PRODUCT FEATURE | Surface special
Caesarstone 510 Impermia from its Porcelain Collection comes with 15 edge style options
Porcelain and ceramic
Porcelain is very similar to sintered stone and uses a similar sintering process but it uses different raw materials – clay usually, so isn’t considered under the same umbrella term. Porcelain is flexible, durable and easy to maintain and can be made in much slimmer profiles than sintered stone – hence its suitability for tiles, for both the wall and floor.
It has similar properties and can be applied in nearly all the same ways as quartz and sintered stone – it is hard-wearing, completely non-porous and heat-resistant, if not to the same degree. In terms of drawbacks, porcelain is more brittle than other options so could crack if something was dropped on it from a great height. Like quartz and sintered stone, it needs professionals to cut it and because of its brittle nature, needs to be handled with care during the installation process. Finally, with porcelain, there are very few edge
Cupboard surfaces in
Rovere Buckskin porcelain from Sapien Stone
profile options, so designers may be limited in terms of where it can be used.
Applications
All of the above-mentioned materials can be used for food preparation areas, as they won’t get water- damaged or stain. Many of these are heat-proof, but to varying degrees. Some quartz options may not withstand very high temperatures as the resin can melt. Among consumers there
is sometimes a
misconception that quartz tops are totally indestructible but that isn’t always the case. Because of the flexibility of engineered stone, it
can be used in large slabs, so fewer joins are needed, which again makes these surfaces easier to keep clean and maintain. In addition, as Konigstone’s marketing manager Joanne Bull notes: “There are also a large variety of edge profiles in addition to a large variety of colours and thicknesses, plus you can have matching clad sink, splashbacks, drainer grooves or mitred end panels. You can also incorporate convenient gadgets into a stone worktop, such as bottle coolers, pop-up power sockets and wireless charging stations.”
Sintered stone can be used for flooring, tiles, splashbacks behind the hob and worktops, as being 100% mineral-based, it is impervious to high temperatures. Porcelain can also work in these applications but it can be vulnerable to heat damage.
Key considerations
As quartz and sintered stone surfaces are designed to last, it’s crucial that the homeowner will be able to live with their chosen surface for the long term, and that it’s fairly neutral, so that the kitchen can potentially be changed around it. Konigstone’s Bull adds that retailers need to consider the life and visual impact of the surface and emphasise the quality and durability of an engineered stone worktop. “It can be the hardest-working part of
44
Luce by RAK Ceramics is a translucent porcelain surface that the brand says is easy to care for and scratch- and stain-resistant
a busy kitchen and visually it is a large part of a kitchen, particularly if there is an island. With easy care and maintenance, an engineered stone worktop, such as quartz, can last a lifetime so it is a worthwhile investment,” she says.
The finish will also determine how easy or difficult it is to keep looking its best – for example black, shinier finishes will show up finger marks much more easily than matt options. Ensure your customer knows this as they might be disappointed if they have to wipe it down each time it’s touched.
Ease of fabrication and installation is another highly important consideration, as fabricators want to work with a material they can trust. As mentioned earlier, quartz is often the go-to because fabricators know what they’re doing with it, and big brands such as Caesarstone pride themselves on creating easy-to- cut products, while also providing plenty of training. Others, such as RAK Ceramics, offer direct-to-site
delivery of its products so retailers don’t have to worry about storing or transportation. It can then be installed as one piece for a seamless finish.
• August 2023
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