Why Choose DuPont™ Corian®?

You have distinctive desires – and design considerations – for your home. You demand top-notch performance from every element of your new home or remodeling project. And that’s where Corian® truly shines. Its proven performance more than fulfills expectations, reflecting well on your choice – and on you – for years to come. Corian® solid surfaces are smooth and nonporous. As a result, they will not promote the growth of mold, mildew or bacteria. And because it’s nonporous, liquids and stains can’t penetrate Corian®, so it’s easy to clean and maintain. Corian® is also nontoxic, and chemically nonreactive, with virtually no off-gassing at normal room temperatures, in accordance with building codes and other local restrictions.

Care and Maintenance Tips

Corian® was created for a lifetime of easy care. Just follow the simple guidelines listed here to keep your Corian® surfaces looking as fresh as the day they were installed. Your care and maintenance kit will provide you with the tips and tools to help you enjoy your new Corian® top for years to come.

Routine Care

There are three types of countertop finishes: matte/satin, semi-gloss and high-gloss*. Most countertops are finished with a matte/satin finish. All sinks have a matte/satin finish. Soapy water, ammonia based cleaners or commercially available solid surface cleaners will remove most dirt and residue from all types of finishes. Stubborn residue will require a little stronger cleaner. Follow the recommendations on the next page to properly clean your countertop and sink.

With over 100 colors and varying hues some colors may appear to require more frequent cleaning to maintain a uniform finish.

Darker colors tend to require more attention than lighter colors.

Over time through care and use your countertop will acquire a patina, changing the appearance of the finish. You may restore the look of the original finish by following the refurbishing guidelines on the next page. *Contact your local Corian® sales expert if you are unsure of your finish.

Countertops

• DO NOT get bleach solution in eyes or on bare skin. Always wear rubber gloves and protective eyewear when working with bleach.
• Over the counter cleaners, such as, Clean EnCounters® may be used for routine cleaning in place of soap and water.

¹ Countertop Magic is a registered trademark of Magic America Corp.
² Hope’s Countertop Polish is a registered trademark of The Hope Co.
³ Enhance Countertop Polish is a registered of Eastern Marble Co.

Preventing Heat Damage

Corian® is an excellent material for heat resistance. As with all countertop materials, it is important to use common sense to minimize direct heat exposure to protect your surface and investment. Use heat trivets or hot pads when placing hot objects on any surface and allow cookware to cool before placing them into a Corian® sink.

Preventing Other Damage

In most cases Corian® can be repaired if accidentally damaged. However, be sure to follow the guidelines here to prevent any permanent damage to Corian®.

• Avoid exposing Corian® to strong chemicals, such as paint removers, oven cleaners, etc. If contact occurs, quickly flush the surface with water.
• Do not cut directly on Corian® countertops.
• Boiling water alone will not damage your Corian® sink; however it’s a good practice to run your faucet while pouring boiling water into your sink.

Removing Minor Cuts and Scratches*

Because the solid beauty of Corian® goes all the way through, Corian® surfaces are completely renewable. You can remove minor cuts and scratches yourself by following these instructions.

• Judge the severity of the scratch and start with the finest grit sanding pad to remove the scratch. (The color of the pads from roughest to smoothest are: White, Yellow, Green, Peach, Lilac, Blue, Gray.) Rub over scratch in a straight line to remove it. Periodically switch rubbing direction 90°. Be sure all of the scratch is removed. If this first step takes too long, try the next heavier grit sanding pad. To minimize dust during sanding, wet the surface. Rinse pad periodically to clean residue.
• Clean top with water. Select next lighter grit and repeat process. Rub over a larger area to blend in sanding.
• Continue process using successively finer grits until desired gloss level is achieved. Rinse out all pads used and air dry before putting them away.

Sources for materials mentioned above:

Although concrete is a hardened mixture of water, cement, and sand or gravel, concrete countertops bear no resemblance to garage floors or roads.

Concrete countertops are made of cement, lightweight aggregates, and other additives such as fiber reinforcement, silica fume pozzolan, and acrylic.

In order to prevent cracking, reinforcement such as structural steel, wire mesh, fiberglass, and/or fibers is used.

Depending on the installation requirements, more than one type of reinforcement may be used.

In addition, concrete’s flexibility makes it an increasingly popular choice for drainboards, and backsplashes in complementary colors and textures.

Concrete countertops are made by thousands of small independent fabricators scattered throughout the country. Each slab is hand cast so none will be exactly identical. Countertops are either pre-cast in a shop or built on site.

