These surfaces are a step up from laminate but still lack the durability and aesthetics that would allow them to compete with natural stone such as quartz. Do-it-yourselfers have been known to build their own countertops, though finding a source for buying the material can be challenging Corian is a branded name used in reference to solid surface countertops. Undulating, virtually seamless, organic shapes, bold effects of colour and translucency - if you can dream it, you can create it with Corian®Ĭorian is a more forgiving material that is fairly easy to cut with ordinary woodworking tools. granite, which is a natural stone pulled from the earth Corian® Solid Surface can be whatever you imagine it can be. Solid surface is a man-made or engineered stone material (quartz is too) vs. Corian is the original material of this type, created by DuPont scientists in 1967 Corian is a brand-name for a type of countertop called solid surface invented by DuPont back in 1967.
It is composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate (ATH), a material derived from bauxite ore.
Its primary use is as a countertop and benchtop surface, though it has many other applications. Corian first came on sale in 1971 at the National Association of Home Builders exhibition in Houston, Texas Corian is a brand of solid surface material created by DuPont. Dr Donald Slocum was the Dupont Scientist who invented Corian and it's his name that appeared on the patent in October 1968. Start Now Created by a company called Dupont in 1967, Corian is a solid, non-porous surface material.
Free Upgrade On Selected Installed Countertops. It's not caused by something coating the surface.Shop The Home Depot. The shine is accomplished by polishing the surface to a mirror-finish using diamond polishing tools. Like granite, engineered stone countertops also can have a high gloss surface shine. Seeing the stone slabs in person is a very important, exciting, step in the process and will ensure that you make the right colour choice for your project before getting quotes from the stone fabricators.Įngineered stone has a solid, smooth, cool, elegant, polished stone feel This will help narrow down your list of options. Our online colour gallery showcases a combination of all brands and colours available in South Africa.Īfter you have made a list of your favourite colours the next step will be to visit the stone show rooms to see the stone slabs in person. Since the durability qualities between the various brands are roughly equal, choosing the right brand comes down to which brand provides the colour and pattern you are looking for. over 1000 times more cleanable than a plastic laminate.Īs mentioned, numerous manufacturers have entered the market, each with their own range of colours and patterns. Snyder, which proved granite to be one of the most cleanable hygienic countertop materials available after wash and rinse. This was a follow up study to from one completed in 1999, also conducted by Dr. “Overall, there was no statistical difference in reduction after wash and rinse for any of the four stone surfaces,” said Dr. The study showed that all are easily cleaned to meet FDA sanitizer criteria of 5-log reduction pathogens on the surface. Snyder (president of The Hospitality Institute of Technology), where four widely used countertop materials were compared – two granites, one marble and one quartz surface (engineered stone).
This makes it perfectly suited for kitchen areas where food is prepared.Įngineered stone surfaces are industry approved for installation in hotels, restaurants, and hospitals and endorsed by the Public Health and Safety Company (NSF) in accordance with international NSF 51 sanitary standards.Ī study was conducted in 2006 by Dr. Engineered stone is a non-porous material and resists growth of mold, mildew and bacteria.