Silestone
Silestone vs Granite; What is this Buzz about?
Silestone vs Granite; What is this Buzz about?
People often like to go for natural worktops like granite worktops and marble worktops, but currently outstanding inventions like Silestone worktops are giving a tough competition for those. They all have a luxurious look as well as being hardwearing. Since every kind of worktop has benefits as well as drawbacks, it is not a bad idea to explore the new trends. Not like they are totally new to the market, the Silestone worktop has made quite a fuss already amongst buyers. There are different Silestone price groups depending upon the end finish and colour ranges.
About Silestone Worktop
Silestone is a sturdy, compact, extraordinarily rigid, non-porous homogeneous slab created artificially. These engineered slabs are predominantly quartz as they are manufactured by bonding 94% natural quartz crystals with resins and adhesives.
The primary material, quartz, used in the manufacturing process of Silestone deserves most of the credibility for the awesomeness of the Silestone quartz worktops. Quartz is the fourth hardest mineral in nature amongst the ones discovered until now, with a Mohs hardness of 7. It is defeated by diamonds that’s a 10, corundums on 9 and 8 topaz. On the same scale, the marble worktops have a score of 3-5 and the steel used for knives has a score of 5.5. You see, the Silestone worktop is much harder than the knife. The resin used in it is baked with its patented antibacterial formula, which is derived from silver ions that actively kill bacteria and other microbes. Silestone quartz is the only one with this characteristic thus making them a popular option for customers of residential as well as commercial settings as they make hygienic options for use in places like residential kitchens, the food industry and healthcare.
Uses – Silestone Countertops and Much More
Silestone is suitable for a wide range of interior applications like stylish kitchen islands, bathroom worktops, vanities, kitchen countertops, splashbacks, upstands, kitchen windowsill, work tables & benches, and floor & wall claddings, etc. Through a special process, it can be moulded to create kitchen sink units, washbasins, shower trays and more, making it a delightful reality for all designers.
Differences Between the Silestone Quartz and Granite Worktops
-
Natural or Manmade
Granites and Marbles are natural stones that are developed beneath the earth’s crust when molten lava travels towards the surface from the core. Extreme temperatures and pressure during this process enable them to come out as exquisite pieces of artistic slabs. Natural stone worktops like granite worktops and marble worktops are thus visually appealing with dramatic veins and grains in them, as they are manufactured from 100% raw gigantic slabs. Unlike them, Silestone worktops are about 90 to 95% natural quartz stone mixed with polymer acrylic resins and adhesives. The natural quartz as mentioned earlier is already strong by nature, but these are made even better through the addition of the above-mentioned materials in the manufacturing process. The additives harden and upgrade the natural stone thus making them more versatile and durable. The manufacturers of Silestone quartz have tried to mimic the beauty of natural stones, sometimes so good that it makes it hard for even experts to tell apart the quartz worktops from natural worktops.
-
Granite and Silestone Colours
For granite, the raw nature of its grain means you can purchase granite worktops with all sorts of distinct patterns and blends of colors which can never be repeated. No two slabs of granite stone look identical, serving a unique aesthetic, every time this gives granite worktops an additional charm. Now, what makes the Silestone worktop stand out is its enormous range of stone colors. The buyers have multiple choices to pick stone colors from outside the neutral too. One such glamorous piece to name is Silestone Calacatta Gold. It is suitable for someone looking for a white kitchen worktop with grey and gold veins on the surface area.
-
Heat Resistivity
Silestones are bad with heat. Guess, they were busy being too cool, they never learned how to handle hotness haha. Do not put direct hot pans and pots over the Silestone surface. Granite worktops show better heat resistivity as compared to Silestone quartz. Granites are a result of tremendous heat and pressure beneath the earth’s crust, thus they can naturally withstand heat. However, to protect the polishes and prevent them from being affected, we recommend using heat coasters and trivets for all worktops.
-
Countertops Silestone – Affordability
Though the cost of all materials differs from seller to seller, the Silestone worktop in general is costlier as compared to granite countertops.
-
Is Silestone UK for Outdoor Use?
Here too, the point goes to granite. That is because the resin pigments used during the manufacturing of Silestone worktops get negatively affected by UV rays, such that dark-colored Silestone quartz will fade within a span of two weeks in the exposed sun, and the whites will turn yellow. Therefore, quartz Silestone is limited to indoor use only, whereas granites can be used for exteriors too.
-
Finishes
Granite worktops are popularly available in polished, honed, flamed and leathered finishes. Silestone is comparatively limited in finishes. They were initially found in polished finish, but now one can see other finishes like suede and volcano finish too.
-
Thickness
30mm granite worktops are the most widely available thicknesses for granite. However, 20mm granite worktops and 40mm Granite slabs can be seen too. As opposed to this, Silestone offers comparatively thinner ranges like 12mm worktop, 20mm worktop and 30mm worktop.
-
Sealing
Natural worktops like granite require regular sealing because granite is porous up to some level. Some granites show low porosity, while others are medium. So, to prevent kitchen countertops from being damaged by moisture, and bacterial attacks, they must be given annual sealing. Silestone worktops do not require any external sealing as they are manufactured to be highly non-porous. It thus earns a point here, so 😉
Whatever you desire to pick from, it is gonna be a fabulous kitchen given the project falls in the right hands and regular maintenance is carried out. Browse our wide range of stones at the most competitive prices, if you cannot locate something you are looking for we do not mind assisting you personally. Get your free quotes for kitchen worktop through our website chat and the team will guide you efficiently. Stones as well as fabrication services; you can get both from Work-tops at the most affordable prices.
