| * |
Pros |
Cons |
Maintainance |
Installation
Notes |
Solid Surfacing:
Corian
Hi Macs
Staron
Avonite
Karadon
Gibraltar
Meganite
Mystera
Meganite
|
¤Non-porous
¤Stain-resistant
¤Bacteria resistant
¤Food Service certified
¤Coordinating seamless Sinks
¤All Undermount Sinks can be used
¤Large variety of colors
¤Easy to clean
¤No special cleaning products needed.
¤Surface renewable by customer
¤Repairable
¤10 Year Warranty
¤Customizable with inlays, drainboards |
¤Maybe scratched
easier than stone, but can be refinished
¤Must use trivet for any hot items
¤Synthetic look
¤Must be installed by certified fabricator
¤Run water when
draining boiling water in sink to prevent thermal
shock and cracking.
|
¤Clean
with mild soap and water.
¤Buff out scratches with Scothbrite pad.
¤Use Soft Scrub cleanser in sink.
¤Use Trivet |
¤Certified
fabricator and installation required |
| Granite
- Natural Stone |
¤Natural
elegance
¤Unique variation in color and veining
¤Undermount sink options
¤Heat resistant
¤Extremely hard
¤Hard to scratch
¤High Gloss
¤Honed finishes available |
¤High
potential for staining if not sealed and maintained.
¤Hard to scratch, but if scratches it can
not be repaired.
¤Stays colder than others.
¤Hot Pan set on a cold top can cause a break
due to thermal shock
¤Visible seams. |
¤Clean with mild
soap and water.
¤Reseal on a regular basis based on composition
of stone, usually twice a year
¤Use a trivet for hot items. |
¤Highly
trained and skilled professional with good tools
required |
Quartz
Engineered Stone
Caesarstone
Zodiaq
Hanstone
Viatera
Silestone
Cambria |
¤Durable
¤Maintenance Free, no need to seal
¤Stronger than stone
¤10 year warranty
¤Stain resistant
¤Best stone product for light countertops.
¤Undermount sink options
|
¤Scratches
can not be repaired
¤Use a trivet for hot items.
¤Visible seams.
¤Uniform look similiar to Corian. |
¤Clean with mild
cleaners
¤Use Trivet |
¤Certified
stone fabricator and installation required. |
| Laminate
Formica
Pionite
Wilsonart
Nevamar |
¤Durable
¤Affordable
¤Greatest variety of design choices
¤Do it Yourself installation available.
¤One piece backsplash |
¤Top
Mount sinks only
¤Visible seams
¤Easily scratched
¤Easily stained.
¤5 year product lifetime.
¤Damaged by water exposure to particle board
substrate
¤Use a trivet for hot items |
¤Clean with mild
cleaners
¤Use Trivet |
¤Options
for formica installation are flat lay and post form.
Can be done by anyone. |
| Butcher
Block |
¤Natural
wood
¤Affordable
¤Great construction strength
¤Refinishable by owner
¤Food Service certified |
¤Needs
to be refinished periodically
¤Can develop mold if exposed to water.
¤Available in one color.
¤Not heat proof. Use a trivet for hot items.
¤Shows wear over time. |
¤Clean with mild
cleaners.
¤Refinish with food safe sealer
¤Reseal with mineral oil
¤Use Trivet |
¤No special
skills or tools required |
| Ceramic
Tiles |
¤Heat
resistant
¤Scratch resistant
¤Customizable
¤Do it Yourself installation.
¤Withstands strong cleaners
|
¤Hard
to clean grout lines.
¤Can not repair broken tiles
¤Wood front edge shows wear quickly
|
¤Towel dry
¤Clean grout with strong chemicals and toothbrush
often |
¤Special
saws to cut tiles and some experience or training
required. |
| Granite
Tiles |
¤Heat
resistant
¤Scratch resistant
¤Do it yourself installation.
¤Small grout between tiles
¤Natural stone elegance |
¤Level
tiles depends on quality of installer.
¤Broken tiles can not be repaired and hard
to replace.
¤Wood front edge shows wear quickly
|
¤Clean with mild
cleansers
¤Blot spills quickly
¤Reseal as needed. |
¤Special
saws to cut tiles and some experience or training
required |
| Concrete |
¤Unique
¤Custom colored
¤Undermount sink options
¤Drainboards made into countertop |
¤Concrete
is made of hazardous materials
¤Not food safe certified.
¤Needs to be sealed.
¤Cracks as it drys
¤Scratches can not be repaired. |
¤Blot spills quickly
¤Mild cleansers |
¤Good
experienced fabricators and installers required. |
| Stainless
Steel |
¤Easy
to Maintain
¤Food Service approved
¤One piece sink construction.
¤One piece backsplash available
¤Stain resistant |
¤One
color choice
¤Noisy
¤Industrial looking
¤Scratches easily
|
¤Clean with mild
abrasive
¤Towel dry |
¤Good
experienced metal workers and installers required. |
