- By Remodel Works
- In Countertops, Blog, Products
Corian Countertops: Pros & Cons
Corian countertop material is made from a plastic resin – trademarked by Dupont. It is made from a combination of an acrylic copolymer, and an alumina trihydrate filler. Essentially, it is a plastic material that can be pigmented to practically any color, and be provided with a large number of textures. At Remodel Works, we are experts in choosing the best countertop for your kitchen remodel.
If you want your kitchen countertop to match exactly with your kitchen color theme or design, you have a better chance of achieving that with Corian than with any other material. It is a solid surface plastic material that can even be made with a granite or a marble effect finish. Because it is not a natural material, it can be produced in large sheets and provide a completely solid, one sheet countertop without any seams or joins.
Corian is easy to clean but it’s not quite as durable as stone countertops like granite. It can be scorched by flame, and burned by hot pans unlike genuine stone finishes such as granite, marble, and slate. However, neither are you paying the price for stone with its heat tolerant properties. For what it costs, Corian is a good, durable counter tops. It’s important to know also, that Corian should not be used as a cutting surface. Any plastic resin material can be scratched, and caution with kitchen utensils is important. However, when you factor in the cost, this counter top material starts to look pretty good.
Corian comes in a range of thicknesses, from a quarter to three-quarters of an inch, though half an inch is the average. The color pattern will run throughout the thickness of the plastic, and will not disappear when you sand it down. As such, Corian countertops can be cut and formed without losing the pattern. This is useful when you have to cut and form the countertop around your sink: you maintain the true color and pattern, unlike laminates such as Formica. Another benefit that a Corian countertop will give you over anything else is that it can be used outdoors.
True, granite and marble can be too, but the polish on these materials can be worn by weather conditions. Stone can get slightly pitted and lose its surface finish, while Corian does not. That’s not so important for indoor kitchen countertops, but certainly for outdoor kitchen counters.Corian countertops are available in so many colors, designs, and in so many finishes, including marble or granite, that you are almost certain to find what you need for your kitchen. They look good and are a lot less expensive to buy than the real stone. And without the natural color and pattern variations found in stone, you’re sure that what you see in the showroom is exactly the countertop you’ll get in your kitchen.
In addition to the price advantage of Corian, there’s the hygiene aspect and the fact that your Corian kitchen countertop and sink can be provided as one seamless unit with no possibility of water leaks through joins or accumulations of bacteria between the counter and the sink. It is true that no manufactured material will look as brilliant as real polished stone, but they do have there benefits too. Corian counter tops are available in countless colors, patterns, and textures to chose from to match your kitchen decor. Once piece construction avoids dirt traps. And the cost is typically far less than natural countertop materials.
