CHOOSING A STONE FOR COUNTERTOPS: NATURAL VS ENGINEERED

The variety of materials from which countertops are made often causes confusion. Each manufacturer convinces of the exceptional quality of its products, finding many disadvantages from competitors. But if we consider all the nuances in a non-biased manner, then weak points can be identified in any product, regardless of what it is made of. It is with this that I would like to understand in more detail, so that each client has a clear idea of ​​what he ultimately buys.

What are they?

In most cases, countertops are purchased for the kitchen as a work surface, so in this aspect we will analyze how suitable this or that material is. And there really is something to pay attention to. So, most often used for production:

• Corian or lithium granite is an acrylic imitation of natural rock.
• Quartz agglomerate is artificial quartzite, 93-95% composed of small particles of natural minerals.
• Natural stone – the most commonly used granite

Thus, there is plenty to choose from, but how not to be mistaken? After all, the tabletop is purchased for more than one year, therefore it is very important that, in addition to visual appeal, it has the necessary strength characteristics. Let’s focus our attention on this.

Acrylic stone

Nice, relatively inexpensive, but short-lived. This is how the Corian can be summarized. It has three main advantages , namely:

• Almost unlimited choice of colors.
• The ability to create seamless surfaces of any size and shape.
• Relatively simple repair of damaged areas by removing (cutting) the defect and gluing in a new fragment.

The benefits end there. Yes, from a distance, the acrylic analogue resembles a natural stone. If you come closer, the similarity is much less. And to the touch it is ordinary plastic. And the strength characteristics of Corian are not much different from plastic:

• Susceptibility to mechanical damage – easily scratched with a knife or even metal kitchen utensils.
• Very poor heat resistance – do not put hot pans, pots, etc.
• Rapid loss of attractive appearance – literally after six months, the surface fades and becomes covered with many tiny defects.

And one more nuance for those who pay attention to environmental safety. In the production of acrylic stone, styrene (ethenylbenzene) is used, in fact, which is a general toxic poison.

Conclusion : an affordable option for non-intensive use, for example, in a country house or a guest house.

Quartz agglomerate

As mentioned above, quartzite is an artificial material consisting of granite, marble and natural quartz chips. The binders are polymers, resins and cement. A variety of color palette is provided by the use of special dyes.

Some companies mislead their customers into believing that the agglomerate is a kind of real rock. This is not true. But according to its characteristics, quartzite is not much inferior to granite. If we group all its advantages , we get the following:

• Cannot be scratched with a knife or utensil.
• With its exceptional hardness, it has elasticity due to the use of resins, therefore it surpasses granite in terms of fragility. However, this advantage is only important during transportation.
• Not afraid of chemical attack (spilled tea or wine does not leave traces).
• Complete lack of hygroscopicity.
• Excellent heat resistance (you can put any hot objects on the surface).
• Minimum visibility of butt joints due to uniform color and pattern on the sheets of material.
• Easy maintenance.
• Many color shades.

But the quartz agglomerate also has disadvantages :

• Difficult re-polishing, and in case of significant damage, the tabletop cannot be restored at all.
• Limited choice of geometric shapes.
• High price, often exceeding the cost of similar products from natural stone.

Conclusion : a very good material for a kitchen countertop, but nevertheless, it should be remembered that the composition contains halogenated polymers and polyester resins, which cannot be called beneficial to health. In addition, the affordability of artificial quartzite significantly reduces its popularity.

A natural stone

Granite is a natural rock of volcanic origin with exceptional strength. Such countertops cannot be damaged unless you do it intentionally. Contrary to the popular belief that color variations are scarce, we suggest simply going to the stone catalog to see the opposite with your own eyes.

Main advantages :

• Wide range of colors and textures.
• The ability to manufacture various shapes and original edge processing.
• Almost invisible gluing of individual fragments.
• 100% natural and certified environmental friendliness of the stone.
• The surface remains in its original form for a very long time.

Main disadvantages :

• Large weight of the table top, which creates the need to reinforce the support cabinets.
• Slight hygroscopicity, which is leveled by the use of special water-repellent granite care products.

With similar characteristics to artificial quartzite, natural stone always looks much more solid and beautiful. In addition, if somehow it turns out to leave traces on the surface, then restoration polishing can be performed even without dismantling the tabletop, that is, in place.

And most importantly, the cost of a granite product, as a rule, is 10-12% lower than that of products of the same category made of quartzite. So decide for yourself whether it makes sense to overpay for imitation, albeit of very high quality.