Anyone have Corian countertops

[kimberlym4]

I think that my Corian with the seamless sink is my favorite part of my house. I too find clean up of the white sink amazingly easy with Softscrub.

But... have you factored in how many nights at a Disney resort you could stay if you saved the money and stuck with laminate?
KIDDING!! - lol

 

[MPLsDad]

Have the speckled white corian with the white seamless sink in our bathroom which we bought at a factory showroom as a closeout for about 25% off. We love it and were replacing very dated laminate that showed every scratch and stain and was chipped at the corners.

We used silestone in our kitchen because it was cheaper than corian and it replaced the same scratched, stained, and chipped laminate. It is lgiht brown with different flecks of color in it.

Of the two, I like the look of the silestone better. That being said, we love both for the ease of cleanup and no maintenance. I would steer clear of formica/laminate if at all possible.

 

[PlutoPony]

I am so darn delicate with my grantie, I dont even cut on it or put hot things on it like you can. All around my sink it has chipped!

Yikes! Do you know the name of your granite pattern/color? I've done a lot of research on this stuff and occasionally find a variety that isn't recommended for kitchen use, but don't recall hearing of any that chip like that! Thanks!

 

[disgal1]

BedKnobbery2..thanks for the tip, also have tried that. Used straight bleach last night, let sit, no luck ...I still have 4 small tomato stains and 1 purple grape juice stain.

Tried sanding also, nothing. still stained. I am going to try a different sand paper today.

This is a first that the stains just won't budge. Usually, if I scrub hard enough they are gone.

Even if I get them out, I told the kids not to rinse anything, just scrape and put in dishwasher.

I hate being afraid of using my sink.!!

I checked the Corian website, no useful info. Iwill call them tomorrow.

 

[shades]

We have Corian with a seamless sink and it is very easy to take care of. I did goof and get a chrome faucet that shows water spots. I would choose the white faucet if I could do it over again. I also like the dark colors of Corian more so than the lighter ones - but, the saleslady convinced me to go with a lighter color because the dark colors are worse for showing off scratches. Now, if she would have warned me about the black ceramic cooktop showing scratches - I would be really happy with my new kitchen

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We loved the dark green Corian with maple cabinets. It stood up very well. The seemlessnes of the sink was great too - but avoid a white sink! EVERYTHING shows. It is a constant nuisance that almost counters the convenience of the seemlessness.
You can put sort of semi-hot things on it, and it doesn't mark up as easily as formica.
In the bathroom the Corian is also a godsend, and the light coloring is not such an issue.
Another downside to granite, and the manmdae granite - if you will - if you use stemware, or other glassware - and you tip something over, or drop it, it is unforgiving. Corian is much better in this regard. I prefer a countertop I can actually use.

 

[DisneyDazed]

Plutopony...... I am actually not sure. I was not aware that s ome werent recommended for kitchen use! YIKES! I know its a more expensive type. Do you have the names that arent for kitchen use? I would recognize it if I hear it. I think its emerald something.Its dark, almost black with colored flakes in it. Its really gorgeous I must say.

 

[Donnask8pro]

We just installed Cambria. It is just like Silestone. LOVE IT. quartzstone, looks like granite but not upkeep. They have a website I think its http://www.cambriausa.com/

 

[mickeyfan2]

We have corian counters and undermount sinks in the kitchen and all three bathrooms. I love it. It is so easy to keep clean. You can burn so be careful. Stains just wipe off. I would never trade it for granite. If you got a bad scratch it can be sanded out. No need to seal. Corian in used in operating rooms, so it is extremely sanitary.

ETA: We have had out corian counter tops for 13 years and they still look great.
Our island is tiled. That is where to the cooktop is, so heat is not a problem. Now they are even making corian shower stall. We have all corian thresholds for the bathrooms and shower stall lip.
In a few years granite will look dated. Buy what you like not what is in today.

 

[gottaluvdis]

Our island is silestone & it's great! I can't compare it to corian for wear, but I like the look better. I am a real estate agent and around here a lot of people have granite & the corian looks dated in comparison.

We chose silestone over granite because we thought it would be easier to deal with than granite, and possibly easier to match later (not counting on that though). We were on a tight budget for our kitchen remodel, so we did laminate on the back counters and silestone on the island. We're happy with both. The laminate is very light and needs a little bleach (or fantastic with bleach) to get out red wine.

