What are the Pros and Cons of Silestone as a Kitchen Countertop?

Hi Again Everyone,

Is Silestone a good durable surface for a kitchen thats gets alot of wear and tear on its countertops?

What are Silestones pros and cons? Does it scratch easy? Does it stain easy?

Is it worth the money?

Thanks,

Jeff

Reply to
jeff mattison
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I looked counters and went with granite. Silestone is man made, not much cheaper not as nice looking and not as durable. Granite looks alive compared to man made products.

Reply to
m Ransley

"jeff mattison" wrote in news:%MjIc.235042$ snipped-for-privacy@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:

This month's consumer reports covers countertop materials -- they liked Silestone (and equivalents) the most.

Pros: Doesn't need to be sealed (like granite) Impervious to heat (unlike Corian or laminate) Cons: Will chip if hit hard enough

To date, I have had counters made from Corian (love the integrated sink, melts under heat), Formica (cheap looking, knife will leave scratches), granite (sealer required, and stains are "forever"). My next counter will be Silestone; maybe it will live up to its promises.

Reply to
Murray Peterson

Silestone is of course, a brand name for quartz. Like Levi's is to jeans. I darn near went with quartz for my about-to-begin kitchen remodel. Quartz has several advantages over granite, but in the end, I preferred the look of granite. It's going to require a little more maintenance than quartz but I was willing to go with it because of the look. I am spending so much money on my kitchen that I wanted the look I wanted and was willing to put in a little more effort down the road to get it. If I could find quartz in the look I was after, I would have gone with it over granite. In the end, it might be a personal thing for buyers interested in one or the other. I suggest doing a search on the net for quartz vs. granite to read up on the two. Quartz is very durable and will hold up, but like any stone surface, if you drop something heavy on it at the right angle, it could chip and repair won't be pretty. Still, personally, I'll take that over Corian and those types of surfaces anyday. I think I would put something hot on the counter (melting Corian) before I would drop something heavy. For others, Corian type surfaces are the way to go. They like the look and are disciplined enough not to put a hot pan on it.

Research up a storm and then make the decision based on your peferences and lifestyle. The right choice is the one you like best and that fits your needs and desires.

Reply to
Sixeye

Granite stain ? depends on the color, I have a medium color, unsealed I couldnt stain test pieces, I tried, coffee , grape , orange , tomatoe juice, nothing stained it. Drop a heavy enough pot on anything it will dent or break. but granite is rock.

Reply to
m Ransley

It is not a brand name for quartz. You make it sound like it is a solid (as you get when you have granite tops) stone surface. In fact, like several other companies that offer 'quartz' countertops, it is a blend of quartz chips and what amounts to some very tough plastic.

Below is one comment I found after searching:

"Silestone by Cosentino is an engineered quartz surface that looks and feels like natural granite or marble. The manufacturer claims the surface, composed of 93 percent quartz aggregates mixed with binders, is stronger and more durable than natural stone.

Silestone is manufactured by a computerized process which mixes binders and pigments with natural quartz particles, vibrates them, compacts them and then heat processes them to produce a dense, hard non porous material with the luster and depth of natural stone."

Reply to
Retiredff

We are on our second year of Silestone countertops and building a new house, which also will have silestone...Silestone is very hard, does not burn or stain, has the solid feel of granite without the maintainance..Now, it also depends on the look your after..It does not look like granite really, as granite being a natural substance will have natural grain to it..Granite too will chip if you drop something heavy on it and it's not easy to repair if that happens..With Silestone they make resin that matches the color you have and they can fix it..They have come out with some really neat colors..It really looks great if you have the edges double thick and bevelled..The product less than 1" thick..We had a double bullnose edge put on our which makes it look really substantial..We also had a stainless undermount sink put in..Very nice...So comparitivly speaking between granite and silestone it really depends on the look you want, and if you don't mind the upkeep on the granite which I hear is not really that big of a deal... Hope this helps! John

Reply to
John

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