Solid Surface Counter Top

[de_Pierre 0]

Sry bro/sis, i'm not a Ikea shopper... I only know their furnitures r all made from chipboards...

Hi ahjane, u can buy nearly 3 solid surface with $190.... U're a gd buyer man... kekeke

Edited January 15, 2009 by de_Pierre

[simpleguy80 0]

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

Hi do u know which brand of solid surface u using? Anyone got problems with postform top?

[kastlekonfusion 1]

Just got back from a discussion with the ID.

He advised that the best that the solid surface worktop contractor could do is to buffer the worktop to remove the stain after CNY.

[de_Pierre 0]

erm... Tads the most they can perform...

[Aspella08 0]

Hi Everyone, what does solid top made of exactly. I heard of this word many times and wondering if someone can advise if this so called solid top is made of chipboard, compressed wood, fibreboard or solid wood material? if use granite, country style tiles, silestones etc, do we need to do a cement bench support so that the tiles can stick with the cement?

[yapyap 0]

different countertops used different ratio of materials..

This is for maintenance tips for Corian but I think the care and maintenance remains the same for any brand.. there are other useful information on the site which can be used for people's references.

http://www2.dupont.com/Surfaces/en_US/prod...orian_care.html

There are advantages and disadvantages for different materials.. you can use, wood, glass, stainless steel, laminated wood, bla blah blah..

the key is to choose one and understand what it is and how to care for it.. teach your maid/MIL/FIL/whoever uses the kitchen what to do/not to do..

If you are indifference about maintenance of home, equipments, electronics, electrical, then anything also become difficult..

[yokine9a 1]

I am using granite for my worktop... find it very easy to maintain as long as I wipe it clean after each use... the pattern on my granite is those cloudy type... so stains & dirt are not easily noticeable.

Was quoted $80per foot run for solid surface & $100 for granite initially, decided to top up a bit to granite as I have never used solid surface before, no experience on it... but my parent's flat has granite flooring, I knew how easy its maintenance is.

[whoo-wah 0]

Hi yokine9a,

what type of granite did u choose?

I am think taking up Indian Galaxy....its black with shiny freckles in it.

anyone else using granite top?

care to share your experience and colour choosen.

Cheers

[yokine9a 1]

Hi, I used Indian granite, if I remembered correctly, the name is called "Blue Pearl".

I suggest you start another thread on granite worktop if you want to ask abt user experience & choice of colour... this thread is titled as "solid surface", so those granite worktop owners probably won't come in to read... I was trying to find some info on solid surface for my friend, so happened to read up this article

[ivan 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 ?

well, for your question, normally white will be good. from what i know is white solid surface is selling good. the trend is white for kitchen top, bathroom vanity, counter top, etc.

but important thing is u need to take good care. u cant expect it to be fresh n new after a long time rite?

n, one more tip: try samsung solid surface, mine was samsung n its really nice

[poseidon_gal 0]

Ivan : can show pic of ur solid surface? ur soild surface is total white?

[Focus Project Management 0]

personally i'm using black color top.

scratches are visible and quite easily made. just need to drag a can on the table and you get it with little effort. however, it is very resistance to dirt, especially spillage of soya sauce, curry sauce.

be warned that white colour gets yellow pretty easily. i've seen a number turning yellowish within first few years.

good news is the surface can be polished with the stain readily removed after that.

anyway it depends on the kitchen color theme as well. in both cases, maintenance is required.

[hello88 2]

scratches tend to be visible for either white or black solid tops unless there's patterns and not fully white or black. Can pay a visit to Seng Kwong (hope I spelt it correctly) showroom at Defu Lane as they have both solid white and black tops. One of the sales previously told me to opt out of these two colours and go for those with printed patterns if I really want a white or black solid top otherwise go for granite tops which is the best and most durable. Can also visit your nearby polyclinic as most of them have white solid top counters...heee....what a crazy suggestion with the ongoing swine flu alert to keep away from hospitals and clinics. Anyway, no worries, can always open eyes big big and look closely at information counter at malls or shops' counters during your shopping trips.

[Guest melancholic]

scratches tend to be visible for either white or black solid tops unless there's patterns and not fully white or black. Can pay a visit to Seng Kwong (hope I spelt it correctly) showroom at Defu Lane as they have both solid white and black tops. One of the sales previously told me to opt out of these two colours and go for those with printed patterns if I really want a white or black solid top otherwise go for granite tops which is the best and most durable. Can also visit your nearby polyclinic as most of them have white solid top counters...heee....what a crazy suggestion with the ongoing swine flu alert to keep away from hospitals and clinics. Anyway, no worries, can always open eyes big big and look closely at information counter at malls or shops' counters during your shopping trips.

I was quoted only $60pfr for the solid surface at Seng Kwong, which is the lowest I've been quoted. didn't ask them what brand and the acrylic content etc.

Hmmmm ever since I've been doing research for my upcoming reno, I've also suddenly started noticing solid surfaces all over the place! Had dinner at Hei Sushi last weekend at Downtown East.. and.. voila.. realised the counter top and table were made of solid surface. Unconsciously started to feel it, look for scratches at different angles, reached under to feel the thickness of the top.. haha

My conclusion, you'll definitely get lots and lots of hairline scratches which aren't always obvious, unless you have black solid surface (i.e. u have to look for it to see it and it also depends on the lighting), scratches on solid coloured tops do look more obvious, and regardless of how good and expensive the solid surface is, it doesn't make much of a difference, it will still get scratches. Main thing is to avoid the deep scratches, and don't put something hot directly on it.

I was at OM at Liang Court, and noticed they had a wardrobe and a kitchen section. Was looking at the nice expensive kitchen set-up, and noticed they were using LG solid surface tops. And would you know... the solid surface top had deeeep scratches!?

I had post form top for 5 years in my previous home. Dirt cheap and we found it easy to maintain... cos put lots of protection on top.. and quickly cleaned up any remnants of water. Not sure now if it is worth paying 10 times more for a solid surface which requires such high maintenance... hmmmm

[hello88 2]

I was quoted only $60pfr for the solid surface at Seng Kwong, which is the lowest I've been quoted. didn't ask them what brand and the acrylic content etc.

Hmmmm ever since I've been doing research for my upcoming reno, I've also suddenly started noticing solid surfaces all over the place! Had dinner at Hei Sushi last weekend at Downtown East.. and.. voila.. realised the counter top and table were made of solid surface. Unconsciously started to feel it, look for scratches at different angles, reached under to feel the thickness of the top.. haha

My conclusion, you'll definitely get lots and lots of hairline scratches which aren't always obvious, unless you have black solid surface (i.e. u have to look for it to see it and it also depends on the lighting), scratches on solid coloured tops do look more obvious, and regardless of how good and expensive the solid surface is, it doesn't make much of a difference, it will still get scratches. Main thing is to avoid the deep scratches, and don't put something hot directly on it.

I was at OM at Liang Court, and noticed they had a wardrobe and a kitchen section. Was looking at the nice expensive kitchen set-up, and noticed they were using LG solid surface tops. And would you know... the solid surface top had deeeep scratches!?

I had post form top for 5 years in my previous home. Dirt cheap and we found it easy to maintain... cos put lots of protection on top.. and quickly cleaned up any remnants of water. Not sure now if it is worth paying 10 times more for a solid surface which requires such high maintenance... hmmmm

wow $60 considered cheap right. I think scratches or not, one has to take good care of the solid tops no matter what brands u installed. Furthermore, colours also play a part to spot the scratches.

Think for the LG solid top, obviously they didnt take good care of it....

Edited May 5, 2009 by hello88