Choosing the best kitchen benchtop material

Given the popularity of Caesarstone and other engineered or reconstituted stone products, you might assume that they&#;re the best option for kitchen benchtops. But in reality, there are many aspects of this material that make it a poor choice, and a poor investment for anyone fitting out a new kitchen. Reviewing engineered stone alongside natural stone and porcelain panels products makes its shortcomings all the more apparent.

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The problems with Caesarstone, engineered stone and reconstituted stone

While Caesarstone is a specific brand, you&#;ll see the name used interchangeably with &#;engineered stone&#; and &#;reconstituted stone&#;. These terms all refer to the same kind of material &#; typically 90-95% stone powder, bound together by petrochemical resin. Incredibly, almost half of the new benchtops installed in Australia are made from it, but we suspect that many people who choose the material aren&#;t fully aware of its properties.

On a purely pragmatic level, engineered stone just isn&#;t very robust &#; drop something heavy on your benchtop, and the surface will likely chip on impact; it&#;s not UV-stable, so will change colour with exposure to direct sunlight (not great for modern kitchens designed for connection with the outdoors); it&#;s not recommended for installation close to heat sources, making it unsuitable for splashbacks; and while it doesn&#;t stain easily, it&#;s not completely nonporous, so will stain if the wrong liquid is left on it for too long.

And then there are the problems that stem from its chemical composition &#; engineered stone gives off toxic fumes when it burns; and prolonged exposure to the dust produced when it&#;s cut, sanded, ground or polished, is considered a risk factor for the development of silicosis, and other serious medical conditions. These issues might not have an impact on end users, but they&#;re concerning nonetheless.

As you can see, it&#;s worth exploring other options.

Natural Stone &#; limestone, marble, granite and quartzite

Natural stone benchtops can add a strong sense of authenticity to a kitchen, with different stones bringing their own aesthetic qualities and physical properties. Limestone, marble, granite and quartzite get progressively stronger in that order, and the choice between them is often determined in a trade-off between desired look and feel, and longevity.

All natural stone products intended for use in the kitchen are sealed, to mitigate the risk of staining and acid attack, but spilt liquids such as lemon juice, wine or vinegar should still be cleaned up as quickly as possible, to avoid discolouration and etching of the honed surface. The good news is that stains on natural stone generally fade over time, and even acid etching, which isn&#;t as noticeable on lighter surfaces, can be polished out.

Marble has long been considered the king of natural stone, and for good reason &#; marble products like Artedomus&#;s Elba stone are incredibly strong, and display natural markings that make for striking interior design elements. Granite has also been popular for a long time, and it&#;s certainly a very robust material, but it&#;s slowly falling out of favour, a victim of fashion as much as anything more tangible. At the same time, quartzite, the strongest of all of the natural stone benchtop materials, has risen in prominence, with unique products like Artedomus&#;s Smeraldo offering a vibrant green colouring that rivals the beauty of marble.

For more information, read our Quick guide to natural stone, and how to choose the right one or How to care for natural stone surfaces.

Porcelain Panels &#; the strongest benchtop of all

The newest and arguably most impressive benchtop material on the market is porcelain panels, and when you compare it to Caesarstone, in particular, its growing popularity is no surprise. Made from all-natural pressed porcelain and available in
large-format slabs, it&#;s practically impervious to damage, doesn&#;t stain and doesn&#;t etch, and is completely UV stable, so can even be used outdoors. And because it&#;s so strong, it can be produced in thinner profiles than other benchtops &#; 6mm and 12mm, as compared to the standard 20mm. This makes it perfect for modern design treatments, and light enough for vertical applications like splashbacks and wall cladding.

Aesthetically, it&#;s a beautiful, pure surface material, but it&#;s also versatile, coming in styles that recreate the look of a wide range of materials, such as raw concrete, Calacatta, Statuario, onyx and other natural stone. One great example, MAXIMUM Marquina, replicates the beautiful white-in-black markings of Nero Marquina, a natural stone that itself can&#;t be used for benchtops, because its dark surfaces turn white with etching. For so many years, homeowners and interior designers have wanted to achieve the look of this beautiful material in the kitchen, and now they can, with the added benefit of porcelain&#;s incredible durability. And because MAXIMUM Marquina comes in a perfectly honed finish, it feels just like natural stone too.

