Material matters: Surface product feature
kbbreview’s comprehensive guide to the most exciting surfaces on the market, focusing on properties, sustainability credentials, and the headline-grabbing issue of silicosis. By Francesca Seden…
*Feature image: PWS says its Strata Tempest quartz surface is reminiscent of the ebb and flow of a storm, seamlessly blending both dramatic and calm grey tones.
According to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights, the global worktop market size is projected to grow from $127 billion in 2023 to $168 billion by 2030. With so many options on the market, and so many players who are constantly innovating to improve their materials, there is little surprise that this very competitive market is looking so healthy.
But with the myriad of different surface types, selling worktops, vanity tops, tiles, wall cladding, splashbacks, and flooring can be confusing for retailers, and more so for consumers, as the choice is often overwhelming. And, as far as consumers are concerned, there may be little apparent difference between some options.
With that mind, let’s explore the various current materials available, both natural and man-made, and examine their properties, applications, pros and cons, including the ease of installation and fabrication.
Granite and Quartzite
Recent market research from Hafele found the most desired worktop finish is granite, with 20% of respondents rating it. Quartzite, sometimes confused with engineered quartz, is a hardwearing natural stone which can offer the look of marble, but can get close to the strength of granite.
Properties: Granite and quartzite are the hardest of the natural stone surfaces used for worktops, so they are heat- and scratch-resistant, although some brands recommend utilising chopping boards and not using knives directly on the surface.
From an aesthetic standpoint, both granite and quartzite are coveted for their natural beauty, coming in a whole rainbow of unique colours and patterns, so there is something to suit every taste and style of kitchen.
As it is a natural material, each piece is also unique, which further adds to the appeal. However, these stones can be slightly porous, and will also vary in consistency and porosity – there is not the level of uniformity you could expect from an engineered counterpart.
So, it’s essential that these surfaces are properly sealed to ensure that they are stain- and water-resistant. Sealant will also give granite extra scratch-resistance too, however, if accidents do happen, natural stone worktops can be repaired.
Applications: Granite and quartzite are suitable for most areas of the kitchen and bathroom, provided the stone is properly sealed and well-maintained. According to the Worktops Fabricator Federation guide, out of all the natural materials featured, granite and quartzite are the easiest to look after.
Installation: Both the granite and quartzite options are extremely heavy and are more brittle than their man-made or engineered stone counterparts, because they don’t have resin content.
This means, of course, that it’s as important as ever to consider the load bearing capacity of any cabinets that the granite or quartzite will sit on. These materials should always be fitted by expert fabricators and installers. Being harder and more brittle means these materials may require extra joints on long runs and that only certain edge profiles are achievable.
Tip for retailers: Oli Webb, director at Cullifords, comments: “It’s essential to provide a comprehensive overview of the pros and cons to help retailers understand the product better and effectively communicate these points to their customers. Pros include its unique beauty, durability and environmental benefits, whilst cons include high costs, the possibility of staining and maintenance costs.
“Ensure that customers are aware of both the benefits and the maintenance requirements of natural stone and provide samples of different types to help customers visualise having them in their home.”
Pros and cons
- Beautiful, unique, status symbol
- Hardwearing and long-lasting – can add value to property
- Low maintenance
- Expensive
- Heavy and not as easy as other options to install
- Extra joints may be required
- Not as easy to look after as engineered stone or quartz
Marble
As an expensive status material, marble, like granite, has unique provenance and is therefore highly desirable. According to the Hafele study, marble came a close second to granite at 18% in the desirability stakes.
Properties: There are two main types of marble, honed and polished, each with slightly different properties and hundreds of options. Some, like Carrara, are common and inexpensive and some are much rarer, and carry a heftier price tag as a result.
Polished marble has a more reflective finish and is less porous and more forgiving than its honed cousin. Honed marble has a soft matte finish, where the surface is ground and sanded to give it this effect.
It’s less forgiving than polished marble as it tends to be more porous and will show up stains more readily. It also needs sealing more often, but the slightly rougher surface means scratches are less likely to show.
Marble has a timeless beauty and comes in many different shades, patterns and tones. It requires the highest maintenance of the natural stones but can perform well for a lifetime if treated with a sealant regularly.
As it’s also heat-resistant, hot pans won’t cause damage, and when cleaning, it’s key to stick to simple soap and water and stay away from any acid-based cleaners, such as bleach, anything lemon-based, or anything which includes vinegar as this could etch the surface.
One often-cited property that appeals to keen bakers, is that marble is cold, so it’s great for making pastry.
Applications: Providing it is properly maintained, marble can be suitable for most kitchen and bathroom applications. If the customer doesn’t want to bother with the upkeep but is keen to have some marble in their home, they could opt for a marble feature wall.