Another hearty vote for Silestone. We just re-did out kitchen last summer and spent the $$$ on Silestone. We absolutely love it. Looks like granite, but no upkeep needed. We've cut on it, put hot pans on it - looks great. Red items will stain (cherry juice, red wine), but come right out with a little scrubbing and baking soda. A great investment if you can afford it. I believe all our counters were around $4000 installed (including a buffet area on the other side of the kitchen). I would do it again in a heartbeat - can't say enough about it. DuPont (makers of Corian) also makes a quartz product very similar to Silestone called Zodiac. Not sure about the pricing between the 2 though. I had my kitchen sink undermounted as well and love it. I like this look more than the look of the Corian seamless sink. Best of luck with your re-model.

 

[MAKmom]

There is a new product on the market called Meganite. It is the exact same formula as Corian... who lost their patent last year. It is way cheaper. Hi-mac is simular but not the same formula..not 100% acrylic.

 

[Disney4]

I love my Corian counter but wish I had chosen the stainless steel seamless sink instead of the white Corian one (it was free with our counter top purchase so we couldn't pass it up). I feel like I am always cleaning the sink. I also don't like that you are not supposed to pour really hot water directly into it. When I cook pasta, I have to have cold water running while I drain it. We use the part of the counter that was cut out for the sink space for a cutting board so although I sometimes cut on the counter, I try not to so we won't have to sand out scratches. I also love the seamless aspect. It makes cleaning the counter so easy.

 

[JenniferW]

Am considering Caesarstone, a type of quartz/silestone type product and appreciated the reviews of the different quartz products, we are between that and granite. Very interesting thread.

Jenn

 

[DisneyMomJen]

We redid our kitchen about 3-4 years ago. I had the toughest time choosing between Corian and Granite. They would have been the same price. I chose Corian. My reasoning was that I was so fearful of having a 'color' for my counter that would be really hard to get rid of down the line once I was tired of it. I have looked at so many houses where they have a colored formica or Corian and the color is outdated. My final decision was when I heard a kitchen designer tell someone else that granite may be a 'fad'. I am not sure if that is true, but I felt neutral would be a better choice. I have cream color wood cabinets with the same color Corian. It is beautiful and very neutral and even has a beveled edge. I had gotten a great deal since the Expo by us just opened and had all these promotions. Remember, there are people selling Home Depot coupons over on Ebay which can help with any big purchase.

 

[Gillian]

I'd have to agree that neutral is a good idea, whatever you choose!

Fads and things looking dated are related, of course. Go for something really trendy and it will look probably dated sooner. Where you live also makes a difference, as styles vary by region & budget.

I think the best part is shopping!

 

[mickeyfan2]

We redid our kitchen about 3-4 years ago. I had the toughest time choosing between Corian and Granite. They would have been the same price. I chose Corian. My reasoning was that I was so fearful of having a 'color' for my counter that would be really hard to get rid of down the line once I was tired of it. I have looked at so many houses where they have a colored formica or Corian and the color is outdated. My final decision was when I heard a kitchen designer tell someone else that granite may be a 'fad'. I am not sure if that is true, but I felt neutral would be a better choice. I have cream color wood cabinets with the same color Corian. It is beautiful and very neutral and even has a beveled edge. I had gotten a great deal since the Expo by us just opened and had all these promotions. Remember, there are people selling Home Depot coupons over on Ebay which can help with any big purchase.

ITA. Almost everybody who does granite does painted cabinets to lighten up the kitchen. My custom cabinet company says painted cabinets will be out in a few years and the dark granite will not work on the natural wood. BTW our natural cabinets' finish is guaranteed for life, but the painted ones are not. Paint is not part of th wood but sits on the wood and will chip off. We have white corian in the upstair bathrooms and almond on the kitchen and downstair bathroom. Both compliment our cabinets and all rooms look bright and airy.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

HAs anyone else noticed that once you strart looking at this stuff - you notice it everywhere?

BTW - WDW has Corian in many of its bathrooms. Universal's Portofino Hotel has what I think is unpolished 'Baltic Brown' (granite) all over it's lobby. How much did THAT cost? No wonder they charge so much to stay there!

One of the prettiest Corian bathrooms at WDW is the one near the Dole whip stand/Aladdin - in a walkway connecting Adventureland to Frontierland.

 

[gottaluvdis]

I'd have to agree that neutral is a good idea, whatever you choose!

Fads and things looking dated are related, of course. Go for something really trendy and it will look probably dated sooner. Where you live also makes a difference, as styles vary by region & budget.

I think the best part is shopping!

ITA - Choosing the Silestone color was the hardest part. We went with Diana Pearl, which is a very neutral light beige color but has a nice speckled look. We didn't want dark counter tops. Our cabinets are a natural maple finish, so this was a good match. The counters we replaced were light blue laminate! Talk about dated!