But the benefits of a porcelain panel benchtop go beyond its surface. In contrast to the petrochemical binders used to make engineered stone, pressed porcelain is made from all-natural ingredients &#; clay, sand and quartz &#; that are heated and mixed. In the unfortunate case of fire, no toxic fumes are produced, because the panels are non-combustible.

Considering these fundamental differences between engineered stone, natural stone and porcelain panels, the popularity of Caesarstone is quite astonishing. But as awareness of products like Elba stone, Smeraldo and MAXIMUM Marquina grows, more and more architects, designers and homeowners are choosing them. Stronger, more beautiful, safer &#; there&#;s no argument, really.

The Top 8 Quartz Countertop Brands

Each of these manufacturers offers a wide selection of quartz products that can fit into any kitchen style. While some are available only through your kitchen and bath designer or remodeler, most are also available at design centers throughout the country. Your design-build contractor can provide you with samples to help you make a perfect choice.

1. Caesarstone

With over 40 colors readily available in design stores nationwide, Caesarstone is the number one choice in engineered stone. It comes in a wide variety of styles from more traditional looks like marble, to some contemporary and daring textures. Caesarstone is continually improving and growing its product range and has added styles that will fit into almost any kitchen design.

2. Silestone

One of the most popular brands in quartz countertops among homeowners and designers, Silestone is available in over 60 colors and styles. It is available through your kitchen design firm as well as in design centers around the country.

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3. Cambria Quartz

Cambria is a high-end brand that is only available through select specialty stores and distributors. With over 100 design styles and colors available, it comes with a lifetime warranty. This luxury brand boasts some of the most exciting color options available and the most realistic looking natural stone patterns on the market, including a beautiful imitation marble. Cambria is the only brand that is wholly manufactured in the United States.

4. LG Viatera

This product is manufactured by the popular consumer electronics and appliance company LG. The Viatera line is created in Italy by LG and is available in 50 earthy colors. With a wide range of colors from &#;Snow Storm&#; to &#;Absolute Night&#; you're sure to find the perfect color for your new kitchen!

5. Corian Quartz

Corian Quartz, formerly known as Zodiaq, is a versatile line of quartz products manufactured by the chemical giant DuPont. Corian Quartz comes in over 40 colors and various interesting textured varieties. They are available at design centers and big box stores nationwide.

6. HanStone

HanStone Quartz is manufactured in North America. With six times the durability of granite its a countertop material that is ideal for aspiring chefs and those families that spend a lot of time in the kitchen. HanStone has seven different collections and over 50 styles designed to match a variety of kitchen designs.

7. MSI Q Quartz

MS International (MSI) was founded in and is a premium surface provider for residential and commercial applications. MSI&#;s line of Q Premium Natural Quartz comes in dozens of elegant scratch, heat, and stain-resistant styles and it&#;s backed by a lifetime residential warranty.

8. Polarstone

Polarstone has been a leading company in the manufactured quartz industry since it released the first accurate Calacatta marble design quartz in . It was the result of several years of development with the goal of creating the finest manufactured representation of natural marble on the market. Up until this time the quartz industry had focused on granite designs, but Polarstone was the original innovator recognizing the demand for high-quality marble designs.

The Takeaway On Quartz Countertop Brands

Knowing what to avoid is almost as important as knowing which brands offer the best product. Today, there are many brands of quartz on the market that look good and seem to offer great value. But brands come and brands go. These eight manufacturers produce the highest quality products and provide homeowners with great value.

In general, the best advice we can offer is to avoid brands that are not made in the United States. Much of the &#;bargain&#; quartz on the market today are being manufactured in China, and the problems with the quality of stone coming from China is well documented. There are some good companies making quartz slabs in China, like Polarstone which primarily manufactures there products in China, however, they are the exception to the rule.  

These eight most popular lines of quartz countertops offer you tremendous value, along with thousands of choices in style, color, and texture for your kitchen. An excellent place to start is by talking to your kitchen and bath designer. They can help you choose the perfect countertop for your kitchen remodeling. Today there are manufactured stone products that look remarkably like granite, limestone, marble, and even slate. They're available at a price point that fits almost any budget, and more importantly, quartz countertops can be a beautiful focal point in your dream kitchen!

For more Engineered stone(ko,ja,th)information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.