Am trying to figure out what we want for the kitchen in our new house. One kitchen place is pushing for solid surface over quartz, and suggested an integrated sink. Does anyone have one? Pros/cons?

Thanks!

sorry my sink jargon is rather low ... any photo ?

It's a sink that is made of the same material as solid surface, I think it is moulded so the sink is actually part of the countertop, so there is no seam or join.

I didn't take a pic, but from a google search here are similar ones:
http://www.countertop.com/sinks/

Just wondering if there is any chance of staining when remnants of curry/kunyit/ribena/milo/coffee are poured down the sink.

Have seen it in 2 kitchen places. The first place says it might stain. The second place says it won't.

Hi,

Not sure which brand of solid surface you are using, but beware that solid surface is easily scratched, and might face staining or discoloration over time. If you insist to use solid surface, try using those with some speckle pattern, so that the scratches etc are not that obvious.

I still think quartz/granite countertop with an under-mount stainless steel sink is the best .

i read this one to understand

http://www.homedepot.com/c/buyers_guide_to..._sinks_HT_BG_KI

I had one from Corian, white color. No problems, but your mileage may vary.
I like it that it is seamless.
I would say a darker color may see more scratches in the long run. And different brands will get you different results

My next counter I want to try Quartz from Caesarstone but Im not aware of any integrated sink if there is any. I probably just put in a Stainless Steel sink due to lower cost

Yeah, I think staining may not be a problem, but scratches from knives or forks rattling around in the sink will definately be an issue. Also not heat resistant, so cannot put hot pots in the sink.

So yes, will go for undermount stainless steel.

Next issue: solid surface or quartz countertop...............

This is one you mean ?
No problem so far.

Better use s/steel sink grade 304 or 316 and above.if you could find the 316 grade even better. Chemical reaction or corrosion issue is minimal compared to 304.

Solid surface top depends on what brand you are using.there is the cheap brand ranging rm 80-120 which frankly speaking easy to scratch and u can't simply put hot plates etc directly.

Those brand type like DuPont or LG (not the electric company ya) have better resistant to the issue I mention.

One thing as a designer or customer like yourself,do ask them a tiny sample or balance of solid surface from previous project and ask if can scratch the material or not. Some suppliers let me do this but some don't.

Quartz stone or granite is only advisable if you put a layer of protection on top of it. At least once every 2 years. The material or the stone density is low meaning it is porous and water or some other liquid can easily sip in between the stone thus creating watermarks etc. if still want to use try find a darker colour range.

Cheers,
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I don't think you can shop for the sink as these are always custom made and includes your work top.
Any kitchen shop will be able to do it for you. Plus the cabinets of course.

MonsterPips - the same place where you get your Solid Surface counter from. Not all brands have their own sinks. I am not sure about mixing different brands. For Corian, there are different shapes and sizes to choose from - http://www.dupont.com/products-and-service...chen-sinks.html

ArchId Quartz is not porous and there is no need for sealing like Granite and Marble.

Yes agree with you on the brands. You hear things like, "oh my solid surface counter stains and scratches". Or they say, "my solid surface only RM100 pfr". Yeah but which solid surface are we talking about?

Its like saying, "oh my car always breaks down". We want to know the make and model, year, everything matters. Its not the same.

Same goes with quartz. Since these are man made, we want to know brand, model, color, etc. Yes different colors can give you a different set of problems

This post has been edited by idoblu: Jan 29 2014, 08:24 AM

Yes, like that. Looks like the same shape n size my kitchen guy was suggesting for me, and I see you have the 3M water filter too? How old is your sink? Looks nice.

Am leaning towards solid surface countertop, since I want a U-shaped counter and solid surface will not show the joins, plus can mould in the slope up to the backsplash. I think HI-MACS is good?

Edited to ask: If solid surface, will light or dark colour show less scratches?

This post has been edited by azleena: Jan 29 2014, 08:43 AM

If you have the budget, check this out:

http://www.silestoneusa.com/quartz-product...y-quartz-sinks/

It is a quartz sink which integrates seamlessly with a quartz counter top. Silestone is one of the most famous quartz brand (the other being Caesarstone). Needless to say, the price is very expensive as well.

gorgeous..... wish I had the budget.

This one is 5 months old.
My old house already 2 years also no problem.
Actually you can get people to "polish" the surface every 2 years and it will be like new.
But it is a messy process as it will leave dust all over your kitchen.
But you can only do this a few times or it gets too thin.
One thing good about solid surface and table top is that it becomes seamless whatever shape you want so gives a minimalist look.

Yes it is a 3M for drinking without boiling. I have another 3M filter from the mains as well so the water is quite safe.

have been using solid surface for more than 10 years. Paid 10k just for the top.

No problem. the scratches can be polished to new. You DIY polish where scratches are,not the whole top. Using the finest sand paper. For small scratches use rubbing compound. You can use stainless steel compound too to polish.

I read the other thread where you asked about where you could splurge a little more.

Based on my own experience, you should spend a little more on the visible things like the counter top and sink instead of the hidden fittings.

Personally I would choose a quartz top with a quality stainless steel or granite undermount.

Quartz and granite counter tops give a premium feel and are more durable. Quartz is better for me as it is not as porous as granite. Both have way better heat durability than solid surface. You might also want to consider a porcelain ceramic countertop, which is also very durable and elegant, but I think only Verra Kitchen carries it.

If you wanna have a classy and easy to clean sink, granite is fine. Otherwise a good stainless steel one is also Ok. Don't take solid surface if you can help it. Personally I don't like the hassle of sanding it every few years. Also, I think a solid surface sink is a bad idea in the long term as you would have to replace the whole counter top if you want to upgrade

Thanks for all the comments... The quartz vs solid surface countertop is really pulling me in half. Though either will be an upgrade from the laminate(?) counter I have had in rented places so far :-)

If you are doing serious cooking don't waste your time on solid surface, imho. No doubt you can resurface a solid surface every few years, but I don't think it is really worth the dust and Inconvenience ...