countertop outlines laid over the actual slab before cutting, so the dramatic vein lands on the island rather than under the dish rack.
Are countertops really cheaper downstate than in Chicago?
Generally yes - regional surveys put installed granite around $86 and quartz around $78 per square foot in the Peoria area versus roughly $100 and $91 in Chicago, reflecting lower labor and overhead. The slab material itself costs about the same statewide, so most of the gap is fabrication and install labor; downstate you also avoid the high-rise access and permit-parking surcharges common in the city.
Are recycled-glass countertops as durable as regular quartz?
Resin-bound recycled-glass surfaces behave much like engineered quartz: non-porous, stain-resistant, and never in need of sealing. Cement-bound versions are closer to polished concrete — they want periodic sealing and their edges can chip under impact. Neither type tolerates hot pans directly. The bigger practical issue in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana is availability: fewer fabricators stock recycled glass, so compare warranties and local service before committing, and note that recycled-content quartz lines from major brands can deliver similar green credentials with easier sourcing.
Words that show up on a quote
Sixteen terms fabricators use as if everyone knows them.
- Mohs hardness
- A 1-10 mineral hardness scale used to compare countertop scratch resistance. Marble sits around 3-4 (scratches easily), granite 6-7, quartz and quartzite about 7, porcelain 7-8. A steel knife blade is roughly 5.5 — materials above that resist kitchen-knife scratches.
- Apron-front sink
- Also called a farmhouse sink: a deep bowl whose front face is exposed, replacing a strip of the cabinet front. Requires a modified, reinforced sink base - fireclay and cast iron versions commonly weigh 100-200 lb - and a countertop cut that wraps three sides of the bowl instead of a simple oval.
- Arris
- The sharp line where two surfaces of a countertop meet, such as the top and the edge face. Easing the arris means softening that line slightly so it resists chipping and feels smooth.
- Dolomitic marble
- A calcium-magnesium stone frequently sold as "soft quartzite" or under names like "super white." It looks like quartzite but etches and scratches like marble. Verify any quartzite purchase with a lemon-juice test on a sample: true quartzite will not etch.
- Edge grain
- Butcher-block construction where boards are glued with their long edges up, showing parallel strips of grain. More stable and affordable than end grain (the checkerboard of growth rings used on chopping blocks) and the standard construction for wood countertops.
- Edge profile
- The shape a fabricator grinds and polishes into the exposed front edge of a countertop - from a plain eased square to decorative curves like ogee. It affects style, chip resistance, cleaning effort, and price.
- Engineered quartz
- A factory-made slab of roughly 90% ground natural quartz mineral bound with ~10% polymer resin and pigments. Non-porous and never needs sealing, but the resin limits heat and UV tolerance. Sold under brands like Cambria, Silestone, Caesarstone, and LG Viatera.
- Etching
- A dull, slightly rough mark left when acid (lemon, vinegar, wine, some cleaners) chemically dissolves the polished surface of a calcium-based stone like marble. Etching is not a stain: sealer cannot prevent it, and removing it requires re-polishing the stone.
- Laminated edge
- An edge thickened by gluing a second strip of matching stone flat beneath the front edge, doubling the apparent slab thickness; the glue line remains visible on the edge face.
- Mitered edge
- An edge built from two stone pieces each cut at 45 degrees and epoxied so the seam hides at the corner, making thin stone read as a much thicker slab.
- Ogee
- An S-shaped decorative edge profile: a concave sweep on top flowing into a convex curve below. A classic choice for traditional and formal kitchens.
- Sink gauge
- The thickness of the steel in a stainless sink; lower numbers mean thicker metal. 16 gauge is about 0.063 in (1.59 mm) and resists dents and noise best; 18 gauge is about 0.047 in (1.2 mm) and is the value standard for residential bowls. Thinner than 18 gauge, flex and drumming become noticeable.
- Sink reveal
- The amount of sink rim left visible at an undermount cutout. A positive reveal leaves a sliver of rim showing (forgiving to fabricate, the common default); a zero or flush reveal aligns counter and bowl edges exactly (precision work that costs more); a negative reveal overhangs the bowl (sleek, but the thin lip can chip and the hidden rim traps grime). The reveal is set permanently when the countertop is cut.
- Sintered stone
- A slab made by compacting mineral powders and clays under extreme pressure and heat ("sintering") until the particles fuse — no resin binder. Heat-proof, UV-stable, and non-porous; Dekton and Neolith are the best-known brands. Often grouped with porcelain slab countertops.
- Stone sealer
- A penetrating liquid applied to porous natural stone (granite, quartzite, marble) and concrete that slows liquid absorption so spills can be wiped before they stain. Wears off with use — most stones need resealing every 6-24 months. A quick test: if water stops beading and starts darkening the stone, it is time.
- Waterfall edge
- A countertop treatment where the surface turns 90 degrees and continues down the side of an island or cabinet run to the floor, usually with mitered, book-matched corners.
Want this in your kitchen?
We fabricate and install Calacatta Orella Quartz out of our Elk Grove Village shop — templated digitally, cut to your cabinets, installed by our own crew.
Ready for a real number?
Free in-home template and an honest quote — you keep your money until there's a countertop to trade it for.