Installation: Like with the other natural stones, marble is very heavy, so this can make installation tricky. Again, it’s critical to ensure the cabinetry can take the load.
The WFF also notes that natural stone can break at the jointed areas, and this can happen a while after installation, once the cabinetry, floor, and wall has settled. So, it is worth bearing in mind when specifying cabinetry and planning the kitchen.
Tips for retailers: Speaking about the benefits, natural stone restorer, Athena Stonecare, says: “One of the huge benefits of stone that makes it sustainable once in situ, is its restorability. Marble, granite and limestone worktops can all be restored. If a customer chooses marble and is aware of the ongoing maintenance requirements, then it can be enjoyed for many years without needing professional restoration.
“However, spillages do occur, and the great news is that marble worktops can be repolished and refinished back to their former glory. Furthermore, it will never go out of fashion. No matter how many times the kitchen is redecorated, the marble or granite worktop will always fit in. Natural stone is timeless and with the right know-how its beauty endures.”
Pros and cons
- Timeless beauty and appeal
- Develops natural patina over time
- Heat-resistant
- Cool surface, good for baking
- High maintenance
- Can be expensive, depending on the type
Solid wood
The Hafele study saw wood come out as the third most desired worktop surface (11%), after granite and marble. It’s easy to see why this surface is so coveted, with many rich tones and shades, and with a warmth and tactility that cannot be matched by any other surface.
Properties: Like with all the other natural materials we’ve discussed, there are lots of different options when it comes to wood – many different hard and soft woods which have different properties, benefits and drawbacks depending on the type of wood used and the way the worktop is constructed.
Depending on the source and the type of wood used, this material can rate highly on the sustainability front.
Solid wooden worktops are usually constructed from staves (blocks of wood) which are laminated (glued) together and can be arranged in different patterns to create different looks and benefits. The more expensive the top, the longer the staves generally are, and they may extend the whole length of the surface.
The arrangement of the staves will show different woodgrain textures; edge grain, where each piece is laid on its narrow edge, end grain, where the blocks are laid with the end facing up to create a checkerboard effect, and face grain, where the staves are laid flat to show the full width.
Typical woods used for worktops include oak, walnut, iroko, mahogany, ash, sapele, maple, and cherry. These all vary in colour and hardness, so the combination of one of these woods with any of the construction types will offer varying levels of durability.
Each wooden surface is unique and no two tops will be quite the same, but wood is the least durable of all the natural materials and is certainly high maintenance.
It needs regular sanding and oiling to keep it water-resistant and looking its best. It can also be easily scratched, stained and scorched. All that said, some minor stains and scratches can easily be sanded out.
Applications: Due to the properties of wood, it’s ideal for breakfast bars and dining areas, and should perhaps be avoided for high-use areas and wet areas in the kitchen.
However, if the customer is adamant they want wood throughout, end grain surfaces are better for food preparation areas as they are more forgiving and less prone to scratching, edge grain is less prone to warping, and face grain is most susceptible to wear and tear because it’s the softest surface, so this is best for dining, seating areas.
Installation: Wooden worktops are straightforward to fabricate and install. They can be pre-cut to the correct measurements but need to be properly oiled and sealed before installation. It’s also essential the fitter knows which is the A-side (the upside) and which is the B-side (the underside).
All the correct fixings and fittings should be used to allow for expansion and contraction, and silicone sealant should be applied where needed.
Tip for retailers: Nicole Mayhew, head of trade at Wex Trade, says: “Oiling is necessary for maintaining the beautiful look and feel of a wood worktop for many years.
“Treatment is simple though, and if done often will build up a strong barrier against moisture which can cause damage. We suggest regular application during the first six weeks after installation, then every three months.”
Pros and cons
- Warm, tactile, characterful
- Durable and hygienic
- Sustainable
- Easy to repair light damage
- High maintenance – needs regular sanding and reoiling
Sintered stone, porcelain and ceramic
According to Ross Stewart, UK senior sales manager at Neolith, “sintered stone, ceramic and porcelain are the most hardwearing materials in the worksurface market, but sintered stone actually outperforms the others thanks to its technology and represents the evolution of ceramic and porcelain.
“Sintered stone has superior technical properties and is stronger in performance, offering beautiful design and great resistance; it can handle rapid temperature changes and doesn’t chip and crack as easily as other surfaces due to its more curated production process.”
Properties: Sintered stone uses natural minerals such as recycled glass, quartz, and porcelain which is ground down and then fired at extremely high temperatures and great pressure to bond the material together. This creates a finished surface which is extremely hardwearing and completely non-porous.
Porcelain and ceramic are similar to sintered stone in the sense that each of these clays are fired under very hot temperatures to give them their strength and durability. Porcelain is finer and denser, whereas ceramic is less fine and less dense with more inconsistencies.
