Can Hot Pans Go On Quartz? (What To Do Instead?)

Image of a hot pan

If you’ve ever wondered whether you can keep hot pans on a quartz countertop, you’re not alone. Many people ask how durable their quartz countertops actually are and how they should be treated. So, can hot pans go on quartz?

Hot pans can’t go on quartz. Placing hot pans directly on the quartz countertop can cause damage to the countertop, especially if you do this often. Heat can crack or discolor the resin in a quartz countertop. To protect your countertop from heat, you can always use a potholder, trivet, or heat mat.

In this article, we’ll discuss the tips and tricks to keep in mind when your kitchen has a quartz countertop, including its structure, maintenance, and how to protect it from heat. Read on to learn all of this and more to get the best value out of your quartz countertop and pans.

What Happens When You Put A Hot Pan On Quartz?

Unlike natural stone countertops, quartz countertops aren’t made of solid rock.

Rather, they’re about 93% stone pieces that are then held together with a special kind of resin.

The heat of a hot pan can melt, burn, or crack the resin in the quartz countertop that holds it together.

Of course, you will need a very hot pan to do this, usually above 150°F.

Unfortunately, anything you’ve just taken off a burner or out of the oven is hot enough.

Therefore, if you put a hot pan on quartz, you can damage the resin which holds it together.

However, this doesn’t mean that you will immediately destroy your countertop.

Quartz is heat-resistant. So, briefly dropping a pan on it probably won’t do anything.

However, if you leave a pan on quartz for a while, you will damage it.

Similarly, repeated exposure to high temperatures is also likely to damage the quartz permanently.

This is because the resin won’t seal or harden if you’re continually melting it by putting a hot pan in the same place again and again.

This does mean that you can put something like a warm plate or cup of coffee on quartz.

Those won’t be hot enough to damage the quartz on their own.

Still, placemats and coasters exist for a reason, and they can prevent annoying stains too.

How To Tell If A Quartz Countertop Is Damaged?

Firstly, you can tell if a quartz countertop is damaged by looking for scorch rings.

These are circular marks made by the bottom of a hot pan, pot, or dish.

They’re darker than the rest of the countertop and can either be full or empty, kind of like a coffee mug’s stain.

However, unlike coffee stains, scorch marks don’t just wash out.

This is because it’s not only the top layer of the countertop that’s discolored.

Rather, the heat seeps deeper into the countertop, burning the resin inside it.

Leaving a hot pan on quartz can also crack the top layer of the countertop for the same reasons.

Pieces of quartz can also chip off because the countertop isn’t a solid block.

So, damaging the resin will break its integrity, letting the component pieces chip off.

Recommended Further Reading:

How To Protect A Quartz Countertop from Heat?

Given below are some ways to protect a quartz countertop from heat.

1. Use potholders and trivets to absorb the heat.

The best way to protect your quartz countertop is to prevent the hot pan from touching it directly.

To do this, we recommend you use potholders.

Similar to oven mitts, potholders are squares of thick material that absorb the heat of the hot pan, letting you hold it and move it around safely.

While most potholders are made of cloth, you can find some that are silicon.

Regardless of what they’re made of, it’s a great idea to slip a potholder underneath a hot pan before setting it down.

Not only will this prevent heat damage, but it’ll also stop you from scratching the surface with the pan’s underside.

You can also use trivets, which are potholders that are specifically designed for the countertop and table.

They’re generally decorative too, so it’s a good idea to leave one where you know you’ll need it in the future.

Trivets are also more durable and are often thicker and less flexible than potholders.

2. Cover the countertop with heat mats.

Heat mats can also work to protect quartz countertops.

Essentially, large, flat heat mats can be laid down to cover and protect a large area from high temperatures.

If there’s a need, you can use a towel instead of a heat mat as well.

3. Put the pans in the sink when you’re done.

Another idea is to make sure you immediately put the pan into the sink after you’re done with it.

Instead of setting it down on the countertop, empty the food into a serving bowl and Immediately put it in the sink.

That way, the hot pan can’t burn your quartz countertop, and you also won’t forget to clean it later.

Make sure to pour some water on it once it has cooled a little to dislodge any leftover food that’s stuck to its surface.

Related Further Reading:

What Else To Avoid For Quartz Countertops?

Given below are a few things that you should avoid for quartz countertops.

1. Don’t scrape the surface.

While quartz countertops are durable, they’re not indestructible.

If they were, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

So, make sure not to slide stuff across the surface repeatedly.

Over time, this can wear down the top layer of resin, leaving black stains and ugly scratches.

Similarly, don’t cut directly onto the quartz surface. It is tough, but your cutting board is tougher.

Scraping the countertop is especially dangerous if you’re using ceramics or metals, as these are materials even tougher than the countertop.

As such, pick up your cutlery and crockery to move it around instead of sliding it across the countertop.

2. Clean up your spills.

Certain liquids can corrode your quartz countertop. If you spill them, don’t leave them there. Mop them up.

Wine, juice, vinegar, and tea are all chief offenders here, but generally, you don’t want anything on the countertop that can stain it.

3. Choose cleaning products carefully.

Generally, soap and water are enough to keep a quartz countertop clean.

You don’t need high-PH cleaning products like bleach for anything.

High-PH cleaners can damage the resin and the quartz itself.

So, while they’re definitely effective, they can also be too effective.

Repeated usage runs of such products can permanently damage a quartz countertop.

Interesting Further Reading:

Can You Repair A Quartz Countertop?

To repair a quartz countertop, you can do the following.

1. Call in a Professional.

Repairing a quartz countertop is best left to the professionals.

It might be possible that the damages are covered by your insurance or in the countertop’s warranty.

If so, go there first.

The company that made your countertop will know how to repair it as well.

2. Do-It-Yourself.

If your damages aren’t covered in your insurance or warranty, then it’s a problem.

This is another reason why leaving a hot pan on quartz is such a bad idea.

Not only will it ruin your countertop, but it’s expensive to fix too.

However, for minor damages, there is still hope.

It’s possible to use a baking soda solution to stop the discoloration from scorch marks.

Additionally, you could try filling the cracks with epoxy.

Make sure to tint that epoxy with a colored resin afterward so your handiwork doesn’t look out of place.

However, remember to research before manually fixing your quartz countertop.

It’s always recommended to use the proper tools and equipment for this. When in doubt, talk to a professional.

It’s a lot cheaper to have the quartz repaired properly once instead of doing it yourself and then getting your own repairs fixed.

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