Composite Kitchen Worktops – Pros and Cons

Composite kitchen worktop is a worktop made of more than one material. There are two types of composite worktops; one is an engineered stone, also known as quartz and a solid surface stone, namely Corian. They are both man-made products, designed to have improved features. Here’s the overview of the pros and cons of both.

Engineered stone (quartz)

Pros:

1. Very low maintenance

Quartz requires the lowest level of maintenance, probably of all materials available on the market. It does not to be sealed and the cleaning is very easy. Just use soap, water and a soft cloth for day to day cleaning.

2. Non-porous

This feature makes quartz very resistant to stains. This is of value in the kitchen, where you will be preparing and consuming food frequently. This also makes quartz impermeable to bacteria, which can’t lodge on such surface.

3. Durability

Quartz is extremely hard and durable material. With proper maintenance, it will last you a significant amount of time. The higher the chances are that you will want a replacement, then you will need one.

4. Very wide colour palette

Quartz has one of the widest colour and pattern palettes available on the market. Anything you can imagine, you can find in quartz’s range- from bright oranges to classic whites. Quartz can even imitate the appeal of other stones, namely marble and granite.

Cons

1. Chemical Sensitivity

Harsh cleaners that contain bleach or ammonia can damage the surface of your worktop and wear off its shine. If your worktop accidentally comes in contact with such cleaners, neutralize its effect with water.

2. Not suitable for outdoor use

Quartz is made of 93% natural quartz and 7% resin and pigments. The resin makes quartz slabs UV unstable, which restricts quartz to indoor use only.

Solid Surface stone – Corian

Pros

1. Can be shaped in various ways

One of the main reasons why Corian is good is that it can be curved with invisible features. It also has seamless joints, which makes the overall effect of your kitchen even more perfect.

2. It also has a very wide colour range

Integrating Corian in an already set-up kitchen and home appliance is very easy because you can find in its range almost any colour you can think of.

3. Easy to clean

Corian also has a non-porous surface, which makes cleaning easier; this also means that Corian is highly resistant to staining and is highly hygienic.

Cons

1. Can be damaged by heat

Remember to always use mats and trivets in the kitchen and never place a hot pot directly on Corian worktop.

2. It is not resistant to scratches

Also be sure to always use a cutting board when preparing a meal, because Corian can be scratched. Avoid excess force that can cause a chip or crack of your worktop.

Composite kitchen worktops are a perfect choice for ones that love unusual colour choices and shapes. If you are just looking to replace your worktop and not the whole kitchen, composite stones are a perfect choice because you can easily find anything you imagine.

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