Corian, Quartz, Stainless Steel or Granite – which worktop should I choose?
One of the biggest dilemmas facing the modern kitchen consumer is which type of surface to choose for their countertops and an increasing number of buyers are setting aside a portion of their budget to ensure they can adorn their kitchen with surfaces once considered too expensive.
The choice is wide and varied yet how many buyers know the differences between the big players and is the higher cost of these surfaces justified when compared to the more traditional laminate finishes.
Perhaps the reasons for choosing an elite surface is down to the number of
irreparable scratches that were all too visible on your last high gloss laminate
surface or maybe you just couldn’t bear to continue the daily kitchen
chores to face that water damaged, lifting laminate behind the sink.
Certainly, careful fitting and proper maintenance could have avoided the problems
but your mind is made up and you want an easier life in the kitchen
So what are the choices and how do you choose between them?
Acrylic Surfaces
Well let’s begin with Corian
which is perhaps the most recognisable name among buyers and is a member of
the family of Acrylic surfaces that include Staron and Hi-Macs.
Corian offers the buyer limitless design possibilities because it can be thermoformed
to any shape. Corian offers seamless joints and sinks and perhaps it’s
most attractive quality to buyers is it can be restored to it’s former
glory if it was ever damaged.
Of the acrylics Corian offers the buyer best protection because of a well
regulated installer and fabricator network operated by the manufacturers DuPont.
All very good so far but I’ve heard there are other acrylic surfaces
that are cheaper so why is Corian more expensive?
Well let’s start with the cheaper acrylics available to the buyer. To
present the facts and before offering Corian to our own visitors, it was important
to undertake a little research into some of the competitors to the Acrylic
crown and where better to start than in the USA where these surfaces had been
available for many years before their introduction in the UK.
Cheaper alternatives are priced accordingly because the core thickness is
4 to 6 times less than that of Corian. Surfaces of minimum thickness such
as 2 or 3mm are avoided in the USA and for good reason. When a similar thin
core surface was introduced there in the 1990’s, it later resulted in
a class action being undertaken by the purchasers of the product against the
manufacturer – the reason, delamination and cracks appeared well within
the warranty period. The manufacturer settled with the plaintiffs out of court
and the surface was discontinued.
That didn’t stop the sale and influx of similar surfaces here in the
UK and I was to witness the same damage first hand when inspecting the same
problem taking place at a large number of a well known nationwide retailer
stores.(I recorded the evidence on camera at the time and as you can see from
the images, it’s not surprising that I rebuffed subsequent approaches
to offer these surfaces on our website.
Information included in this article is of course opinion based on my own
findings and experiences and not all thinner core surfaces are to be avoided.
Indeed, if fitted correctly and maintained with care, then provided you are
aware of the limitations, then it may prove to fulfil your requirements but
your decision should always be aligned with a manufacturers guarantee and
value for money.
Staron
have recently introduced a 6mm Solid Surface, which, unlike surfaces of a
lesser thickness, can employ drainer grooves when fabricated. Staron’s
6mm pre-fabricated tops are bonded to a moisture resistant MDF substrate with
a laminate balancer on the underside to form a 38mm surface available in two
sizes – 3000mm x 650mm and a 2100mm x 900mm Breakfast Bar. This differentiates
it from other surfaces of lesser thickness and lower specification.
So my advice is, check the guarantees and check the thickness of your chosen
surface.
For the record, Corian is 13mm thick, carries a 10 year guarantee, was introduced
into the UK in 1979, so has a long and successful history, and is available
in 72 colours for use in residential applications.
It has a matt finish, (although a greater sheen is available with prolonged
fabrication techniques), and can be fabricated to limitless shapes and depths.
(See image).
Corian Seagrass
Quartz (Engineered Stone Surfaces)
Quartz surfaces are the fastest growing sector in the worktops market worldwide.
Identifiable under a number of titles such as Luxore, Silestone, Zodiac, Caesarstone,
Arenastone, Apollo and our own range Prestige
Quartz, they have one important thing in common – they
could all conceivably be titled under the name Bretonstones as they are all
manufactured on a Breton Machine, the product of an Italian company who export
the machines worldwide. Prestige Quartz is offered exclusively via T Foley
Interiors and a common misconception of those who are quoted on this surface
because of it's affordability, is that it may be similar to the 13mm surface
offered by a well known DIY retailer. It is in fact a 30mm solid quartz surface,
identical in it's properties to all other true quartz surfaces and like Luxore,
Arenastone Zodiaq and Caesarstone, is manufactured on a Breton Machine.
Prestige Quartz range
Colour - Spectrum Black
Breton machines are currently available for manufacture in a number of countries
including Spain, Portugal Czech Republic, Belgium, China and the USA, yet
interestingly, no such machine is available for the manufacture of quartz
in the UK so all the quartz surfaces that end up in your kitchen originated
from slabs that were imported from a number of international sources for fabrication
in the UK..
Quartz, or Engineered Stone as it is also known, is made up of.93% quartz
and 7% resin binders and pigments.
The distinguishing factor between the many titles available is the colour
palettes. Silestone
further distinguishes its surface by the inclusion of an anti bacterial compound
throughout the core of surfaces in their range.
