On Aug 26, 10:55*am, dpb wrote:
infiniteMPG wrote:

...

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????

Right--you'll take the word of a zillion anonymous usenet posters over
that of the folks that actually make and install (and stand behind) the
stuff?
...

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

The truth is all materials have strengths and corresponding weaknesses.
* * All of the ones you have listed are manmade stones except for the
granite (again, assuming it is actually granite and not a manufactured
"granite-like" product).

All _will_ scratch, all can be damaged by heat or in various other ways,
all can be stained in varying degrees and all can be harmed by various
chemicals. *Many do need surface treatment; obviously the best place to
learn about what any particular product requires is from the folks who
know it best...

All that said, we installed a manmade, "Danae", which is a
similar-to-Corian but less pricey w/ the integral molded sink. *It's
been in two years now and is proving to be quite satisfactory w/ only a
modicum of care.

The sink has not scratched and staining has not been an issue...

--


I agree that all countertop materials have pros and cons. There is
no one perfect solution. It depends entirely on the budget and
application. What's right for a rental property isn't right for a
property about to be put on the market.

One thing I can tell you though. With the rising price of petro
chemicals, the price of the man-made materials, like Silestone has
gone up considerably. The cost of man made quartz products, which is
what Silestone is, are now around the price of granite, even higher in
some cases. If you're at all concerned about resale, ask yourself
this:

How often do you see real estate listings that brag about granite
countertops, vs anything else? IMO, if your budget allows for
granite, I'd go with that over any of the choices in similar price
range.