The Engineered Stone Ban: the alternatives
As of the 1st of July 2024 engineered stone as we know it will be banned in Australia. This has been a huge topic of conversation with my clients & I wanted to share some benchtop alternatives for you if you’re renovating or building & are unsure of what materials are out there.
Of course, there are the more commonly known benchtop materials such as laminate, timber, stainless steel & of course natural stone / granite. However, none of these options give you the same look & properties as man made stone did, so what else is there?
DEKTON
Dekton is an ultra compact product made from a mixture of materials, including quartz, glass & porcelain
Advantages.
Similar look to engineered stone, with patterns replicating quartz, marbles & concretes
Low porosity therefore stain resistant
Scratch & impact resistant
Extreme heat resistance
Slab sizes are 3200 x 1440
Suitable for both indoors & outdoors
CORIAN
Corian benchtops are made up of 1/3 acrylic resins & 2/3 natural minerals.
Advantages.
Silica free
Seamless joins
Nonporous - stain resistant
Suitable both indoors & outdoors
Germ, virus & mould resistant
PORCELAIN
Porcelain benchtops are ceramic products made from binding raw materials such as powdered clay and coloured pigments together under high heat and pressure
Advantages.
Similar look to engineered stone, with patterns replicating marbles & concretes
Low porosity therefore stain resistant
Scratch & impact resistant
Extreme heat resistance
Slab sizes are 3200 x 1600
Suitable for both indoors & outdoors
Alternatively, companies that are well known for their engineered stone are now creating a zero silica version. I’m excited to see these materials over time, but I do feel as though they may have been rushed to market & some companies aren’t releasing them yet as they haven’t had enough time to do the proper testing.
If you’re looking at renovating or building & need some further advice, please reach out to see how we can help you with your selections.