The contractor will use whichever method he/she is most comfortable with. There are no industry-wide standards and no two fabricators make it in the same way. The type, method and number of coats of sealer are unique to each contractor

Some contractors still form integrated sinks made of the same material as the top just as it has been done for many years, but the more common sink is a flush-mounted stainless steel or cast iron model.

Characteristics

• Appearance 

  Concrete countertops are a warm natural looking material. The surface of a properly finished concrete countertop is smooth and reflects light, although the use of chemical stains, coloring pigments, various aggregates, and epoxy coatings can give concrete the look, texture, and feel of quarried stone such as marble, granite, and limestone.

  Veining, texture and color vary, and regular use imparts a warm patina to the surface over time.

  The three most common types of finishes used for concrete countertops are:

  • Veined:  

    A diamond-impregnated grinding disk zigzags across the slab, producing marble-like veining in the background. While gently textured, the surface is smooth enough to roll dough or write a letter.

  • Trowel: 

    Obvious trowel marks and subtle variations of light and dark resemble a European plastered wall. However, the surface is smooth and mostly monochromatic.

  • Terrazzo:  

    Glass or marble chips are added to the background, creating a two-toned mottled effect. Again, the textured look is seen under a smooth top surface.

• Available Colors 

  Each Concrete countertop contractor offers their own unique selection of standard and premium colors. Numerous color options give homeowners broad choices for coordinating a surface with other colors and materials in a room. But asking the fabricator to try to match a color will always increase the cost, and color matching is not an exact science.

• Seams are Visible 

  Seams in concrete countertops are visible and look similar to the seams in marble or granite.

• Must be Sealed 

  In its natural state, concrete is porous and will stain. Concrete countertops are sealed with a surface sealer, such as epoxy, for water and stain resistance. Many contractors add conditioners to the concrete to make it less permeable and thus more stain resistant.

  Many contractors recommend the application of a good water based liquid wax every nine months to a year.

• Staining and Discoloration 

  Staining and discoloration can occur if the sealer is compromised from cutting or the application of heat (such as hot pots and pans).

  For those who want the look of concrete without worrying about stains, solid surface is the answer.

• Durable but not Indestructible 

  Concrete countertops often develop hairline cracks, which are too narrow to trap food and debris. The cracks tend to be non-structural and result from the natural shrinkage of the concrete.

  Hairline cracks can be patched, but often look far more obvious than the cracks themselves. Most people prefer the aged appearance that this natural occurrence produces.

  Depending on the density of the concrete, a blow from a falling heavy object may crack the surface or break off the edges. However, under normal use concrete countertops will last a lifetime.

• Maintenance 

  Cutting on the concrete countertop won’t hurt the concrete, but will damage the sealer, which can allow water and stains to penetrate the concrete. Cutting boards should always be used when chopping or preparing foods.

  Concrete is very heat resistant, but avoid placing hot pots or pans on concrete countertops since the heat can damage or discolor the sealer or wax. Always use a trivet or hot pad on the counter. Some contractors will insert trivets made of stainless steel, brass, or copper in the countertop.

  Do not use abrasive pads or powders on sealed counters. Clean with warm water and a non ammoniated, nonabrasive cleanser, or a stone soap.

• Bacteria Resistance 

  A recent study conducted by the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based organization that develops educational materials and research for the retail food industry measured the bacteria-resistance capacity of six common countertop materials.

  Each surface was contaminated with E. coli (nearly 2 billion of the microorganisms), washed and rinsed with soap and water and then sanitized with a vinegar-and-water solution. The results are shown in the table below.

Dr. O. Peter Snyder Jr., who conducted the study, says, “We hope our research will help consumers make healthy decisions when selecting a countertop surface for their kitchens.”

• Size Limitations 

  The standard concrete slab thickness is 1.5″, although 2″ slabs are common.

  A 1.5″ thick standard concrete countertop has an approximate weight of 18.75 pounds per square foot. (Granite is approximately 18 pounds per square foot.).

  Lightweight concrete is available that is just as durable as heavier concrete.

  A standard 1.5″ thick, ten square foot (2′x5′) countertop weighs nearly 200 pounds. Many contractors use 10′ long or 20 square feet in area as their maximum size for standard pricing. Larger sizes will require seams.

  Standard cabinetry will support the concrete slabs as the weight of the countertops is distributed over a large area.

• Must be Professionally Installed

Granite

Polished granite countertops are a popular element of up-scale kitchens.  Such a natural stone top conveys a sense of beauty and warmth that is combined with a durable work surface. Food preparation, including rolling dough, can be done directly on the surface without scratching or staining. Because of its density and non-porous nature, granite is naturally cool surface; therefore, hot pans can be set directly on countertops without blistering or scorching.  There will be slight variations from slab to slab because of mineral content and veining which adds to the character of the natural stone. Granite is available in three different finishes: polished surface which is appropriate for most kitchens, a thermal finish which has a rough-textured touch and a honed finish which provides a matte surface. For most countertops the optimum thickness is 1¼”.

