Corian Nero Soapstone?
Sarah Walkington
5 years ago
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K S
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Soapstone too expensive...now what? Corian?
Comments (48)I too am looking for new countertops and I like the new Corian designs; I think some of them are beautiful. And I like solid surface material for many other reasons. All countertops, including "natural" stone countertops, go through some kind of treatment and fabrication process as others have noted here. And the quarrying process is hardly natural. We all know that quartz countertops are marketed as containing 93% quartz, but I've heard that this percentage is by weight, not volume. (Quartz weighs more than resin). However, when most people ask, HOW MUCH quartz (or whatever material) does that product contain? they are usually asking a question about VOLUME, QUANTITY or AMOUNT, not weight. Solid surface material, depending on the design, can contain approximately the same quantity/amount of natural material (often bauxite ore) as quartz countertops. Sometimes I get tired of people calling solid surface "plastic" when quartz and other materials can be just as "plastic." Yes, granite, marble, and other natural stones don't contain plastic but is the quarried, fabricated product purely natural or purely green? And, let's not forget that the more natural stone there is, the more likely the product is to contain radon (a natural by-product) - yes, it's true that most stone countertops are within VERY safe limits, some even approaching zero. But, although this issue is no longer in the forefront, the radon didn't disappear from these products. The amount depends on many factors including the geological region the product came from. But this alone wouldn't keep me from installing granite countertops if I liked them because I think most are safe. For my taste, most granite designs look too busy indoors, but I'm sure they are gorgeous in nature where they are unpolished and surrounded by dirt/the earth. But, ultimately, no countertop material is "pure" or "purely green." I think there are trade-offs with each type of material as far as its "greeness," its design features, and its functionality go. So, go with what you like! I hope you enjoy your new countertop whatever you choose! Sorry for the long post....See MoreAm I doomed for choosing Corian?
Comments (40)Thank you all! This has been truly valuable resource, the best on the web. When guy from Vetrazzo asked me where I heard of them (not available directly in Canada yet), I proudly touted how much I trust this forum. And rightly so! All the advice with the side serving of couple of chuckles, too. Couple of things I'll do before committing to corian: - find that elusive high-end laminate shop; they seem to be hiding in cabinet makers showrooms(?), and no KD in their right mind will give me access to them - they earn lots of money on whole package. - explore DIY for laminate - but I think this is least likely to happen in 2 kids - 2 careers family. - get some more quotes for quartz: I just got pleasant surprise from somebody from Kijiji - 3300 for white quartz for whole thing (appx. 50 sq.ft. - $66 cad per sq.ft.) worth exploring. Other reputable place gave me 4000 - 6500 range, depending on a color (who new that they have so many whites?), so I'll try to bargain (is that allowed?) - think about stainless steel - maybe they can do brushed for little more? I'm still nervous about all the scratches I see in showrooms, even in brushed, it is glaring. I do expect we are going to continue to drag plates across (island is boundary between kitchen and dining room), so scratches are inevitable. I've tested with corian, my corelle plates don't bother him, but SS? I noticed that corian with bullnose looks more plastic-y then plain square edge, so I'll keep that in mind. Also looking at glossy white corian, it really looks high-end, almost quartz-y, so I'll inquire if countertop can be refinished later (just prior to sale) to that look. We do plan to move out (middle school not the best one around) in about 3-4 years, so yes, I'll have to think about resale value now. But I guess if I find somebody in Toronto that likes uber contemporary, they could be fine with corian too. One more idea that I've got from browsing italian on line catalogs (never ending story) is combination of steel and corian (or maybe quartz). Why not combine best of both worlds - having steel next to cooktop and quartz for rest. Now I just have to find somebody brave enough to commit to doing it. From Kitchen...See MoreCorian refinishing - Cost? Possible to DIY? How?
Comments (3)Don't pay that before giving it a try yourself!! Corian is pretty indestructible. Hard to hurt it. (assuming the color is light). You could likely take down the finish by hand with just sandpaper in decreasing grits. But an orbital sander would be easier and quicker and more likely to be an even finish. I paid to have my Corian (now 21 years old) refinished once, and was stunned to see that the process was simply careful passes with an orbital sander. Since seeing that, I have been fearless and maintained the finish myself. Yours sounds ike an easy DIY because there is nothing to match. Start with coarse grit and go increasingly fine, stopping at 220 or so. Otherwise you'll get a really glossy finish that will quickly show scratches. The matte finish looks nicer than the shiney IMHO. You can do this. Really....See MoreNeed help with countertop choices
Comments (4)Your first decision should be do you prefer quartz or solid surface? They are both perfectly good choices with their own pluses and minuses, none of which are deal breakers. If you're happy with either material, then go for the look you prefer (unless there is a price difference that matters to you). As for your island, there are different considerations. What do you plan to do on that island? My island is used not only for assembling cakes and cookies and such, I also use it for my granddaughter's adventures in painting, cutting fabric for a quilt I'm working on, and sticking patches on my grandson's Cut Scout "brag vest." Crafts are definitely better on a non-wood surface. I have a walnut cutting board at the sink that I use multiple times a day and love-love-love. After 2.5 years, it's still beautiful, but it shows lots of cut marks and it dries out. Every now and then I hit it with butcher block conditioner, but I wouldn't want to be doing that real often. I don't think I'd choose it for a whole countertop. If I were choosing, I'd go with the same material as the perimeter, or the same material in a lighter color maybe....See MoreHaley
5 years agoM Giles
5 years ago
Mrs. Gopher #BringBackSophie
5 years agomatte finish quartz will show fingerprints, oils, smudges, and a million other things that will never 100% be removed. Are you okay with that? Do you have under cabinet lighting that can enhance this look? Here are pictures of a matte quartz that was installed with the homeowner signing 3 acknowledgements
that this would happen... It was removed from her home within 2 days because she hated it even though she said she would not.
M Giles
5 years ago@Catt Combs as I have indicated, we have matte quartz and this has not been an issue for us. It is very warm and humid where we are and this morning I laid my sweaty hand on the counter, leaving behind finger marks. Within less than a minute they were gone having dried. When I wipe my counters down with just water any marks are gone and the counter dries on it's own with no streak marks. I have under counter lighting as well as a lot of natural daylight and that's not been a problem for showing marks either. I do suspect however that you may see more marks with any counter that has more uniform colour. The more variation you have in your slab the less you will see any marks (mine has a very faint mottling to the colour). Also, Silelestone calls their finish "suede" and it has the faintest sheen to it which may also make a difference. I have seen other matte finishes that are more flat so maybe it's the NBoost that makes the difference.
(in actuality my counters are lighter than this as you see in the above photo).
Mrs. Gopher #BringBackSophie
5 years agoRansier Crowell
5 years agoMrs. Gopher #BringBackSophie
5 years agoEric S
5 years agoUser
5 years ago
Lisa B
3 years ago
broli_me4
8 months agotuckerhenry
3 months ago
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