Browse Forums Kitchen Corner 1 Aug 26, 2008 9:10 pm Help!!!!
We are about to start a large house renovation and extension and are constantly getting mixed messages. I have joined your forum in search of some clear and honest answers to questions that keep arising. I am looking for an end product of a hamptons style kitchen with classic yet contemporary 2 pac shaker cupboards and a matt black benchtop. What is the better product for a kitchen with benchtops and a 3 x 1.2mtr feature island - Granite, Caesar Stone or Corian??? All different products are available in a matt black (or slight variation) but each one with a supposed downfall. I am happy to maintain it but would prefer it not to stain or too abrasive. Can anyone give me a clear answer on what will stand the test of time (and three small boys) and still look as good as the day it was installed? Thanks B Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 2Aug 26, 2008 9:17 pm No clear answer to that one. It really is personal taste. As you said, all have their advantages and disadvantages. I personally am having Caeserstone but would have been just as happy with granite. Don't like the look of Corian.
If your island is 3m the Caeserstone won't require a join so that's one good thing. You're going to get heaps of different opinions on this one! Good luck with your decision, Jo I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 3Aug 26, 2008 9:51 pm BecT Help!!!! We are about to start a large house renovation and extension and are constantly getting mixed messages. I have joined your forum in search of some clear and honest answers to questions that keep arising. I am looking for an end product of a hamptons style kitchen with classic yet contemporary 2 pac shaker cupboards and a matt black benchtop. What is the better product for a kitchen with benchtops and a 3 x 1.2mtr feature island - Granite, Caesar Stone or Corian??? All different products are available in a matt black (or slight variation) but each one with a supposed downfall. I am happy to maintain it but would prefer it not to stain or too abrasive. Can anyone give me a clear answer on what will stand the test of time (and three small boys) and still look as good as the day it was installed? I have no idea what a hampton style kitchen or shaker cupboard are, but here are my thoughts on the three surfaces: 1) Corian is great if you want an integrated sink or curves since it can be made into various shapes with seamless joins. If you're not after anything fancy like this then there is no benefit. It scratches more easily than the other two options and, to me, looks flat (that is, it lacks depth). 2) Caeserstone is the way I'm going. No sealing, hard wearing and consistency. 3) Granite is nice if you're after specific look. It requires sealing, which I hate the idea of. Demolition August 2009, Construction Started September 2009, Completed December 2010 Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 4Aug 27, 2008 6:45 pm We're going caesarstone. I don't like the look of most of the corian and it was much more expensive.
I really don't like the idea of having to be re-sealing a benchtop. Too much trouble and introduces VOCs into your house every time you do it. Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 6Aug 28, 2008 10:58 am It seems that Caesarstone is in vogue at the moment. Not that that makes it a better product.
I have DuPont Corian and never have regretted it. Still looks great after 11 years, and is as close to stain-proof as you can get! It is a first class quality agglomerate surface, and is very attractive, (especially the top range). If going for black granite, make absolutely sure it is true black granite. There are some other types of stone surfaces sold as black granite that is not. Is actually bluestone (from memory) and doesn't perform as well. Yes, granite should be sealed with a premium solvent based penetrating sealer when installed, and the cost should be factored in. Take time to look at the surfaces yourself. Feel it and consider carefully what YOU like the best, rather than be swayed by what is popular or what others think. For further info, use the search feature here, to look up previous posts on these surfaces. Ash. Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 7Aug 28, 2008 11:35 am (I hope I'm doing this right -- how hard can it be, I guess -- since I've never posted to a forum before. Please excuse.)
I second the benefits of solid-surface countertops. My aunt has had Corian with a countersunk (sink made out of same material) in her kitchen for a good many years, and it looks wonderful still. She only wishes that she had a sink made out of a different color than white (Corian now does non-white/cream sinks), since tea/coffee poured into the sink and not immediately rinsed stains the white (which then requires special cleaning, although nothing major). We are having Freestyle benchtops with countersunks in a beige-flecked color (Tahini). My favorite bit besides the induction stovetop we're getting. OH, and I remember a while back someone wondering if they were okay for people with pacemakers. The answer from my experience, anyway, is yes, since my parents have had theirs for eighteen years, and my grandfather with his pacemaker hangs out in the kitchen during cooking sometimes. Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 8Aug 28, 2008 4:57 pm I've just had Indian black granite put in my already existing kitchen and I absolutley love it!.
First point: Granite has a high gloss sheen look ( not matt at all! ) second point: I sealed ours by myself and it is extremley easy third point: The granite company I went through said that because I have such a dark colour granite it wont need sealing now for another 6 years. fourth point: my friend has had it in her kitchen for 15 years and it still looks as good as mine today! Cant help you with the other products as I was a little one eyed with my decision good luck Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 9Aug 28, 2008 6:23 pm I design kitchens for a living and see a lot of old kitchens before they are renovated.
