infiniteMPG wrote:
We're pretty winding down on our new cabinets and we're seriously
seeking our best countertop choices (no, plywood is the temporary
choice until the real stuff arrives). We've heard stories of heat
affecting Corian and LG and things like if you cut on the countertop
itself it will scor or mark like a plastic cutting board. We've also
heard stories of everything from emisions of radon gas from granite
and the need to seal and care for the surface. We have seen granite
at places like Lowe's that is supposedly sealed for 15 years now,
too. We've heard good and bad about Silestone but then today someone
said it's just Home Depot's branding of granite.

We'd like to get to the truth of the matter but I'd rather throw it
out to the knowledgable public (i.e. alt.home.repair) then from some
vendor or distributor. What's the truth about these materials????

Also, we like the molded in sinks that come with Corian and LG but
heard that if they get damaged from dropping something in them, then
you have to replace the whole counter top and can't just replace the
sink. We don't really like the stainless sinks sitting under a
granite countertop as there is a slight mating 'crap trap' between the
sink and the countertop and although we know this is sealed, there is
still the mating recess between them. Doesn't seem to be something
I'd want.

So what's the truth?????????

Man made materials - Corian, Silestone, "Quartz", et al - are made by
embedding minerals in plastic. How soft and/or durable they are depends on
what *kind* of plastic mostly and which minerals secondly. And on the ratio
of plastic to minerals. Regardless, none of the plastics will resist a
steel knife. Nor high heat. However, they are resilient and should resist
damage from things dropping on them.

Natural stones can be formed either in a similar manner to the above or by
the interlocking of the crystals of the minerals of which the rock is
composed. Most limestone and sandstone are examples of the former, granite
an example of the latter. Again, their hardness and durability depends upon
the characteristics of the minerals comprising them...limestone is soft,
sandstone is hard (assuming it is comprised of quartz sand). Their
permeability depends upon how tightly the grains are hooked together and the
types of minerals. A few natural rocks - talc, for example - have virtually
no permeability.

BTW, "granite" has a fairly narrow definition petrologically. Most of the
"granite" sold for counter tops should more accurately be referred to as
"granitic". As far as radon from such goes, I would worry far more about
being zapped by a death ray from aliens somewhere in Andromeda than I would
about radon emissions from a granite counter top.
http://www.marble-institute.com/indu...-akron2008.pdf

Which to choose? Up to you. Personally, I think all of them - particularly
the man made ones - are way over priced so I like tile.

Sink-wise, I wouldn't want a Corian type sink...too easy to stain and
scratch. IMO, you can't beat cast iron covered with porcelain.


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dadiOH
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