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Silestone Counter Tops GuideAre Engineered Stone Counter Tops Right For You?Quartz counter tops are a man-made product combining natural quartz (an element found in granite) mixed with a binding resin. This process forms a very hard and durable surface that is similar to granite. Silestone counter tops are an excellent choice for your kitchen countertops, kitchen backsplash, kitchen island, bathroom vanity, wet bar or wine cellar.
Other brands such as Zodiac and Cambria make essentially the same product as Silestone counter tops. They are all engineered stone counter tops made pretty much the same way. Silestone is by far the leader of the market with more distributors, a more efficient production process and more colors to choose from, but the look, feel and function of the product isn't any "better" than the others. Deciding which product/company to buy will likely come down to color choices and availability from you local fabricator or distributor. Even though Silestone offers more colors, Zodiac and Cambria have different colors so you may want to check out all three companies. Silestone Counter Top ColorsOver 50 countertop colors are currently available from Silestone in a broad range from whites to tans and browns to greens, blues and blacks.Pattern. Like Zodiac and Cambria, Silestone counter tops have a very uniform pattern. When compared to granite, engineered stone counter tops can seem kind of boring considering granite has an almost unlimited variety of patterns and colors to choose from. However, many people prefer this consistent pattern over the entire countertop surface. And one advantage is that Silestone and other quartz counter top slabs can be easily matched up without a shift in the pattern or color that sometimes happens with granite. Care & MaintenanceNo Problem. Really, it's not much to worry about. The truth is that you would have to try pretty hard and be very neglectful to do any real damage, but it is possible, so . . . Always use cutting boards for food prep, trivets under hot pots and pans and wipe up spills before they dry. Daily cleaning is a snap. Hot water and a sponge are sufficient for keeping things tidy. For more thorough cleaning use a sponge and a non-bleach glass and surface cleaner. I like Simple Green the best. It’s near neutral pH makes it safe on any surface except marble. Do not use abrasive powders such as Comet or abrasive scratch pads. Silestone vs. GraniteGood Marketing. Despite marketing efforts by makers of engineered stone to try and convince you otherwise, there isn’t any significant difference regarding performance, function, cleaning or price between granite and Silestone or other brands of quartz counter tops. But for a more thorough discussion try the countertop comparison page.
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