In the late 1960s, DuPont revolutionized the countertop when it introduced Corian.
This was a different type of material because it was not made of layers bonded together like the ubiquitous plastic laminate used for most countertops.
Corian was solid throughout, and for this reason manufacturers, dealers and installers referred to counters made from it as solid-surface. Soon other manufacturers like Avonite, Formica and Swan introduced their own versions.
Solid-surface countertops are made of acrylic or polyester resins, fillers and pigments. Fillers like alumina trihydrate were mixed with resins and were poured into a mold, where they were cured in a vacuum.
Unfortunately, these materials are expensive, and this makes solid-surface countertops more expensive than laminate-surfaced ones. The price varies considerably, depending on the ingredients used in the composition, the color and texture.
Fillers can also affect the total cost. Alumina trihydrate is the most common filler, but some manufacturers use quartz chips as a filler element to create a material that looks like natural stone.
Counters with this ingredient are called engineered stone, but it is less porous than natural stone and much harder alumina trihydrate. It is also more expensive.
Another factor that influences the price is the amount of labor, including fabrication and installation.
Fabrication refers to the cutting and shaping of the countertop. Obviously, a straight run will be easier to construct than a counter with lots of angles or curves.
Fabrication also includes cutting the holes for the fixtures and installing the sink. Fabrication costs are usually higher for engineered stone because it must be cut with diamond-edged tools.
Constructing the countertop edge is another part of the fabrication process. Solid surfacing comes in sheets 1/2-inch thick, but a thicker edge often looks better. The fabricator achieves extra thickness by bonding addition strips of material around the counter-top’s edges.
One advantage to solid surfacing material is that the seams between layers are virtually invisible. Even so, a good fabricator will construct these layers with consecutively numbered sheets to ensure that the color is uniform. Simple edging can be done with a few passes of the router, but more complex profiles require additional tooling and this will add to the price.
A backsplash is usually added to the countertop. Here again, design can affect the price. An integral backsplash with a curving cove base will be more expensive than a simple flat backsplash attached to the countertop with silicone caulk. If the back side of the backsplash will be exposed–this may be the case with an island installation–then it must be finished as well.
After the countertop is fabricated, it must be installed. Some manufacturers are very specific about installation procedures. They may, for example, specify that the counter be bonded to special wood strips that are mounted on the cabinets, or they may require that the counter be bonded directly to the cabinets with silicone adhesive.
In addition, large counters are usually made up of sections that must be joined together on site.
The seams between the sections, known as field seams, are the weak points in the countertop, and they require additional braces underneath.
Inside corners are stress points, so they should curve rather than meet at a right angle because right-angle corners are more likely to crack than curved ones.
Do-it-yourselfers may be tempted to cut costs by fabricating and installing the countertop themselves or by choosing the contractor who offers the lowest bid, but most manufacturers insist that fabrication and installation be performed by professionals that they certify, so doing it yourself may void the warranty.
A solid-surface countertop is tough and durable, but it still requires proper care. Do not use the counter surface as a cutting board, because knives can scratch the surface. Do not place hot pans directly on the counter, either.
Wipe up spills with soap and water quickly to keep them from staining the counter.
If a stain does appear, you can usually remove it by rubbing the area with a cleanser and a plastic pad. You can remove minor scratches by lightly sanding the counter surface with very fine sandpaper.
