Stone worktops in kitchens

I wanted to find out some information related to stone worktops. Traditional wooden / laminated worktops are usually quiet resistant to such things as household cooking materials including such things as lemon juice and fats. However I have heard recently that if I was to change to a stone worktop ( most likely granite) that I would be leaving myself very open to new problems. While granite worktops are generally highly polished and have a very smooth surface they do tend to suffer from fingerprints ( this isn't a problem!!!) but another problem is in relation to food ( and liquids) containing acids such as lemon juice and also fatty foods. These materials would soak into the polished worktop and leave stains or indeed over a period of time acids do erode the worktop. Is there any way or material which can be used to protect / repair the worktop and does it really give long lasting protection?

thankx in advance

Reply to
Seamus Mc Loughlin
Loading thread data ...

Granite is pretty impervious to most things. That's why its used.

Oher stones are not, and need sealant coating. Typically acrylic.

Coriam - a osrt of fake stome made of (I think) Epoxy loaded up with stuff that makes it look stomnelike, is parcatically better, but is not so togh or 'natural' looking.

Essentially you have a choivce. Natural materials look natural and take stain. Indeed that is part of the attraction. They can be treeted, ut will never approach the hygiene and durability of synthetics.

Which is why professional kitchens are clad in stainless steel. It is simply the toughest and most hygienic surface there is, and white glazed porcelain runs it a close second.

Reply to
The Natural Philosopher

Nah. Granite will give much better stain resistance than wood. Marble might be problematic, though.

However, granite is close to an order of magnitude more expensive than real wood and more like 20 times the cost of laminate. It is the Rolls Royce choice.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Cost is proportional the the amount of polishing required, rather than weight or flat area. Edge polishing for island units or sink cutouts will hike the price. £4k (1) is not untypical for an average kitchen.

(1) sorry should that be 4kgbp ?

Reply to
Toby

Very approximate figures for our kitchen were (from memory):

100 - laminate 300 - beech 500 - iroko 2500 - granite

It is a galley, no joins, but a Belfast cutout. (The laminate wouldn't work for that reason).

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

There are also sealants for granite worktops that can be used after installation.

Our worktops have been in place for two years and get heavy daily use including all kinds of things being spilled including acidic and staining liquids. They haven't marked and are very easy to maintain.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Reply to
Andy Hall

Stone is categorised as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic.

Granite is igneous, which means it formed as crystals from a molten mass. They're impermeable, hard, and chemically resistant. Chemically there are acid igneous rocks formed from continents and basic rocks formed from oceans, but this makes little difference to their worktop resistance. Expensive, especially for machining and polishing, but they're very robust.

Sedimentary rocks (limestone, sandstone) are more likely to be found as fireplaces than worktops. They're formed of hard grains of another rock, glued together in a softer matrix. Sandstones are quartz grains in a minimal (and often weak) matrix. Limestones are little solids in a matrix of calcium carbonate. They're often permeable (thus prone to absorbing stains), mechanically weak (prone to scratches or abrasion) and especially for the carbonates, very susceptible to attack by acids, including citrus fruit or vinegar. Concrete may be included with these sedimentaries.

Metamorphic rocks are sedimentary rocks that have been cooked by heat and/or pressure. Slate and marble are the obvious examples. They're usually mechanically strong (although this may be laminar, like Welsh slate) and much less permeable. Marble begins as limestone and metamorphosis doesn't change its underlying chemistry, so it's still susceptible to acid attack.

I was reading "Concrete Countertops" at the weekend

Highly recommended for anyone considering a major kitchen worktop project. Concrete is an interesting option and some of the techniques apply equally to any extra-heavy worktop material.

-- Smert' spamionam

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Granite is almost the same chemical as glass. But even limestone is pretty impervious. Go and try digging an hole in some concrete with a bottle of Jiff lemon.

Reply to
Michael McNeil

Maybe a third of typical granites is similar to quartz (this proportion varies between sources). The rest is feldspars, and they're quite different, softer and less inert. They're still robust (for kitchens), but it's inaccurate to think "granite = glass"

-- Smert' spamionam

Reply to
Andy Dingley

A kitchen-fitter friend was called back to see a granite worktop he fitted recently. The surface had been stained by placing two freshly baked hot buns on it, in their greaseproof paper cases. He told me they left two very-visible dark circles. The worktop supplier arrived and placed bleach-soaked cloths on the stains and left them to soak in for a while. The staining was reduced, but its still there.

Reply to
Steve

Now that surprises me. I'd question whether it was heat or grease that caused it - but I wouldn't have expected granite to do this at all. However it's just what you'd expect from a poorly sealed concrete top.

-- Smert' spamionam

Reply to
Andy Dingley

It does me as well.

I've done exactly that with no problems.

I think I would be suspicious as to whether it really is granite.

.andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

Reply to
Andy Hall

A way to test worktops on this american site

formatting link
if the link does not work google on granite lemon test it tell you all about how to test to see if its real granite or not. Rob

Reply to
rob w

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.