Marble

Marble is recrystallized limestone. Numerous minerals are present which account for the markings and color range associated with the product. Marble is available in white, red, green, yellow, and black. Some marbles feature directional patterns; others have more general overall design. Generally, the more colorful and decorative the marble, the more fragile it is. Each vein in stone is the result of natural discoloration from water. It is like a tiny fracture which, under pressure, can lead to breakage. Marble is soft and porous. This means it will stain easily if not initially sealed with at least two coats of penetrating sealer, and resealed frequently. White marble is softer and less dense than colored marble, so the staining concern is intensified. Yet dark marbles show scratches more easily.

Slate

A great combination of earth tone colors and finish makes this stone one of its kinds. The vibrant colors and unique textures make slates appropriate for interior as well as exterior applications. Because it is formed in layers, it can easily be split to expose beautifully textured surfaces. The usual colors of slates are earthy (various shades and mixes of browns, beiges, yellows), black, dark-grays, and greenish-gray but shades of pinks, purples and copper are also found. They usually exhibit lot of variations amongst the pieces quarried from the same pit. Slates, depending on their individual hardness, are used for flooring, cladding and landscaping.

Limestone

The muted tones of limestone are perfect for today’s more casual and comfortable lifestyles. Generally these soft beiges and tans, either polished or honed, is appropriate for bathrooms, fireplaces, counters and less-traveled flooring where a more informal décor is desired. Limestones are sedimentary rocks that are formed at the bottom of lakes and seas, as silt and organic matter settle to the bottom. As more and more layers build up over thousands and millions of years, adding more and more weight, the heat and pressure cause chemical reactions to take place to harden the sediments into solid stone.

What is CaesarStone?

CaesarStone® is the original quartz-based engineered stone primarily used for kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities.
CaesarStone is 93% crushed quartz, one of nature’s hardest minerals. The quartz is combined with high-quality polymer resins and pigments and then compacted under intense vibration, vacuum, and pressure into dense, non-porous slabs. The slabs are post cured, gauged to precise thickness, and polished to an enduring shine.
Although long used for the finest residential countertops, CaesarStone is now offered as an attractive and versatile finish for commercial and institutional buildings. Our quartz surfacing is tough enough for the wear and tear on just about any interior surface, and beautiful enough for every architectural and decorating scheme.

http://www.caesarstoneus.com/

In the world of granites, quartz, Corian, tile, and concrete … there’s a new kid on the block. Glass! Featured in many kitchen and bath magazines right now, it is definitely an unconventional choice – but full of potential to become the next big wave in contemporary design. Glass countertops have been around for about 4 years. The manufacturing method is “thermoforming”, much like Corian (which can be molded into almost any shape). A Canada based company called Think Glass offers seven beautiful textures for an underlying pattern in the glass, and two colors (Aqua and Crystal). For total customization, any piece of art can be worked in under the glass countertop. Think Glass provides assistance and recommendations to local installers, and assures me that installation is no more difficult than your regular granite countertop.Let’s get into some specific characteristics: – Transform your countertops into a piece of art by adding artistic rendering – The most hygienic countertop on the market – Highest density for surface (exceeding stone) – Maintenance free – Pricing comparable to quality granite countertops – Totally unique design with a distinct contemporary look - 

Dimensions: countertops up to 86×130” can be manufactured. Thickness 1.5” – Edges can be polished or texturedOne downside: the cut-outs to be done for under mount sinks can be costly.Think Glass also offers innovative glass creations for showers, doors, or furniture.My research for local sources have only unearthed one company in the San Jose area. Original Glass unfortunately does not offer brochures, pictures, or online information. Their recommendation was to go to their store to check out their offering

CaesarStone® is the original quartz-based engineered stone primarily used for kitchen countertops and bathroom vanities. CaesarStone is 93% crushed quartz, one of nature’s hardest minerals. The quartz is combined with high-quality polymer resins and pigments and then compacted under intense vibration, vacuum, and pressure into dense, non-porous slabs. The slabs are post cured, gauged to precise thickness, and polished to an enduring shine. Although long used for the finest residential countertops, CaesarStone is now offered as an attractive and versatile finish for commercial and institutional buildings. Our quartz surfacing is tough enough for the wear and tear on just about any interior surface, and beautiful enough for every architectural and decorating scheme.