Anyone had experience of Corian kitchen worktops?

corian is a great worktop, if it does get scratched you can easily get the scratch out , the sales person should be able to give you info on this, it is expensive . i think about £300 per metre

Max,

Why not have a Granite worktop instead?, harder wearing and cheaper.

Corian looks fantastic - our kitchen has Corian worktops, it's a wonderful material, but it can work out expensive. Yes it is easy to scratch, but really easy to get the scratches out.

Ask your supplier for some samples and then you can scratch them and rub out the scratch. Once you seen a Corian worktop I doubt you'll want any other material.

It also makes a good TT plinth and platter, but that's another story.

I have no direct experience but considered it when we did our kitchen a while back. My understanding of its features and benefits are that it is the same solid material throughout therefore if scratch it, it can be removed by removal of material like a french polisher would a solid wood table top (but have you ever created a significant scratch in laminate?)

It also allows a seamless installation - the joints between panels/sink etc are filled with identical resin.

Aesthetics - your taste - but better in my opinion than granite which always reminds me of mausoleum.

Budget no object I'd have gone for pyrolave

Thanks for the response

ROTF,knnth - can you tell me what I use to get scratches out please? Presumably the same for stains?

Max

We used a product called Askilan for our worktop, which is supposed to have many of the advantages of Corian, but is harder wearing.

Steve D

Have a corian worktop (white) and its great. Seamless and a low level splash back at the rear but going right up the wall to extractor/bottom of the cupboards, behind the hob.

Can stain slightly but easily removed with Bar Keepers friend (think very fine vim)

I certainly have nothing negative to say about our corian top. It has never scratched, mind you I dont use it as a cutting surface either. Anyway if it does scratch, just get out the sandpaper....
Personally, I rate it as a better surface to live with than granite.

Hope this helps
Pete

quote:

Originally posted by Max Y:
Thanks for the response

ROTF,knnth - can you tell me what I use to get scratches out please? Presumably the same for stains?

Max

Hi Max

To get stains out use a damp cloth and a mild cream abrasive cleanser (Jif/Cif).

To get scratches out use an abrasive scouring pad and rub over with some bleach and then finish off a damp cloth and the mild cream abrasive cleanser.

You should get full cleaning instructions with your worktop - a good supplier will demonstrate this to you or let you have a go yourself.

All the best, Rotf

quote:

dont use it as a cutting surface either. Anyway if it does scratch, just get out the sandpaper....
Personally, I rate it as a better surface to live with than granite.

That about sums it up. Corian is a mineral-loaded acrylic resin, which makes it hard on tools (the filler is alumina) but moderately soft overall.

This is a very forgiving characteristic - it's very easy to clean, patch, de-scratch, or even recover major damage (but that won't happen unless you are habitually very careless!). It also means you wont inadvertantly smash plates and glasses when you put them down, as can so easily happen on granite.

In fact we regularly specify corian for use in labs and schools - stands up to years of abuse rather well.

We went for granite, and wish we had gone for Corian.
Granite involves joints and these separate giving gaps and steps which trap dirt.

both have pro's and con's as some have posted.
Stone is natural Corian is man made, Corian is easy to work with and to have nice inlays and edge work.
anyone who puts down the money for a counter top will use a cutting board for sure.
Granite can vary in price depending on the type and the quailty of the stone, go to a Granite importer and have a look at all the different slabs, as far a joints if the company is good (which you will pay for) the seams can be seamless.
both have to be polished ever 5 to 10 years to maintain the richness.

Sopestone is the up and coming counter top.

Thanks for all of the response.

My wife and I have looked at a wide range of worktop finishes and to our minds Corian is ahead of the rest in terms of finish and choice of colours. We have not seen anything that comes close. We are very near to signing our contract and, as I said in my original post, at the last minute we picked up a few negative comments.

Following your suggestions I have now got hold of a large sample 4x4 and covered it with wine, oil, turmeric and my cooking! I have also scratched it. I have been able to remove all of them. So Corian it is.

Many thanks

Max

New Corian is fine, but early samples were prone to cracking. Many early installations have had to be replaced.