Kitchen interior and artificial stone countertops

Many people, during the renovation, designing furniture in the room provided for the kitchen, thought about choosing a countertop. In such cases, many nuances are taken into account: a suitable price, design and harmony with the environment, what material it is made of, durability and reliability, and more. In this article, we will consider options for countertops made of artificial stone.

Which countertop to choose for the kitchen?

When choosing this or that material for the countertop, it is not enough to be guided only by the appearance of the product. Of no less importance are such indicators as long-term service life, easy maintenance, harmlessness of the composition in use, etc. In recent years, countertops made on the basis of artificial stone have gained particular popularity, among which the main ones are quartz and acrylic.

Choosing one of the materials, the client makes certain comparisons of indicators and compares them with their capabilities. What should be considered?

• Differences in appearance;
• Differences in the surfaces of these two types;
• Prices for acrylic and quartz countertops.

Advantages and disadvantages of artificial stone countertops

Continuing the comparative analysis, it is important to familiarize yourself with the advantages of the products and the disadvantages.Let's try them reflect in the form of a table, for countertops made of plastic, natural stone and artificial stones two species.

Types of artificial stone for countertops

Artificial stone products are industrial products that imitate their natural origin. For the manufacture of countertops, 2 types are most common: acrylic and quartz agglomerate.

• 2/3 of acrylic consists of synthetic stone chips, and the rest is resin and dyes. The material is prepared by mixing in a vacuum mixer, after which the viscous mass is poured into special molds.
• Quartz agglomerate is 90-95% crumb, and the rest is resin. Products are manufactured in vacuum at high temperatures using a vibrating press, therefore it has a fine-pored structure and is characterized by increased strength.

Acrylic stone countertops: advantages and disadvantages

• ✅ Long service life;
• ✅ There are no seams on the surface;
• ✅ Fine pore structure;
• ✅ Environmentally friendly products - easy to keep clean, bacteria do not multiply;
• ✅ Possible repair;
• ✅ Warm to the touch;
• ❌ It is necessary to use boards when working with a knife;
• ❌ Hot dishes need to be placed on the rack.

Quartz agglomerate countertops: advantages and disadvantages

• ✅ Unlimited time;
• ✅ Waterproof, not subject to chemical attack;
• ✅ Increased strength - without the use of special boards, you can work with a knife and put hot things on without supports;
• ✅ Can be used outdoors, not afraid of frost or heat;
• ❌ Similar to natural stone, quartzite is cold to the touch;
• ❌ Docking seams are visible;
• ❌ Repair of damage is not possible.

What else to look for when choosing?

When choosing a countertop made of artificial stone https://каменьпро.рф/stoleshnitsy/ it must be borne in mind that their prices differ. Quartz material is more expensive than acrylic material and for the following reasons.

• It is a natural mineral, of which almost 100% products are made;
• It is difficult to process because hardness dictates the need for diamond polishing, which is possible only in production;
• During installation, additional reinforcement is required on the lower tier of furniture so that deformation does not occur.