Because sintered stone doesn’t contain any bonding agents, there is the possibility that it could be recycled at the end of its long life, providing the source material is fine and high quality.
Each of these three materials are stain-, heat-, and water-resistant, and they are also hygienic, thanks to their low porosity levels.
So, it seems like there are no downsides with sintered stone, but, although it may have been formed under great heat, sintered stone can also be sensitive to sudden and dramatic temperature changes. Boiling hot pans should not be placed directly on the surface.
Of course, we cannot talk about porcelain without talking about tiles, and Peter Vann, director at tile distributor Ceramique Internationale, notes that while acrylic shower wall panels might be cheaper and easier to fit, tiles are infinitely durable, need little to no maintenance, and are easy to clean.
Printing and painting techniques means the choices in patterns and textured effects are endless.
A final thing to note regarding the properties of these materials is their sustainability credentials. Each of these is made only from natural raw materials and can eventually be recycled. Neolith, Ceramique Internationale, Laminam, and RAK Ceramics highlight the use of recycled materials in their surfaces, as well as other sustainability credentials.
Applications: Sintered stone, porcelain and ceramic can all be used in most kitchen and bathroom applications, for worktops, as well as wall and floor tiles and cladding. Sintered stone is UV-resistant too, meaning it won’t fade or discolour in sunlight and can be used externally.
Installation: Sintered stone, because of its composition and compact nature, is very heavy and can be brittle, especially compared with its engineered stone counterparts, so it must be installed by a professional and cabinetry may need to be reinforced to carry the heavy load.
When it comes to porcelain tiles, Ceramique Internationale’s Vann notes that while bigger is better in terms of the format for tiles most consumers want, the largest available (1200x2400mm) are just too big and impractical, meaning that most tend to go for the 600x1200mm, which are much easier to work with practically and logistically.
Tips for retailers: Ben Bryden, sales and marketing director at RAK Ceramics, advises: “Consider how the material chosen will stand up to lots of traffic underfoot, or to hot pans, or lots of water or cooking oil.
But don’t lose sight of what the surface will look like. How will it marry or contrast with other materials chosen or the overall colour scheme for the room?”
Pros and cons
- Hardwearing – stain-, water-, and heat-resistant
- Suitable for use outside
- Sustainable
- Many applications
- Sintered stone can be more expensive than some engineered alternatives
- Sintered stone is heavy and more brittle than engineered quartz
Engineered stone quartz
This surface type might be the one that springs to most people’s minds when they think about worktops and some of the biggest players in the surfaces market work in this area – Caesarstone, Cosentino, CRL Stone, Cambria, and Compac are just some of the key suppliers.
However, Australia has just brought in a ban on engineered quartz because of concerns over the lung disease silicosis in fabricators. Headlines from Down Under over the safety of the material could put people off buying it.
Properties: Away from this issue, engineered quartz is an incredibly versatile surface, which is very hardwearing, non-porous, and more flexible than natural stone and sintered stone due to its resin content.
VP of marketing at Caesarstone, Jonathan Stanley, describes the technical properties as follows: “Quartz surfaces or engineered stone worktops are manufactured stone slabs that are made from natural raw quartz pigments and bound together with resin. They have become the predominant stone surface in the market because of the advantages that they have over natural stone.
“Mineral surfaces are like quartz surfaces, but with less silica (quartz). They look and perform the same.”
Because of the resin content, engineered stone isn’t brittle like some of the other stone options, and so it’s more flexible in terms of design possibilities. Drainer grooves and a range of edge profiles can be added, and only minimal joints are required, making for a more seamless finish. Engineered stone is also good for waterfall worktops – although this sort of design is possible with other materials.
Finally, each of our experts from Caesarstone, Cosentino, Woodstock Trading, and CRL Stone, noted their sustainability credentials, with recycled content making up at least a proportion of their tops.
Applications: Engineered stone can be used for most kitchen and bathroom applications – for worktops, splashbacks, sinks and in shower enclosures. Caesarstone says its engineered quartz is also UV-resistant, but not all engineered stone surfaces will be suitable for outdoor use.
Installation: When considering fabrication and installation, it’s essential that proper safety protocol is followed to mitigate any risk factors around silicosis, but if proper PPE is worn and spaces are properly ventilated, there is very little risk involved in handling this material.
Caesarstone’s Stanley adds that better quality engineered materials should be easier to fabricate and should also come with much better service levels and supply from the surface manufacturer.
Tips for retailers: Stanley also highlights the importance of povenance: “It’s really important for retailers and designers to ask questions about the provenance of what they are specifying and do some research into the materials they’re using and promoting. This involves verifying whether the products come with appropriate information and relevant certifications.
