Corian Countertops - The Perfect Finishing Touch
If you are building your dream kitchen then adding in Corian countertops will add the perfect finishing touch. They are great looking, easy to take care of, and are no longer just for the rich and famous.
Corian is an acrylic polymer solid surface that was created by DuPont in 1967. When it was first introduced into the market place there were only three colors available. They now offer 81 colors, and surprisingly with all the color choices, white still remains the most popular.
When you are deciding whether or not to go ahead and get Corian for your kitchen you should know exactly what to expect from the product. First off not everyone can manufacture and sell Corian.
To maintain their standards and to keep your countertops within warranty standards, Corian hand selects cabinet and countertop manufacturers to be their distributers. Anyone selling Corian has attended classes and has a certificate that says that they are certified Corian manufacturers.
There are very few downfalls to having Corian countertops installed in your kitchen. One of them is price. They are still higher priced then their competitors. Corian justifies this because of their name and reputation.
The other is warranty work. Corian has a good warranty program but they are very strict in what qualifies for warranty. For example let's say that your manufacturer, unbeknownst to you, uses a jigsaw to make a cut on your Corian countertops. This is a big no-no as it creates small stress fractures in the Corian that you cannot see. Two years goes by and all of a sudden there is a crack in your countertop.
When the Corian representative comes out to look at your tops, believe me they will know exactly what happened, and it will not be covered. This is fine if the person who built your tops is still in business and you can go back to them, but if not you are out of luck. That does not mean that it cannot be repaired, it just means that it is going to cost you.
With that being said, there are lots of positives to buying Corian counter tops. One is they are non-porous, which means that bacteria cannot grow on it. Another positive is if you scratch or cut the countertop you can easily fix it and make it look brand new by simply using a Scotch-Brite pad and "sanding" the entire top with it.
Corian also offers an undermount sink that is not only very nice looking but makes cleaning a whole lot easier. See, the sink and the countertop become one seamless piece which gives fewer areas to get dirt trapped in it. The seams on your countertops will be invisible. Corian has a colored matching adhesive that is used for each seam and then is sanded down making it invisible.
One cost saving tip you should know is that Corian comes in two thicknesses. So if you wanted to get a full height backsplash, there is no reason to use the thicker Corian. You can go to the ¼" thickness and save yourself quite a bit of money.
Corian countertops are a great finishing touch for your dream kitchen. If it is in your budget, the positives far outweigh the negatives. Just make sure that you are dealing with a manufacturer that is certified and is reputable.
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