If you love the look of natural stone, yet desire something that requires less upkeep, then an engineered surface may be a good fit for you! Quartz, sintered stone and porcelain are three examples of stone that is commonly used in engineered surfaces.
What’s the Difference?
While natural stone countertops are cut directly from granite, marble, or types of stone, engineered surfaces are created from a combination of quartz crystals and a resin binder that helps to hold everything together. When it comes to appearances, your guests may not be able to tell your engineered surface from a natural stone surface.
Advantages of Engineered Surfaces
Engineered Surfaces offer several benefits, including:
- Easy to clean
- Are not porous, so they won’t absorb liquids making them resistant to mold or mildew
- Do not need to be sealed
- Because they are engineered, they are more consistent in hue. That makes for a nice cohesive look across the entire countertop
- Very durable and heat resistant, however cannot tolerate a high degree of heat-no higher than a maximum of 150 degrees
Engineered Surface Applications
You can use an engineered surface almost anywhere you can use a natural stone surface. Ivey Lane has experience crafting and installing various engineered surfaces for the following areas:
- Kitchen countertops
- Bathroom vanities
- Restaurant countertops, bars, and table tops
- And more
Engineered Surface Care
Caring for a quartz or porcelain engineered surface is fairly easy. For the most part, you simply want to focus on avoiding any kind of abrasive cleaner when it comes to cleaning and maintaining your counters. The following basic cleaning guidelines will help you maintain your engineered surfaces –
- Use a soft cloth and mild dishwashing detergent to wipe up fresh spills.
- For dried or stuck-on stains, try using a glass cleaner with a non-abrasive sponge.
- If you’re dealing with something that’s caked on, like grease or paints from your little one’s arts and crafts, keep a putty knife handy to softly scrape away the mess.
- Remember, wipe your surface down daily.
Additional care and maintenance can be found on each manufacturer’s website.