Table tops made of artificial stone, the main advantages and disadvantages

agglomerate Countertops made of artificial stone

The worktop is made of artificial stone or top kitchen furniture - a plate fixed to the floor modules of the headset. It happens as a monolithic uniting tables and pedestals, and consisting of several elements.

The thickness of the top depends on the desire and financial possibilities of the owner of the kitchen. It varies between 2-13 cm and its cost depends on this parameter. Buy a countertop of artificial stone of a small thickness, does not mean to buy a product of poor quality. In this case, the stone is glued to a substrate of MDF or plywood, and the main thing at the same time is the reliability of the carcass and the strength of its connection with the lining.

The width of the product usually corresponds to the parameters of the modules, but you can order a countertop that extends beyond the fronts of the kitchen unit.

There are two types of composite materials:

• acrylic stone;
• agglomerate.

Acrylic stone

Acrylic stone is made from natural mineral filler. The binding material is acrylic resin. About 2/3 of the total composition of the stone is occupied by mineral fillers.

For the first time in the market acrylic stone appeared in 1966.It was released by DuPont and for many years the right to manufacture the material belonged only to her. The brand "Corian", under which the artificial stone was manufactured, is considered the most famous in our time. Sometimes people think that this is the name of any acrylic stone. But there are already many other manufacturers and, accordingly, other names of this material: Staron, BITTO, Montelli, TriStone, Hi-Macs, Diamant, etc.

In our country, kitchen countertops of artificial stone are produced relatively recently, but the material of domestic manufacturers differs more democratic price. In terms of quality, it is not inferior to foreign analogues.

Like any material, acrylic stone has certain advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of

• Strength - the tops of acrylic composites are durable and can withstand active operation without any special negative changes in appearance.

• Shock resistance.
• Ease of care - the top is perfectly cleaned with a soap solution.

• Structure of the material - non-porous surface is pleasant and warm to the touch, does not absorb liquids and oils.

• Large color scale of tops.

• The possibility of restoring the tabletop - scratches and small chips are easily sanded even with ordinary fine sandpaper. More serious damage is also easily repaired at home. For this, a grinding and polishing machine is used.

• Flexibility of acrylic stone. Under the influence of heat from the material create a variety of configurations according to the configuration of countertops.

Despite the fact that the dark shades of the table tops look stylish and rich, they are more noticeable defects that appeared during operation. On light products, scratches do not appear so quickly, especially if the products have a large and medium-sized pattern.

Disadvantages of

• The appearance of scratches with the active use of countertops.
• Possible appearance of traces from very hot dishes - acrylic stone reacts negatively to high temperature.
• The use of overly rigid bastards and abrasives threatens the appearance of scratches on the product.

agglomerate countertops Agglomerate, in comparison with acrylic stone, is much closer to natural material. Its filling takes up 90% of the total composition of the material. As a basis is a crumb of natural stone, and sometimes even whole pieces of it. It can be marble or granite, but most often for making kitchen tops, quartzite is used.10% of the component of the agglomerate is occupied by dyes and polyester resins. Outwardly it looks like a natural stone.

Advantages of the

• agglomerate Strength - agglomerate countertops are more reliable than natural materials and can be used for a long time in the most intensive use.

• Shock resistance.

• The surface of the countertop does not absorb oil and water.

• Thermal stability( up to 150ºC).

• Without consequences, the application of abrasive agents is tolerated.
• The appearance of the agglomerate resembles a natural stone.

Disadvantages of the

• agglomerate The length of the solid top is a maximum of 3 meters. It is possible to make a countertop made of artificial stone of a larger size, but it will be with seams. It should be noted that they are almost invisible - the joints are sealed very well.

• The material can not be restored.
• The table tops feel as cold as the natural stone.

• Tops made from agglomerates of heavy acrylic products.
• The material is not flexible. This limits its use in exclusive projects.
• The price of the countertop from agglomerate is higher than its analogues, made of acrylic and natural stone. This is partly due to its more expensive installation in comparison with the acrylic product.

Undoubted advantages of artificial stone of any kind include hygiene. Smooth surface does not allow bacteria and mold to settle down - dirt from it is easily removed with soapy water.

Made of artificial stone, tabletop sinks not only fit organically into the overall look of the headset, but also help to keep the kitchen in perfect order. This is facilitated by the absence of seams and smooth transitions. They are perfectly cleaned, absolutely noiseless and resistant to corrosion.