The benchtops that impress me the most that have stood the test of time are the solid acrylic benchtops e.g Corion, Staron or Avonite. The Granite benchtops always look dated, but It would depend on your selection. Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 10Aug 28, 2008 7:20 pm royalblue I have DuPont Corian and never have regretted it. Still looks great after 11 years, and is as close to stain-proof as you can get! It is a first class quality agglomerate surface, and is very attractive, (especially the top range) Wow that's impressive! I actually didn't know it had been around that long TBH. Er, what do you mean by 'top range', Ash Was considering Caesarstone for myself but hate the idea of joins since my benchtop exceeds 3 metres HMmmmm maybe I'll have to have another look at Corian... Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 11Aug 28, 2008 7:28 pm We've got premium black polished granite in our kitchen. Doesn't need sealing at all... just condition with 50/50 baby oil and methylated spirits. Supplier says it only improves and darkens with age. No sealing required - we questioned him a lot re: this.
We put ceasarstone in the bathrooms and IMO the granite looks better. But again ... its just IMHO . Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 12Aug 28, 2008 8:34 pm DeeElle We've got premium black polished granite in our kitchen. Doesn't need sealing at all... just condition with 50/50 baby oil and methylated spirits. Supplier says it only improves and darkens with age. No sealing required - we questioned him a lot re: this. We put ceasarstone in the bathrooms and IMO the granite looks better. But again ... its just IMHO . Highly questionable advice there DL! Baby oil! Is that what you've done? And for how long? How do you find it? Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 13Aug 28, 2008 8:47 pm _kelly_ royalblue I have DuPont Corian and never have regretted it. Still looks great after 11 years, and is as close to stain-proof as you can get! It is a first class quality agglomerate surface, and is very attractive, (especially the top range) Wow that's impressive! I actually didn't know it had been around that long TBH. Er, what do you mean by 'top range', Ash Was considering Caesarstone for myself but hate the idea of joins since my benchtop exceeds 3 metres HMmmmm maybe I'll have to have another look at Corian... What I meant was when I chose ours, there were three main ranges. The cheaper ones were mostly plain. I have Sierra Aurora in kitchen and Sierra Evergreen in bathroom from the mid-priced range, and there was a more expensive range that featured more course mineral content, and is a bit more exotic. It seems there are different ranges now. See http://www.casf.com.au/col-xdarks.htm Yes, a beauty of Corian is NO JOINS! I was at a customers house yesterday, and her Caesarstone had a near the sink. The filler in the join had come out in a couple of places! Ash. Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 14Aug 29, 2008 12:04 pm royalblue DeeElle We've got premium black polished granite in our kitchen. Doesn't need sealing at all... just condition with 50/50 baby oil and methylated spirits. Supplier says it only improves and darkens with age. No sealing required - we questioned him a lot re: this. We put ceasarstone in the bathrooms and IMO the granite looks better. But again ... its just IMHO . Highly questionable advice there DL! Baby oil! Is that what you've done? And for how long? How do you find it? They used the baby oil/metho after they installed it and gave us a bottle of premixed stuff. We've used it a few times. Looks great ... cleans off any marks and gives it a great sheen. The baby oil soaks into the stone. Let me know if you think this is not good info and I will follow up further with another supplier. Re: Help : Corian vs Caesar vs Granite 15Aug 29, 2008 12:18 pm Hope I am not hijacking your thread BecT.
Just rang another stonemason who told me 50:50 baby oil and metho is great for cleaning and conditioning granite. The reason we don't have to seal ours is because it is a premium grade granite called Absolute Black (I described it to him and checked with our supplier ). All natural products need to be sealed to avoid stains, but the black granite won't show marks or stains and therefore doesn't require sealing. All natural products should be sealed every 6-12 months but he said it is a very easy process (just wipe with a product that looks like metho and it is done). help! corian vs Caeser vs granite 16Aug 29, 2008 9:20 pm I know this is not really an answer to your question but just wanted to know in regards to your shaker style doors, where are you getting these from? Are you using vinyl or polyurethane? Any particular model or name of door. I am also considering this option but am not sure which company does an authentic looking door.
re the surface though, I do currently have galaxy black granite which still looks great after 5 years. It is polished though not matt. Thankyou for your advice. We do have Caesar coming out and hopefully resolve the issue for us. 4 18742 0 9805 Hi there, long-time lurker but first time posting. I've bought a house 2 and a bit years ago and last year we had some major water damage on a converted pergola area… 0 7929 |