November 2018

Solid Surface worktops are a man-made material consisting of mineral dust (mostly marble) mixed with a variety of plastic resins and pigments. Its main appeal is that it is easy to fabricate and can create completely seamless countertops, unlike any other countertop surface. It was introduced in 1967 by DuPont under the brand name Corian, though there are now other major brand names offering the material, including Minerva, Mirostone and Mistral. It is a decided improvement over laminate countertops, and over the older plastic material commonly called cultured stone. ​

While solid-surface materials mimic the look of stone--thanks to the fact that includes mineral dust--no one is likely to mistake it for solid granite countertops. For many people, the look of slab granite simply can't be duplicated or beat.

But recent years have seen the introduction of Quartz worktops. Most of these are engineered stone products, consisting of about 95% ground natural quartz and other materials with 5% binding resins. It's here that there is a serious competition with solid-surface materials. Both materials occupy the middle tier of worktop options, falling between granite at the high end and plastic laminates at the low end.

Following is a comparison between these two excellent countertop choices on seven different criteria:

·        Composition

·        DIY Installation

·        Heat Resistance

·        Seam Visibility

·        Scratch Resistance

·        Sealing Needs

·        Cost

·         Composition

·        Neither of these worktop choices is a "single substance" surface and neither are all-natural. Both are aggregates of polymers and minerals. If a purely natural product is somehow important to you, then natural stone slabs are your only option.

·        Solid Surface: Corian, the original solid surface counter, is made of about 33% acrylic resin (PMMA) and about 66% natural minerals. A bauxite derivative, Aluminium Trihydrate (ATH), is the most common mineral. But if you're imagining something like that looks like granite particles, you're wrong. ATH is a fine, white powder, much like baking soda. The many different colours and styles are achieved by different mixtures of pigments and mineral dust.

·        Quartz: These countertops include 5% to 10% binding resins, either polymeric or cement-based. The other 90% to 95% is composed of hard, stone-like industrial waste products, such as marble, quartz, glass, mirrors, etc. Some companies have even begun to use non-food quality vegetable oils as one ingredient in the resins.

·        Winner: If naturalness is the goal, Quartz worktops win, but not by much.

Do-It-Yourself Installation

Solid Surface and Quartz: Difficult for the DIYer to obtain source materials because they are basically locked down in a distribution/installation system of retailers, fabricators, and installers.

In the case of solid-surface materials, this is unfortunate, as the materials can be cut by ordinary power saws and routers, and the seaming kits used to join pieces are not hard to use. DIYers who managed to purchase the materials can be successful with solid surface materials. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible for amateurs to obtain sheets of solid-surface material.

Quartz, on the other hand, requires special tools that most DIYers do not have. Even if you could buy the sheets, it would be nearly impossible to work with them.

One option for DIY installation is incidental pieces, such as ready-made, one-piece vanity unit worktops.

Winner: Draw. Neither are very amenable to DIY installation

Seam Visibility

Solid Surface: Seams are created with a bonding adhesive that creates such a tight seam that it is nearly invisible to the naked eye.

Quartz: Seams are covered, but visible.

Winner: Solid surface. As large-slab products, though, both solid surface and quartz countertops will have very few seams.

Scratch Resistance

Solid Surface:   Cutting on solid surface countertops is not recommended. It is guaranteed that if you cut on Corian, scratches will appear. The good news is that solid-surface materials can be rather easily sanded and buffed smooth again--something you can't say for laminate countertops.

Quartz:   While it is recommended that you not cut on quartz/engineered stone surfaces, in reality, they are difficult to scratch with normal use.

Winner: Finally, one clear difference between the two. Quartz comes out ahead, by far.

Sealing Needs

Solid Surface: None required.

Quartz:   None required.

Winner: Draw. Both are completely non-porous surfaces, so sealing is never required. The amount of resins in the mix ensures non-porosity.

Cost

Solid Surface and Quartz: Prices are can be virtually the same. The prices vary depending on the style and color of the material selected. Prices are difficult to compare because it is difficult-to-impossible to purchase the source materials alone. Most suppliers will sell only to licensed fabricators or contractors.

Winner: Draw

Additional Factors

If a stone-like look/feel is your intention, quartz/engineered counters would have some advantage over solid surface.

If you want a super-contemporary look, solid surface is the way to go. Solid surface can even be thermoformed or worked by hand (like wood) into curvy, flowing shapes, something you cannot say for quartz/engineered materials.

Corian weighs about 4.4 pounds per square foot of 12 mm material; quartz weighs about 6.2 pounds for the same size and thickness. Thus, quartz is about 1/3 heavier than Corian, which translates to a slightly more solid feeling when installed. It is questionable whether cooks would notice, or care about, this difference.