SOLID SURFACE VS QUARTZ SURFACES

Solid surface vs Engineered quartz stone surfaces – Which is a better option for home décor?

Let us look at the difference:

1. Made of different materials:
   • Solid surface is manufactured by mixing nature mineral powder (bauxite), acrylic, epoxide or polyester resin and colouring pigments, then chemically cured and heated into sheets form.
   • Engineered quartz stone surface is a mixture of 92% quartz stone and 7% polyester resin and other additives, vibrate compressed into slab form under vacuum condition.
2. Mouldability
   • Solid surface: almost limitless on design flexibility. Can be heated and bent into a variety of shapes.
   • Engineered quartz stone surfaces: meanwhile quartz is a much harder material which makes the stone more rigid and compact. However, this character also makes it almost cannot be moulded into other shapes other than slab form.
3. Scratch & Stain resistance
   • Solid surface is a low-maintenance material but easier to get scratched and stained during daily use application.
   • Engineered quartz stone surfaces have the highest resistance to scratch/stain/impact compare to all the other materials.
4. Repairability
   • In most cases, the Solid surface can be quickly repaired by patching, sanding & re-polishing in order to extend its usage.
   • Engineered quartz stone surfaces cannot be repaired like solid surface once after installation because of its super hardness. However, the hardness also makes the quartz surface maintenance free under normal circumstance.
5. Heat resistance
   • Solid surface is low in heat resistance. It is advised that do not place the item with high temperature e.g. hot pot directly on the surface instead of using a heat trivet.
   • Engineered quartz stone surface is fairly high in heat resistant and not affected by the temperature lower than 300^o However for a better long-term usage, it is also recommended that hot pots and pans never be placed directly on the surface but onto a heat trivet or chopping board.
6. Affordability
   • Cost for engineered quartz stone surfaces is generally higher than the solid surface because its rigidness makes processing of it a more difficult task. Therefore the engineered quartz stone surfaces are most commonly used for kitchen countertops/bathroom vanity tops/kitchen backsplash etc. where the value added through processing can offset its considerably higher price.