Kitchen Bench - Top Choices?
Kitchen bench-top surfaces - a myriad of choices, and a lot of misinformation. This information will help you understand the choices and make informed decisions in the selection of your counter-tops.
In recent years, kitchens have become even more the hubs to our homes, central to our changing lifestyles and family activities. Along with this focus, appliances, cupboard materials and in particular, bench-top surfaces, have become far more sophisticated.
Once the choice was simple .. which colour laminate?
Now we are faced with choices like: which colour, which material, what finish, what thickness, natural or man-made stone?
The choices fall into 4 broad categories, each of which is outlined below -
1) Natural Stones (Granites, Marbles & Travertines)
2) Engineered or Quartz stones (Absolute Quartz, Q-Stone, Essa Stone, Caesar Stone, Silestone) These materials are man-made, however is comprised of 90-93% quartz (or Granite) and the balance is tinted polyester resins.
3) Acrylics (Corian, Freestyle, Avonite etc) Resin based, approx. Sometimes also up to 50% marble and 50% acrylic (plastic) resin. 100% man-made.
4) Laminates (Laminex, Polyrey, Formica, etc)
- 100% man-made.