If you’re looking for a new kitchen countertop, you may have come across the term sintered stone. But what is sintered stone? Why choose sintered stone? And is sintered stone any good?
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We’ve pulled together this helpful buying guide to tell you everything you need to know about sintered stone countertops.
Sintered stone is an engineered (or man-made) stone material. Unlike natural stone, which is dug up out of the ground in one piece, it’s manufactured using natural stone minerals.
Sintered stone is used for several indoor and outdoor applications, such as flooring, tiling, wall cladding, building facades… as well as countertops. The fact that sintered stone can be walked on and survive outside gives a good indication of just how hardwearing the surface is.
Sintered stone countertops are made entirely from natural minerals. Different manufacturers and brands have different mineral mixes. But generally, the materials used tend to be porcelain, glass, quartz, and other crushed stones.
The only other material you’ll find in sintered stone is colour pigment. The way they are made (see the next section) means there’s no need for any resin to hold the minerals together.
Sintered stone is made through a manufacturing process called sintering. This process mimics how natural stones, like marble, form deep in the earth’s crust.
The natural minerals are mixed and treated with extreme heat and pressure, so they melt and stick together without the need for a bonding agent. The resulting product is a very dense, solid surface that’s non-porous and hardwearing.
If you’re considering installing sintered stone countertops, you’re probably wondering, is sintered stone good?
So, let’s look at the pros and con
Sintered stone countertops are made by several manufacturers who all have their own brands.
The first sintered stone surfaces were made by a Spanish, family-owned company called Cosentino. They are one of the biggest worktop manufacturers in the world. Their sintered stone countertops brand is called Dekton®, and it’s one of the most popular, best-selling sintered stone brands available on the market.
Lesser-known sintered stone countertop brands are also available, such as Neolith®. And although they aren’t as well known, their sintered stone countertops benefit from the same desirable features as the biggest brand.
The great thing about engineered stone countertops is that they can be made to look like other materials. So, if you want a worktop that looks like natural stone, you’ll be able to find a countertop that looks like marble or granite.
Sintered stone is certainly not a cheap countertop material. But it’s not the most expensive either. Generally, the cost of sintered stone sits between laminate and wood (the cheapest) and natural stones, such as granite and marble (the most expensive). But that’s not a hard and fast rule because the cost will depend on who you buy from.
Prices can vary significantly between suppliers, so it pays to shop around. You’ll probably pay significantly more to a supplier with showrooms and sales teams, for example, than to a supplier who sells online and doesn’t have the same overheads.
Sintered stone countertops are a bespoke buy, which means they’re made to order to fit your kitchen perfectly. Unfortunately, they’re not available to buy off the shelf and aren’t suitable for a DIY installation. This is because they must be cut with specialist machines.
When you order a sintered stone countertop, the supplier will first send their installers to your home to measure up and make a worktop template. They’ll then take the template away and make your countertop in their own workshops. Finally, when the countertops are ready, they’ll come back to your home and fit them.
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The length of time this all takes depends on the supplier. Some suppliers take 6-8 weeks to go through this process. But at SEH Interiors, we can visit you within a week of placing your order to make the template and fit the worktop 1-2 weeks later.
Many suppliers and companies sell sintered stone countertops. You’ll be able to purchase them through kitchen companies that sell the complete kitchen package. And there are also specialist worktop showrooms plus many companies that sell sintered stone countertops online.
It’s worth weighing up the pros and cons for the different types of companies. For example, if you’re buying a complete kitchen from a supplier with showrooms, it’s slightly less hassle because they’ll take care of everything for you. But then you’re likely to pay over the odds for the worktop because they need to cover their overheads.
But if you buy from a company that sells online, you’re likely to pay a lot less because they don’t have showrooms and sales teams to pay for. It does mean you’ll have to organise the installation yourself, but the process is usually straightforward.
If you’ve decided to take the plunge and buy sintered stone countertops, here are some things to think about to ensure you don’t miss out on any great design ideas:
An undermount sink is a sink that sits under the countertop, instead of lapping over its edge. They look much tidier than standard sinks and give your whole sink area a sleek look. Especially when they are combined with either a recessed drainer or drainer grooves, which are cut into the worktop surface.
Sintered stone is one of the best engineered stone countertops available due to its durability, high performance and longevity. And with plenty of brands, colours and styles to choose from, it’s easy to find something that will suit your tastes. Of course, it’s not cheap, but when you consider its quality, stunning looks, and the fact that it will last for many years, we think it really is worth the investment.
Designers and architects alike realize the value of selecting the proper hard surfaces for a given project. There are a number of materials from which to choose when it comes to countertops in kitchens and bathrooms. In this article we will make a comparison between the natural stone called marble and product that is commonly referred to as sintered stone. Along the way we will look at the characteristics of each and explore how these materials are similar and different.
Marble is a material that is desirable for very specific uses. The elegant look of this natural stone has made it a much sought after stone for many projects. One of the most common places marble can be found is sculptures. Another use for marble is ornamental decorative elements. Why is marble so desirable for decor? Consider a couple of reasons.
One of the reasons marble is so desirable is that it is very shiny if it is polished. Another appealing visual trait is is marble's veining (although the purest marble is virtually all white). These visual characteristics make marble a one of the 'elite' stones used in architecture.
Natural marble is a metamorphic rock that once used to be limestone. As such, it like limestone is composed of calcite (or calcium carbonate). The hardness of marble registers as a 3 on the mohs scale of hardness; making it a somewhat 'soft' stone. As mentioned above the 'purest' marble is white but marble can come in a variety of colors.
Since marble is a rather soft stone, it can be misleading when it comes to choosing proper marble diamond bridge saw blades to cut it. Even though the stone is not among the hardest it can still be problematic if the blade used is not constructed with the proper design. Blades can get 'clogged' if they aren't designed to cut soft materials like marble.
Sintered stone and its close relative, Ultracompact surface have properties that are somewhat different from those of marble. For example, sintered stone is extremely hard and cutting it takes diamond blades designed for the task. For example Dekton bridge saw blades are engineered to cut Utracompact surfaces very well and at an amazing speed with clean cuts. Likewise, porcelain blades are the best for ceramic sintered materials and quartz blades are made to cut quartz properly.
The hardness of sintered stone makes it difficult to scratch and its non-porous surface means it is stain resistant. These characteristics make it much different from marble. So how do the two materials compare? Let's see.
One comparison that could be made between marble and sintered stone is that the stain resistance of sintered stone is higher than that of marble. As mentioned earlier, marble is composed of calcite. This mineral is dissolved easily by acidic substances. In fact, even normal household liquids like lemon juice and vinegar will dissolve calcite. The result is a dull spot where the calcium carbonate was dissolved.
Another difference between sintered stone and marble is that marble is much softer and id easily scratched. For this reason some designers prefer to use a harder material; especially if the surface is to be used in the kitchen.
For all the seeming advantages of sintered stone over natural marble, one might wonder why marble is preferred by some. Well, we alluded to the reason earlier. The natural beauty of marble is so distinct and elegant, it is truly a unique material. In fact, manufactured products are designed to mimic this wondrous stone. Sintered stone producers also try to capture the majestic appearance of marble in their products.
In the end, whether you prefer natural marble or sintered stone for your kitchen countertop, bathroom vanity, or other hard surface is really dependent on what is important to you (or your customer if you are a fabricator or installer). The characteristics of these materials vary but the designs they are used in usually call for the attributes they have to offer.
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