Corian Countertops

A Corian countertop is a registered trademark for a specific solid surface countertop made by DuPont. It's one of the premium countertops of its kind, made from an acrylic-alumina trihydrate composite. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Corian has been around for a long time, has consistently been a leader in the solid surface countertop market, and remains the standard for cost-effectiveness and solid surface performance. Many homeowners, who are looking for a solid surface countertop, end up purchasing Corian.

Solid Surface Countertops
Before you can understand the benefits of Corian countertops, you should first introduce yourself to solid surface countertops, in general. It's not difficult to understand what solid surface means, a seamless slab for your countertop is created by welding some form of plastic into the desired shape. (Metal is sometimes also considered a solid surface countertop.) This welding process creates a durable, dent-resistant, stain-resistant, easily repaired countertop that should last for many years. Welded plastic also offers an almost endless array of color and texture options for your countertop.

Corian Countertops: Installation
Corian countertop installation is a job for a countertop professional, licensed, insured, and experienced. From support cleats to sink cut-outs, from scribing counter sections to navigating corner seams, Corian countertop installation is a project that demands you do your research when choosing a contractor. According to data from ServiceMagic, the average solid-surface countertop takes 12 days to install, although working around a kitchen remodel, delays associated with product delivery, means this time may not represent 12 full days of paid labor.

From the perspective of application, Corian countertops are simply the most common use for this solid surface material, but its use can also be extended to include your kitchen or bath sinks and any backsplashes you may have in mind for kitchen remodel. The same advantages of Corian hold true in these areas, where dirt, moisture, and bacteria tend to collect the seams of other materials. Corian countertops should always be installed by a professional to ensure proper installation and warranty guarantees.

The Corian Countertop Warranty
Corian boasts a 96% customer satisfaction rating and for good reason. DuPont allows you to inspect their countertops before installation begins and throughout the entire process. They offer a competitive warranty with their countertops (usually ten years), and they're not going anywhere, which means should something does go wrong with your countertop, you're not going to find they've suddenly gone out of business. That said, the Corian countertop warranty isn't a license to abuse your countertop, and it doesn't cover everything. In particular, you must be careful about setting hot plates, burners, and other heated materials on the counter, especially for more than a moment or two. Solid-surface countertops are not impervious to heat, and the Corian countertop warranty don't cover this type of damage.

Talk to Corian Countertop Contractors
It's never too early to start looking around at different countertop materials, but before you make any purchases, it's a good idea to talk to a contractor. An experienced contractor will have expert and impartial advice to offer you. Usually he or she will have installed numerous, different countertops many times over. He or she will be able to give you the pros and cons of each countertop, including advantages for immediate installation and performance durability ten and twenty years down the road. A Corian countertop contractor is likely to endorse this material—after all, they've chosen to learn this countertop material for a reason—but don't be surprised if this advice is tempered with various pros and cons. Even within this manufacturer brand, a strong case could be made that DuPont's Zodiaq quartz countertop is a superior choice for your kitchen.