Benchtops
Welcome to the SCK HUB!
The idea behind this blog is to have one spot for all the information, ideas, trends, before and after’s, recommendations, guidance and common mistakes (and everything in between) that as experts we know so you always have the information handy to help with your job.
Please note that our advise is always in relation to the way our cabinetry works and the suppliers that we use and maybe different for other companies.
So let’s get started, with a common item, ‘Benchtops’.
We work with 3 main materials with benchtops so I’ll focus on those, each has a different look, pros and cons and costs.
If you want to upgrade just your benchtop and not the entire kitchen for example, there are a few things that you firstly need to consider.
Each material is a different thickness so if you are going to replace a benchtop with a different material, along with the fact it is very hard to remove a benchtop without damaging splashbacks, may mean that you will have to update the splashback which is an extra cost that you will need to consider.
When removing a benchtop, regardless of if you are doing it yourself or having us remove it, the way it was attached to the cabinetry is usually unknown and so damage to the cabinetry is always a risk. Or if you were thinking of only replacing part of the benchtop and it is attached to other benchtop areas, the risk of damage to the benchtop that is remaining is high. So there is always a chance this could mean replacing more than you were hoping for so extra costs may need to be considered. SCK will always try our best not to damage anything, but this is not always possible, because of the unknowns of the way it is attached to both the cabinetry and other surfaces, so please be aware we are not responsible for any damage that may be caused.
When choosing colours/designs of materials it is handy to know that something with a detailed or speckled effect will be more forgiving if you happen to have an accident and mark your benchtop. Colours/designs that mimic the marble effect can have large areas of plain colour that if you do mark or stain will be more noticeable. So it is important to choose a colour/design that you not only like, but that matches your lifestyle.
The 3 main benchtop materials we use are Laminate, Stone and Wood. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Laminate
Thickness of material: 34mm
Brands we work with: Polytec, Formica & Laminex
Finishes available: Matt, Smooth, Gloss, different textured finishes including a wood like finish.
Edges available: Full Bullnose, Square, Tight roll (8x8) –
Full bullnose edging is a traditional look commonly referred to as bullnose and can be capped on corners to have the profile on all 4 edges.
Square edging can be used for waterfall ends and has a square look, be aware though that it is more susceptible to chipping so is not recommended for high use areas where user is not careful and if you chose a lighter colour/design you do notice the join on the edge.
Tightroll (8x8) edging is our most commonly chosen edging as it has a more square look but without the join and definitely has a more modern look.
Pros: Is the most cost effective benchtop option and comes in many colours/designs that mimic the stone look. Is less porous than stone for items that may stain.
Cons: Gloss finishes do mark easily, with fingerprints so if this bothers you, you would have to wipe it down regularly and if you drag something across it and scratch the surface it is very noticeable and you cannot get rid of that scratch.
What we have as an example here at the showroom: 1. Gloss finish, granite design, Bullnose edged, 2. Matt finish, speckled design, square edged, 3. Matt finish, Marbled design, tight rolled (8x8) edged, 4. Woodmatt textured finish, Timber grain design, tight rolled (8x8).
More handy info about laminate: It is always best to visit the websites of the samples that you like so that you can see the whole slab design as the samples to not always give a good indication of the whole design. Also you can then search for kitchens with that colour/design and see what others have done that you like.
Man-Made Stone
Thickness of material: Most common is 20mm or 40mm, although it does come in thicker but this does mean that more usable space is lost from your cabinetry.
Brands we work with: Smartstone, Quantum Quartz, Essastone, Silestone and Caesarstone
Finishes available: Each brand has its own choices with finishes, in most cases each colour/design has a finish that works best with the colour/design but they range from Matt to Gloss.
Edges available: Again each brand has a range of different edges however we recommend pencil round edges as this design does not have sharp edges which can be prone to chipping.
Pros: Large range of different natural designs. Is a hard wearing material that has a very elegant look. Is cheaper than natural stone.
Cons: Is expensive and the more detailed the marble/veined look it is the more expensive it does get. Although less porous than natural stone it is still porous and so you cannot leave stainable items eg. wine, turmeric or beetroot, on it as it will stain and that stain will not be removable. Because it is mixed with resin which has a very dangerous dust any work done on it needs to be carried out by a professional.
What we have as an example here at the showroom: 20 and 40mm stone, pencil and waterfall edges in several different colours, designs and finishes.
More handy info about man-made stone: Although some may recommend that you don’t have to use trivets or chopping boards with stone, we would always recommend if you are going to spend the money on stone that you do take the care to use them. Also like the laminate we would suggest looking online at the full slab design.
Natural Stone
All of the above applies for natural stone however, it is more expensive than man-made stone and every piece is unique. Suppliers of natural stone vary too than the man-made stone, talk to us but you may need to find a supplier of the stone that you are wanting and we would need to work with them. There will be natural imperfections in the stone such as cracking, displacement, pitting or similar blemishes that you do not get in man-made stone. Is a very porous material.
Wood
Thickness of material: 32 mm
Brands we work with: Monaro Timber
Finishes available: Oiled. We can supply product ready for a clear 2Pac application along with the details of a recommend local who has the correct products and knowledge to finish this product to requirements.
Edges available: Pencil Edge
Pros: Natural colours and look that instantly gives a space a warmer feeling. Can be used in modern and country looks.
Cons: With current worldwide supply issues due to COVID, this material is quite expensive. It does require continual upkeep and care. Due to being a natural product it can have significant variations in the finish, colour, design etc. Sun exposure can easily lead to changes in colour and shades overtime.
What we have as an example here at the showroom: Unfortunately at this time we do not have an example of a wooden benchtops within the showroom, but our website and facebook page do and we hope to feature a recent job in this blog in the near future.
More handy info about wooden benchtops: You can achieve a wood look using a laminate with a timber grain and even texture without the vast majority of the downsides of the natural timber grain.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions about anything from the blog, or a job you might have on 02 6494 3189 or email scksalesteam@gmail.com
If there is something you would like us to feature in the blog in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will try our best to accommodate all requests.
