Solid Surface Counter Top

[clockwork 0]

Hi all..

Need your advise and personal experience in this

When getting a solid surface counter top , what color is best as in , scratches and color is less obvious after wear & tear ?

My current solid surface is black , scratches can be seen and it appears dull.

White will turn yellow over time.

I met an ID who said RED is best ? Is it true ?

[Ami 0]

As long as you choose patterns that are visable over the solid tops, think it should be fine??

If you believe in fengshui, some say kitchen don't put black and red.

[yoongf 11]

Scratches.. will appear like white hairs.

Dullness will appear like faded patches.

So.. based on this rationale.. shd go for light coloured natural stone looking paterns. Avoid single solid colours becuase any imperfections will be obvious.

then again.. we may not be of the same specie.. so.. one specie food.. maybe another's poison.

[de_Pierre 0]

Select those wif many 'stone chips' 1... Scratches will appear less obviously...

[kastlekonfusion 1]

If possible, I would like to change the solid surface counter top to tiled counter top.

That was my preference all along but the ID highly recommended the solid surface, ensuring us that it's easy to maintain, looks good, dahdeedah.

Now, just only a few months into using it, I really dislike it!

Scratches ... plentiful.

The workmanship is so bad! The sinks cut out holes were so badly done. The silicon had came off within a month!

It stains so easily! My maid left a packet of bread on the solid surface counter top and what do you know.... the print on the plastic left an ugly patch on the counter top. Another contractor tried using bleach to remove the stain. And the ugly patch is still there.

There are other common kitchen stuff that would leave markings on our solid surface counter top too: --

mixing bowls

rubber base of counter top dish racks

rice cooker rubber studs

blender rubber studs

Actually, any kitchen appliances with rubber studs.

I had to give away a whole set of mixing bowls as all 6 of them would leave grey markings on the solid surface counter top.

That's so weird. In my previous 2 kitchens, it was tiled and I didnt have any of this problem.

I do not know much of solid surface counter top and do wonder if it is of an inferior quality that caused all these problems.

I will wait till after CNY to see what to do with this eye sore.

KK

Edited January 12, 2009 by kastlekonfusion

[ClockworkO 0]

Hi kastlekonfusion,

I know exactly what you mean ! Although my problem is not so bad, I too don't really favour solid surface top. But ID's really recomend it, most will say that my current solid surface top is of average quality , hence the problems.

But most of my friends & relatives are using solid surface too, and all of them have the same problem.

Can't be all of them have average or poor quality solid surface right ?

I am considering tiles too, but grouting may be a problem....sigh.. And granite is expensive !!

[CutePinkElephant 0]

my solid surface so far so good ler...and im cook 3meal a day

maybe must choose the right pattern....dont choose plain one:)

when im choosing for solid surface, i use hot metal and put on the sample pattern i like, so from there u will see which one is more scratchless lor

[kastlekonfusion 1]

my solid surface so far so good ler...and im cook 3meal a day

maybe must choose the right pattern....dont choose plain one:)

when im choosing for solid surface, i use hot metal and put on the sample pattern i like, so from there u will see which one is more scratchless lor

*take notes* Thanks CPE for your suggestion.

What hot metal did you use?

Do you have any problem with stains? It's quite an eye sore on the counter top now with this faint red stain. The ID didnt offer any solution to the stain problem.

He mentioned that the solid surface contractor will do good the scratches when they visit to grind the cabinet and bar counter top. Another round of dust and mess.

[kastlekonfusion 1]

Hi kastlekonfusion,

I know exactly what you mean ! Although my problem is not so bad, I too don't really favour solid surface top. But ID's really recomend it, most will say that my current solid surface top is of average quality , hence the problems.

But most of my friends & relatives are using solid surface too, and all of them have the same problem.

Can't be all of them have average or poor quality solid surface right ?

I am considering tiles too, but grouting may be a problem....sigh.. And granite is expensive !!

Hi Clockwork,

I agree with you about the grouting for tiles.

My first kitchen top was of grey homogeneous tiles; easy to clean and looks great.

My 2nd kitchen top was of smaller pieces of ceramic tiles as it was a country styled kitchen with similar wall tiles.

Now with this kitchen, I was going to try Rhoyxon anti scratch stainless steel worktop for the washing area and tiles for the prep area. And likewise, the ID strongly recommended using solid surface work top despite our preference for tiled work tops.

So, we will see what happens after CNY with what the solid surface fellas can do.

The cooking hobs worktop is of cement screed and it's relatively easy to clean. We are considering to have cement screed work top for the prep area.

Btw, have you chanced upon any reviews of those work tops available at Ikea?

KK

Edited January 12, 2009 by kastlekonfusion

[Angel81 1]

Har? Solid surface is that bad ah? I thought it only can't stand heat and is prone to scratches only. Even the bread's plastic will stain the surface?

[de_Pierre 0]

Bcos of its newly printed inks on the bread packaging... If its placed uniformly well onto solid surface, wif moists n left overnight, the work top can be get printed... Even on wood surface as well, practically any flat surface also will kena the print... (bcos my wooden table also kena)

I never let my owners choose solid colors for kitchen n dining table...

Regardless of any gd brands or acrylic base, definately got probs...

I strongly believe wad kastlekonfusion had, is pure unlucky to have default solid surface... Tad material itself is not perfectly produced, in the sense tad the material is not 100% harden... Leaving a very slight form of chemical moist which will reacts with any form of solidified rubber n plastics (those materials which melt easily)...

Although wad kastlekonfusion suffered is only very mild reaction, but i do encourage u to get it change ASAP b4 ur family's health gets affected...

[Precious 0]

I would like to use granite for my kitchen top. but different contractors will recommend different things. is there anyone here who has granite as the kitchen top? can you share you experience?

[ahjane 2]

i will be using silestone quartz surface costing $190 per foot run..hoping i wun have these prob, from my understanding..quartz supposed to be very highlynon-staining, scratch resistant..almost water proof blah blah

am i correct?

[ClockworkO 0]

i will be using silestone quartz surface costing $190 per foot run..hoping i wun have these prob, from my understanding..quartz supposed to be very highlynon-staining, scratch resistant..almost water proof blah blah

am i correct?

Heard of Silestone as well. What the price difference between solid surface ? Is it alot ?

[kastlekonfusion 1]

Bcos of its newly printed inks on the bread packaging... If its placed uniformly well onto solid surface, wif moists n left overnight, the work top can be get printed... Even on wood surface as well, practically any flat surface also will kena the print... (bcos my wooden table also kena)

I never let my owners choose solid colors for kitchen n dining table...

Regardless of any gd brands or acrylic base, definately got probs...

I strongly believe wad kastlekonfusion had, is pure unlucky to have default solid surface... Tad material itself is not perfectly produced, in the sense tad the material is not 100% harden... Leaving a very slight form of chemical moist which will reacts with any form of solidified rubber n plastics (those materials which melt easily)...

Although wad kastlekonfusion suffered is only very mild reaction, but i do encourage u to get it change ASAP b4 ur family's health gets affected...

Thanks de Pierre for your valuable advice. I will discuss with the ID on Friday to explore the options.

What do you think of those work tops from Ikea? Are those forms of laminates?

*work top idiot* KK

Edited January 14, 2009 by kastlekonfusion