Natural vs. Engineered Stone: Pros and Cons to Consider for Office Kitchen Benchtops

09 April 2021

If you are planning to install new kitchen benchtops in your business offices, you may wonder whether a natural or engineered stone is the best choice. Although some advertisements present marble and granite as the top-rated benchtop materials, engineered stone can also be a quality choice.

For an office interior design today, quartz is a popular option for countertops in office kitchens. It is placed with granite as a leading durable and attractive solid surfacing material. Whether your office kitchen gets heavy-duty use for preparing luncheons, reception menus and regular meals for employees or is just used lightly, both natural and man-made stone can make beautiful and practical benchtops.

Pros and Cons of Natural and Engineered Stone for Your Office Kitchen Benchtops

There are definite benefits and some drawbacks to selecting natural or engineered stone for your new office kitchen benchtops, including the following:

Granite and Marble

• Appearance. Both granite and marble are beautiful, stylish and elegant natural stones. Kitchen benchtops make of these materials are stunning with lovely colour tones and graceful veining. Benchtops produced from these stones ensure a fashionable, stylish appearance for your company kitchen.
• Durability. Granite is harder than marble, and granite countertops are less likely to chip or scratch if heavy items are dropped on them. Both of these lovely stones are heat resistant. Yet it is important to avoid placing hot cooking pans directly on marble or granite benchtops to avoid surface damage or discolouration.

If you select either granite or marble benchtops for your office kitchen, their surfaces should be sealed. Both stones are porous, and sealing will give them greater resistance to scratches and surface damage from exposure to acids and alkalis in foods and kitchen products.

• Value. Granite or marble benchtops are a good investment. They can retain their beauty and strength for many years. Installing these elegant natural stone benchtops in your office kitchen will impress your clients and please your entire staff.

Engineered Stone or Quartz

• Appearance. Engineered stone often looks like granite or slate, mirroring the same colours, textures and veining, although the natural stones have more varied shades and tones. However, dyes can be added to the quartz components during production to create the desired uniform colour.
• Durability. Engineered stone or quartz is almost as hard as granite. It is less likely to crack or chip than granite or slate. Quartz is resistant to scratching, and it is also heat resistant, although you should always protect its surfaces from extreme heat.

Quartz benchtops are solid surfaces without pores or imperfections. Liquids cannot seep into these countertop surfaces like they can on natural stone benchtops. Engineered stone surfaces resist bacteria buildup and staining, making your office kitchen a healthy place for food preparation.

• Value. Engineered stone is not considered as upscale as natural stone for kitchen countertops. Yet a beautiful quartz kitchen benchtop in your office kitchen can add style and good functionality. It can also enhance your commercial kitchen with the look of elegance.

By consulting our experts at Hans International in Sunshine North, Victoria, you can receive excellent advice and installation services for new office kitchen benchtops. Whether you prefer natural or engineered stone, our experienced professionals will guide you in selecting beautiful, elegant and practical surfaces.

Optimized by: Netwizard SEO