Bedrosians magnifica porcelain countertops - luxe white
bardzil
4 years ago
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live_wire_oak
4 years agobardzil
4 years agoRelated Discussions
Porcelain that looks like white marble
Comments (56)The OP has everything correct and the answer is Refin Ceramiche out of Italy. They make an outstanding porcelain and you cannot tell it's a print no matter how close you get. We have used this product in our builds time and again. The company is wonderful to deal with, and their product is second to none. Plus, we have their marble look tiles installed all over our office and you would be amazed at how many people walk in and ask where we purchased the marble from so they can get it too. They are always shocked to hear it's actually Italian porcelain and not marble. If you are in the Austin area, we are a Refin dealer and would be glad to assist....See Morelooking for pros and cons of porcelain countertops. thanks!
Comments (77)Dana - so glad to hear your porcelain is holding up so great!! That’s very encouraging. After 2+ years of planning / designing and researching all things kitchen and countertops, we started construction in July and we are finally about to see it all come together! Our cabinets arrive from Amish Indiana on Monday and I met with our fabricator on Friday (and saw my 4 gorgeous Antolini slabs) who said it will only be 2-3 weeks to cut them after we discuss where the pattern/ veining should be seen. I absolutely cannot wait!!! In a fun and unexpected twist, my fabricator also had some porcelain remnants that matched the countertops so well that we are using these for a quick fireplace surround update too. I hope to post photos in about a month? Maybe they will inspire someone else to also try porcelain w/ a vetted and experienced fabricator....See More20mm (2cm) porcelain slab countertops
Comments (43)@Alex P In theory, cabinets could be leveled to precisely the same height so that a countertop material would sit right down flat on top with no shimming. In reality, this almost never happens. Even with the very best technology in cabinetry leveling like using EZ-Level bracing which remains intact over time, you are still looking at having to shim a countertop of any type at least in a few places even in the best of circumstances. Regular cabinetry shims can shift over time depending on how they are applied, affecting your long-term stability prospects. For a countertop material that is already prone to cracking such as porcelain is, this becomes a great risk to try to shim that material with no underlayment for support, even at a 20 mm thickness. I would be more comfortable relying on the MSI guidelines for something like a small bathroom vanity countertop rather than a full kitchen where you will almost be guaranteed to need to shim the porcelain to bring it level across the largest run of your countertop area, thus leaving gaps between shims rather than the full support a subtop would provide. That is why you rarely see porcelain countertops without an underlayment unless it is for a small area like a bathroom. If you want the edge to be thin and polished without an underlayment, what this means is that you will need to specify your cabinetry to be constructed with full subtops and then somehow get them all perfectly level and ensure that there will be no shifting of the cabinetry or foundation in years to come, and then lay the porcelain down without shimming it if at all possible. Your idea of metal trim to cover an underlayment is creative, but remember that Schluter is designed to be anchored into grout, so you would need to be confident that you could secure it in an alternate manner before going that direction since you won't have any grout or tile adhesive in that area. I mentioned honed Absolute Black granite because it is much lighter than the polished type. Some varieties present in a gray color like concrete which is why your description reminded me of it. Soapstone also comes in a matte gray variety. I put soapstone in my own kitchen and love it, and it is considered to be a modern material for current kitchen design. Prepare for heartbreak if you do go with porcelain under any circumstances. Cracking and chipping with porcelain can happen, and it can happen to you, sometimes beyond any hope of warranty coverage. I liked the look of porcelain and its wear properties, but after much research including seeing cracks and chips in finished applications and talking to experienced fabricators, I decided to spare myself the risk. I have been thoroughly happy with the soapstone instead and recommend it if you cannot find anything else suitable. Even a honed marble like Danby would present fewer headaches for you than porcelain or concrete, I think....See MoreMagnifica Encore Calacutta Super White Porcelain Slab
Comments (2)IMO a white granite is a much better choice than any quartz for counters polished and it becomes almost bullet proof . IMO any fake stone will never beat rel. Quartz has huge limitations and IMO not meant to be used in a kitchen ever....See Morelive_wire_oak
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