Stone Counter Tops

There is much talk today with concrete products that last a lifetime, have less harmful effects to the environment and is a way to stay green in your remodeling project. While concrete is a good source of material for longevity there are limits to what it can do. If you are looking to update your kitchen and have been introduced to new green products on the market for counter tops, consider using manufactured stone. Made out of stone but much lighter, the quartz-bound process uses resin, pigments and other types of filler then heated to a tough durable slab. Stone is beautiful and natural but also expensive to have installed.

Cultured stone is in the class of cast polymers. By using the precise blend of polyester resin, fillers, catalyst and pigments, a desired texture can be created with chemical reaction and curing. Molds are used to shape the mass and bonding guarantees a hard strong material. Workers trim, polish, grind and inspect each piece then coat with a clear gel to further the durability. Inlays can be done to produce a unique style and enhance the counter top area.

Stone Counter Tops

Manufactured stone or engineered stone counter tops are a natural composite of 93% quartz and 7% binder and filler. Unlike marble type compositions, you will not find the distinct designs of swirls in the material as left by marble. You also won’t find any pits associated with stone because the quartz is ground down to a powder while also containing bits and pieces for a strong surface. Molds are used to create an entire counter top or sections that can be sealed together with very little minimal seam visibility. Some manufacturers offer an antibacterial agent that is included in the composition process.

You can have your counter top designed with pigments of color to mimic marble or any other type of style you like. The colors and designs of counter tops made with manufactured stone are endless. Glass or mirror chips, mother of pearl, colored veins or larger pieces of quartz that adds depth and clarity are all ways that companies come up with endless possibilities to a stylish counter top. The surface can be polished to a deep shine or honed for a matte look. Colors vary from white, pastels and even the deepest reds or blacks.

Stone Counter Tops

Matching pieces can be used as back splashes, inlays in cabinets, or perhaps a desktop. Manufactured stone has many forms that it can take in addition to counter tops that are beautiful and solid. Pieces can be cut to any shape, like rectangular, curved or oval. Visit different companies and discuss your ideas for the perfect natural kitchen. You may have to visit a few manufacturers in order to find just the right artistic style that you are thinking of but anything is possible with manufactured stone. Stay green but with the flexibility of being creative.

We supply an affordable, durable, versatile, Manufactured Stone veneer product well suited for exterior as well as interior applications. Our Veneer Stone is lightweight and easy to install on a wide variety of interior and exterior applications and it requires no footing or support ledges.

Planning a modern kitchen design? Well, here are five great bits of advice I can offer you on getting every element of your plans bang on perfect.

Kitchen Design

Let’s start by talking about planning. A modern kitchen could look and feel any number of ways but what will determine how yours looks is your lifestyle. Think about how often you use your kitchen, what you use it for and the type of things you do in there. Then write down all the things you need to have in there to enable you to work better. Planning isn’t the most glamorous part of any kitchen design, but you’ll be rewarded for your work by the end of the process.

Kitchen Design

The second tip is choosing the right materials. You’ll want to invest money in strong materials that not only look beautiful and modern but also last for as long as you need them to. Things like stainless steel are popular in modern kitchen design and will also stand the test of time. Make sure you think about every little thing you put into your kitchen and consider if you’ll get your value out of it.

Kitchen Design

Next, incorporate an island into your kitchen. No modern kitchen design is complete without a central unit these days. An island can also be remarkably functional and you can have it purpose built to suit your own needs. For instance, if you do a lot of cooking you can have a sink or chopping board built in. An island is also useful for entertaining guests so if you have a lot of dinner parties, it will usually become the central hub of activity.

Modern Kitchen Design

Make sure you keep those lines clean. When I say this I mean that in a modern kitchen design, all the surfaces should have very straight edges and line up perfectly. A nifty tip is to ensure you overhead cupboards reach the ceiling. This is something that easily gets overlooked but can really give you that streamline effect, which is essential for a modern looking kitchen.

Modern Kitchen Design

Last but by no means least; involve yourself in the process from start to finish. If you’re passionate about how you want your kitchen to look then make sure you stay on top of the design process right through to the fitting. Designers and builders will take liberties and make key decisions if you don’t make yourself clear. Stay involved with the project and see it through to the finish. You’ll be rewarded with a stunning modern kitchen.

Thomas Baugh offers more advice on planning a modern kitchen at the Kitchen Design Site.