The problems you don't want to encounter after renovation and move into your home!

Good days, homeowners!

Choosing the wrong building materials for home renovations is a nightmare. Do you agree?

80% of people will choose to ignore it because it is troublesome to redo a new set.

Every building material has its advantages and disadvantages. Let's talk about kitchen top material today.

Let's see the pros and cons of the following materials. Which one should you choose for your home kitchen top?

1. Solid Surface
2. Wooden Board
3. Compressed Marble
4. Marble
5. Quartz Stone
6. Granite
7. Tiles
8. Cement
9. Ultra-compact Stone

Solid Surface

Pros

Seamless joints

The seams are either invisible or hard to be seen by human eyes.

Restorable

We can repair and polish the solid surface and reuse it.

Cons

Vulnerable to the chemical

Some strong chemicals such as lacquer, nail colour remover, or corrosive cleaner might discolour the surface.

Afraid of acid

Low PHs Foods or dishwashing liquid may dim the colour.

Scratches

Even if you use it carefully, the minor scratches will still appear without any clue.

Breed bacteria

Scratches breed bacteria, especially if it touches meat.

Not resistant to heat

Never put a hot pot on the surface. It might dim the colour. Excessive heat will cause the solid surface to change shape.

Pros

Wood design enthusiast

If you are one of them, I don’t think you need to have a second thought to choose other material.

Cons

Weak against water

Not suitable to be used in the moisture environment especially the dishwashing area.

Breed mildew

Contact with food and water cause the mould colony to grow and infest. Have you ever wondered what those black lumps are? It's mouldy.

Breed bacteria

It's a bacteria's sweet home to grow with their best friend - mould.

Termites

Might be a victim of termites.

Peel-off

Water will penetrate and soften the surface and cause it to peel off.

Pros

Courtless Design

Due to the latest stone printing technology. What is so amazing is it feels like a stone when you touch it.

Cost-Saving

The price is lower compared to other options.

Cons

Chip-off

It might just chip-off without impact.

Can't resist to acid

If you put a lemon on it and forget to take it away, you may see a discoloured mark the next day.

Cannot polish

As mentioned above, compressed marble uses printing technology; polish it will also polish away the surface veins and design.

Pros

Natural stone.

The feeling of nature is unique, and no other material can provide.

Unique

No one piece of marble in the world is the same.

It looks gorgeous.

The sense of elegance for some luxury marble is capable of making jaws-drop.

Cons

Expensive

Depend on the country of origin, rarity, and supply. The price can be up to hundred thousand a slab.

Sealant

If you are keen to use marble as a kitchen top. You need to apply sealant every few years which you might find troublesome.

Stain

Stain easily without the sealant.

Do not recommend

Not suitable to be used as a kitchen top. There are many other better options

Pros

Non-Porous Material

The surface has almost no pores on the surface. 0.2% water penetration makes quartz stone practically impossible to stain by food such as turmeric, curry, coffee powder or red wine.

Mildew resistance

Non-porous also means no room on the surface for mildew or bacteria to grow.

Heat resistance

Quartz stone can resist heat up to 150 degree celsius.

Easy to Maintain

Quartz stone requests a minimum effect of maintenance and never needs to apply any sealant every few years to protect the surface.

Consistent colour

When you have an extended length of kitchen top and are looking for the consistent look of the kitchen top, then quartz stone is well suited for this option.

Warranty

Ten years of limited warranty on material, warranty on discolouration, crack without impact, chip-off without impact and mildew grows on the surface.

Cons

UV Ray

Not recommend using for outdoor purposes. The UV Ray might dim the surface colour. It's not dimming the quartz but the resin used to bond quartz stone. (There are special quartz stone specially designed for outdoor purpose)

Pros

Resist to UV Ray

Can use for outdoor purpose

Natural Stone

Made by mother nature, hard to mimic by man-made stone.

Cons

Heavy food colouring

Turmeric, coffee, curry or similar foods might stain the surface.

Pros

Courtless design pattern

From the classic, antique, countryside, rustic, Japandi, Europe, solid to modern, you name it you could find it.

Cons

Many joining lines

The smaller size you choose, the more joining lines you have.

Joining lines breed mildew and bacteria

You have to clean the joining lines probably, or you breed bacteria indirectly.

Masterful installation needed

Uneven or not align probably make you hard to put things on top hollow might make the tiles crack with impact. Cement

Pros

We are seeking for the answer

Not sure about the pros. If you know, please drop us an email to share with us? We will update thie article with your answer. contact@stoneinnovations.com.my

Cons

Porous Material

There are pores on the surface which cannot be seen by human eyes. This porous breed bacteria especially comes in contact with meat.

Pros

Highest heat resistance among the materials

Resist up to 300 degree

Strong resist UV Ray

Can use for outdoor

Non-Porous Material

There are pores on the surface which cannot be seen by human eyes. This porous breed bacteria especially comes in contact with meat.

Warranty

25 years limited warranty on material for discolouration, crack without impact, chip-off without impact and mildew grows on the surface.

Cons.

Lower smash resistance

Heavy item fall from 1 meter height might crack it.