“It’s essential to understand the manufacturing process behind the materials and to ensure transparency throughout the supply chain. By taking the time to investigate these factors, retailers and designers can confidently endorse products that align with quality production processes and sustainability goals and provide assurance to consumers.”
Pros and cons
- Extremely hardwearing, heat-, water-, and stain-resistant
- UV-resistant in some cases
- Antibacterial
- More flexible than other options
- Sustainable
- Silica content is seen as problematic for some
- Can be expensive
Solid surface/Acrylic
Solid surface is another surface type that is completely ubiquitous in the KBB world with major players that include Karonia, IDS surfaces, HiMacs, Krion by Porcelanosa, and Corian by DuPont.
The latter came onto the market way back in 1964. This material is man-made using synthetic materials, (usually acrylic) and sometimes with minerals added for a natural effect.
Properties: This material, due to its plasticity, is the most flexible of all our featured surfaces in terms of design possibility. Solid surface material can be cut and worked, just like other material types, but some versions can also be thermoformed into fluid sculptural shapes, making for more creative designs.
The acrylic content means a wide range of choices are available for edging and drainer grooves, and the worktop can be made with few to no joints as there is the option for it to be thermoformed or moulded in one piece.
It is completely non-porous, so is very hygienic and easy to maintain and keep clean, but it is not as heat resistant as other materials and can scorch if a hot pan is placed directly on the surface.
That said, if this does happen and the top is damaged in some way, solid surface material can be sanded and repaired.
In terms of design potential, Steven Fisher, product director for solid surfaces at IDS comments that solid surfaces have advanced greatly “to offer a broader palette of designs including concrete, Scandi neutrals, and the elegant, veined marbles that the consumer has swung towards.”
When considering the sustainability of solid surface materials, because they have a high plastic content, they are less eco-friendly than natural options, but the repairability factor offers some eco-credibility.
Applications: Solid surface can be used in most kitchen and bathroom applications, except where extremely high temperatures could meet the surface. This material can be made non-slip, for example, in Acquabella’s range of Akron shower trays.
Installation: Solid surface worktops are easy to install, as fitters generally don’t need any special tooling and they can be adjusted on site if necessary. Being silica-free, they also pose no risk to those installing them.
Tip for retailers: Jashdip Kaur, product manager for worktops, splashbacks and surfaces at Hafele UK comments: “Increasingly, we’re seeing trends around matching worktops and splashbacks, so aesthetically, this is something else to consider to help the customer create a sleek, minimalist feel. Conversely, splashbacks are a great way to create a feature wall – whether behind a media unit or in the kitchen.”
Pros and cons
- Very hardwearing – water-, stain- and heat-resistant (to a point)
- Hygienic
- Flexible in terms of design
- Repairable
- Affordable
- Less sustainable than other options
- Not as hardwearing as quartz/granite
Laminate
Finally, we move on to the most affordable option of all the surface types, which is also an area where there is currently lots of innovation to move laminate to a point so that it can better compete with the other popular surface types.
Properties: Laminate is made up of sheets of kraft paper pressed together with resin and then bonded to a chipboard substrate or core.
Good laminate surfaces are hardwearing – stain-, heat- and water-resistant, and advances in printing techniques mean consumers can have something which looks exactly like real wood or stone for a fraction of the cost.
Laminate is also available in slimline options of 12-15mm. Laminate is also low maintenance, as it doesn’t need any special sealing or materials to clean it. It’s non-porous nature also makes it very hygienic.
In terms of drawbacks, laminate should not be exposed to direct heat or sharp objects which can easily scratch it. It can also be susceptible to water penetration and damage, if it can permeate through to the substrate.
Applications: Laminate is suitable for use in kitchen worktops and bathroom vanities. Laminate shower panels, by Mermaid Panels, also have a waterproof substrate.
Installation: Each of our experts – Hafele, Egger, and Wilsonart – note the ease of installation for their worktops, and Hafele.
Steph Harris, product manager at Showerwall adds that its Laminate Tile Collection is “challenging the status-quo” with its product which recreates the look and feel of tiles and a realistic grout line – but is much easier to clean and quicker to install.
Tip for retailers: Bekki Griffiths from Wilsonart says: “Ease of fabrication and installation will generally hold the key to securing and delivering more work, so both carry a lot of weight in the current market.
“We know that most bathroom and kitchen fitters are in high demand at present, so every step that can be saved or process that can be shortened will only help them to deliver projects efficiently.
“Unlike quartz or stone that can take up to half a day of precise measuring prior to fabrication, compact laminate such as our Zenith kitchen worktop can be easily cut, shaped, finished and fitted on-site.”
Pros and cons
- Most affordable of all the worktop surface types
- Reasonably hardwearing
- Easy to fit
- Not easy to repair
- Not as sustainable as other options
- Limited heat resistance