Most, if not all, homeowners dream of having a well-designed interior. Not only does an aesthetically pleasing home boost a house’s market value, but it’ll also provide inhabitants with physical and mental benefits.
One way of sprucing up one’s interiors is to use natural stone, such as granite and marble. Unfortunately, these types of materials can be expensive. Thankfully, there’s a perfect cost-effective alternative that can still deliver the same ambiance that natural stone brings: engineered stones.
Read on to learn more about what this type of material is as well as the benefits you get when utilising it for your interior.
What Is Engineered Stone?
Engineered stone is basically a combination of quartz or granite aggregates and pigments and resins. This man-made product is durable and non-porous. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that quartz, as an engineered stone, is still prone to scratches and dents. Also, an engineered stone is still acid- and stain-resistant even if you don’t regularly seal it.
Moreover, as quartz is an abundant material, eco-conscious homeowners don’t have to worry about any environmental effects when incorporating quartz benchtops into their kitchen design. In addition to being safe for the environment, it’s available in a wide array of designs, styles and prices. This is why it’s slowly gaining popularity among home renovators, contractors, interior designers and homeowners. (1)
Benefits of Engineered Stone
Now that you know the nature of the engineered stone, it’s acceptable to wonder about the benefits that this man-made product brings. Besides, because it’s man-made, you may have doubts whether it’ll look or provide the same benefits as natural stones.
To help you out, here are the benefits of engineered stone as a design material:
- Attractive
Using engineered stone throughout your kitchen or walls will bring an attractive look. As mentioned above, engineered stone is available in a variety of colours, specifically those that are related to quartz’s natural colour: earth tones.
Thus, you won’t be limited to a single colour when you decide to use engineered stone as a major material for your kitchen worktops or bathroom vanity tops. This ensures you’ll have the right engineered stone that’ll suit your taste and style. (2)
- Plenty of Applications
Due to its durable and non-porous properties, engineered stone is the perfect material for different applications, particularly in the kitchen. Porosity and durability are both important characteristics in the kitchen as they’ll promote safety and efficiency. These characteristics are the reasons quartz has become popular.
Additionally, engineered stone is also perfect for the following:
- Flooring: Because engineered stone can be cut into tiles, it means that this material will be easy to lay as one’s flooring in any part of your home. Doing so will provide your interiors with a sophisticated finish too!
- Walls: In addition to flooring, engineered stone is also ideal for your walls. Its porosity means that your walls will be resistant to mildew and mold. (4)
- Durable
Even if it’s man-made, it’s important to note that engineered stone is designed to be durable, especially against scratches and nicks caused by wayward knives. Although it’s not advisable to scratch any sharp objects on the material, you know that engineered stone will resist any scratches. Thus, by using this material, you’ll have a polished and durable interior, which is always helpful, specifically in the kitchen.
- Easy Maintenance
Even if natural stone looks sturdy and stunning, its porosity means that it’s susceptible to bacteria; harmful bacteria can easily seep into natural stone’s fissures and pores, which can be hard to clean. As mentioned above, as engineered stone is made to be non-porous, you know that it won’t easily absorb any liquid. In return, this material is going to be easy to clean. This means that any oil, juice, and wine will be easily wiped off, all of which may be breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. (3)
So, if you’re always handling raw meat, fish, or vegetables in your kitchen, for instance, engineered stone will also make sure that the food you prepare is safe to consume.
Takeaway
Now that you know some of the benefits of using engineered stone, the next step you should take is to look for a reliable supplier. By doing so, you can choose a type of engineered stone that’ll suit your taste and preference. You can look for a supplier online or ask for some suggestions from your friends and family.
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