Rudi’s Choice: Finding the Best Surface For You

Let’s take a closer look at some of the more popular finishes on offer today with this guide that will help you make the right choice for your own home. Here are the key differences between some of the most popular surface choices on the market, and how Rudi’s Choice is different from them all. 

Marble, granite, and onyx:

Both marble (including limestone, onyx, and travertine) and granite are types of stone quarried from the earth.  Granite is formed deep in the earth’s mantle at extremely high temperatures, and is a very hard, resistant stone made of crystallized minerals.

A popular choice within residential homes, granite is both durable and easy to clean. Granite offers a natural surface that is also heat resistant – just take care to protect your granite surface from excessive heat and open flames. Each slab is unique with natural fissures and patterns for an organic look and feel.

Marble offers timeless beauty. It is also widely available today. Marble is a softer material which may succumb to stains and scratches. Therefore, ensure your marble is sealed correctly by a fabricator before installation.

Granite is harder than your knife blades. In fact, it will blunt them very quickly if you use the countertop as a cutting surface. Always cut and chop on a wooden or plastic cutting board.

Marble is sometimes used in the kitchen as a pastry slab. The perfectly smooth, cool surface is ideal for rolling out dough and pie crusts.

Here is a basic break-down of other surfaces:

Solid surfaces:

One of the newer finishes on offer today, solid surface countertops are typically made from hard acrylic materials. These are used to produce a solid countertop ideal for bathrooms and kitchen surfaces. Although a hard and durable option, solid surface countertops are not heat resistant. Furrthermore, it may succumb to burns and scratches, unlike the more popular stone finishes on offer.

Concrete:

A contemporary countertop finish, concrete is a great addition to an industrialised-styled space. You can also choose to customise your concrete counters, which may then be poured right into the frame inside your home and left to set. As with any specially customised finish, this can be an expensive option. It can also be potentially porous if not done correctly.

Formica:

High pressure laminate (HPL), also called Formica laminate countertops, is made of plastic phenolic resins that are laminated onto layers of ordinary brown kraft paper. This is then printed with a decorative layer. It’s topped by a wear-resistant layer and a thin and transparent melamine resin layer for protection. The end result is a finished look that resembles natural stone or wood countertops. They can be scratched if abrasive cleaners are used. Delamination is one of the problems with laminate countertops. This is especially true for water damage, which makes repairs difficult.

Melamine:

Melamine laminate is a hard resin commonly used as an overlay for building materials like MDF or plywood. While the melamine itself is waterproof, if water gets to the particle board underneath, the dampness could cause the melamine to distort. Similarly, while melamine is very durable, if you incorrectly install or assemble a piece of laminate furniture in a way that damages its particle board, it could cause the melamine to chip.

Quartz:

Quartz is resistant to stains, scratches and cracks, changes in temperature, as well as common household chemicals. The durability of this surface is because it’s one of nature’s hardest minerals and are designed with longevity in mind.

Porcelain/Sintered stone:

The manufacturing system combines layers of coloured powders into the body of the slab, perfecting the appearance down to its minimum details. Porcelain stoneware comes from careful research and selection of premium raw materials and is a highly specialised manufacturing process.

If you’re looking for superior finishes for your next project, be sure to contact Rudi’s Choice. Rudi’s Choice is an International Slab Sales (Pty) Ltd original brand offering a curated selection of natural stone slabs. High quality granite, marble and onyx materials from all over the world can be found in the Rudi’s Choice collections.