Silestone Quartz range
Coulour – Rojo Eros
The surface is durable and, unlike granite, non-porous. Like granite it has
a sheen finish but does not require sealing.
Engineered quartz offers a uniform pattern so what you see in a showroom will
be very close to what will be installed in your kitchen
The buyer should always ascertain the manufacturer’s warranty of any
Quartz surface before purchasing as surprisingly; some have very little or
indeed no warranty available. Because all quartz surfaces are similar in appearance
and because a surface with anti-bacterial compound cannot be easily identfied,
it is important to distinguish, when purchasing Silestone, that is is indeed
Silestone.
To do this, look on the underside, if it has the Silestone brand stamp, then it is authentic, if not, ask your supplier why.
Granite Surfaces
Granite is the surface that offers the buyer a classic sheen look and as
it is sourced via natural means it is the preferred option of a huge number
of buyers looking for a more unique finish.
It is a hard surface measuring 6 on the MOH’s hardness scale however,
granite being an igneous rock, i.e. rock formed after the cooling down of
molten rock.
Natural granite does not have a uniform pattern or color. The appearance
can vary widely between slabs, and even within a single slab but to a number
of buyers this is the attraction
As with quartz, the seams in granite are visible.
Granite
Colour – Nero Assolutto
Granite is crystalline in structure, so it always has tiny pits or spaces between the various mineral crystals. It also contains natural fissures that may appear to be cracks, but they are not structural defects and will not impair the function or durability of the material. They occur naturally and are considered by some to be part of the beauty of stone.
Black colours have become very popular in the last few years owing to their
much lower prices, however some of these black granites can be prone to "shakes"
and "vents" and many unscrupulous processors/dealers, oil or apply
dye to the material to hide these defects.
This would give the granite an effect of fading and correctly polished black
granite should not fade! The fading is nothing more than the dyes and oils
being removed. Unfortunately the only solution is to re-polish the top and
this can be costly.
A tip taken from the information provided by Richard Leake of the Stone Network,
and before purchasing a granite top, is to perform the following test to discover
whether it has been doctored. Take a clean white rag and apply some acetone
or lemon juice to the surface of the granite. If any residue or black colour
is observed on the top, do not accept it, it has been dyed.
Stainless Steel Surfaces
Stainless Steel surfaces are the choice of the kitchen professionals and an increasing number of designers and homeowners are specifying Stainless Steel as a preferred choice of surface in the kitchen.
Stainless Steel is a timeless classic material, with excellent antibacterial
properties hence it’s popularity with the professionals.
Known more for its popularity in the commercial sector, stainless steel is
now becoming more of a choice for residential clients, as can be borne out
by the projects we ourselves are undertaking.
For those not wishing to adorn their kitchen wholly with a Stainless Steel
design, the material blends in well with wood or lacquered finishes and options
such as splashbacks, doors, plinths, worksurfaces and even cabinetry are available
in made to measure finishes.
Stainless Steel will undoubtedly, accumulate scatches over time but the patina
that it acquires over time is the attraction to fans of the surface.
For all surfaces, regardless of their heat resistance or resilience to scratches,
it is vital that protective boards are used for preparation and an alternative
to these in the case of hot pans, is the use of steel trivets installed as
part of the surface.
All of the surfaces above can be purchased at best costs via the internet and there are a growing number of sellers, many displaying discounts that cannot be met.
My advice, and it may well be a plug for our own services but if you have great belief in what you are offering then why not, is to identify the following before purchasing.
- Does your provider offer free advice via a website or by speaking to a knowledgeable representative who will call you if requested?
- Do they provide free samples?
- Do they employ their own trained installers?
- Can you contact a previous client in your area to discover their opinion of the company?
- Do they offer a 3 to 4 week lead time from order to completion?
- Do they return your quotation to you within 36 hrs?
- Do they offer the most competitive prices and aim to beat any "like for like" quote?
- Do they have extensive experience in the fitting of the surfaces they offer?
- Can you visit a showroom to see their surfaces or are they operating from a sales office?
- Do they display a UK postal address on their website or just an e-mail contact or phone number?
- How long have they been established in the kitchen industry?
If the answers to the above are to your satisfaction then my guess is that you may have already ordered your worktops through T Foley Interiors and that you will pass our details on to friends and colleagues who wish to recommend our services.
Great new Offer from TFI!!!
For every worktop order made thought Kitchensfitted, choose any sink and/or tap from our Astracast sinks and taps. range and we'll offer it to you at the cost we buy them. This is a genuine offer and is valid for every worktop order made via T Foley Interiors.
Our worktops will enhance your design like no other surfaces could. Much research leads us to believe that Corian, Silestone and Prestige Quartz surfaces are the most cost efficient countertops, offering greater resilience and longevity than thin core acrylic surfaces, laminates or wood. At T Foley Interiors it is always our aim to make these surfaces more affordable than you might think and now we have because the prices you achieve are direct from our fabricator without further mark up. If you have already received a quote why not challenge us to beat it.
Choose any one of the following three great cookbooks with all worktop orders made through Kitchensfitted
For further information on any of these surfaces or if you have a kitchen related query, please visit our forum at http://www.kitchensfitted.co.uk/KitchenForum/
Article written by Tim Foley©2008.