Engineered stone ban

[Yogaalaates]

1 hour ago, Gumbette said:

The cynic in me thinks that it will be banned in Australia soon anyway and Bunnings now looks like a good corporate citizen by leading the way.  Not that it's a bad thing. I think once the ban is in place they'll find a safer, cost effective product, manufacturers have just been lazy because it's not their life on the line. 

The ACT is banning it so I think everywhere else will follow, as they should. Nobody should die over someone wanting a particular kitchen bench. 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Yogaalaates

[LifesGood]

So if you previously used engineered stone for your kitchen bench top (as I did just last year), what product would you opt for instead?

I think I would want polished concrete, solid surface (bauxite + acrylic resin) or porcelain.

I absolutely would not choose stainless steel (too cold), timber (too much maintenance) or laminate (not durable enough). Nor would I want marble (too expensive and high maintenance).

[Kiwi Bicycle]

Ceramic or porcelain.  I am getting a Ceramic table as DH hates how cold our glass table is. The Ceramic is surprisingly warm. I don't do wooden tables,  too hard to clean.

My parents had stainless steel ( well and entire bench until that had twin sinks and bench space on either side. It will get the scuffed look and you have to be happy with that look. Just what happens.

Ceramic wasn't  readily available 4 years ago when I did our kitchen.

[Grumbles]

I had laminate in my last house. I chose an off white with flecks and it was still in great condition when we sold. I have always had laminate while renting and in my first home so don’t have any ingrained habits like putting hot pots down on it.

My current problem is I have engineered stone (I think, didn’t build this house) and a gas cooktop I need to replace. I need to find an electric replacement that will fit in without cutting. I don’t intend on renovating for a long time so need to do the electric change soon. 

[Jenflea]

I'd do laminate again if I ever renovated.

I'm cheap, and I don't like the coldness of stone benches, plus I hear some stain. 

Our laminate looks ok still after nearly 30 years, it's just textured which i hate! 

I don't put hot pots on it, I use cutting boards etc, so it should last a good decade or so more. 

[Yogaalaates]

We have laminate too and it’s great. No issues. Same as @Jenflea, we use chopping boards, silicone trivets etc. 

[Not Escapin Xmas]

We have wood, maple in fact. Yes it’s weathered but I love it!

[Gumbette]

1 hour ago, LifesGood said:

So if you previously used engineered stone for your kitchen bench top (as I did just last year), what product would you opt for instead?

I think I would want polished concrete, solid surface (bauxite + acrylic resin) or porcelain.

I absolutely would not choose stainless steel (too cold), timber (too much maintenance) or laminate (not durable enough). Nor would I want marble (too expensive and high maintenance).

Timber.   I wanted it this time around but couldn't stretch the budget.

[Jolly_F]

Timber here.. we just installed timber benchtops in the bathroom and kitchen. They are my favourite part of it all! 

[Kiwi Bicycle]

23 minutes ago, Jolly_F said:

Timber here.. we just installed timber benchtops in the bathroom and kitchen. They are my favourite part of it all! 

Here's the bathroom vanity in my soon to be new house. The building inspector picked up this damage we are going to have to fix. It's only 6 years old too. It sucks. Make sure it doesn't happen to you.

[Mooguru]

I happened to find a bench top I loved last time we visited ikea. It was porcelain or ceramic. Only $1100 per square metre vs I think it was $129 for the similar look laminate. Unless I win lotto I think I'd go laminate. My sister and parents both have laminate 20 to 40 years old and it still looks good. 

[Fruitmincepies]

@Kiwi Bicycle that’s what our wooden kitchen bench looks like behind the sink. When we renovate we are getting porcelain. I’m fine with the wood (we also have a jarrah dining table) but I’m keen for something different. We had granite at our old house, it was lovely too. 

[Gumbette]

8 hours ago, Kiwi Bicycle said:

Here's the bathroom vanity in my soon to be new house. The building inspector picked up this damage we are going to have to fix. It's only 6 years old too. It sucks. Make sure it doesn't happen to you.

Slightly OT but you’re getting a new house!? Congratulations!  Did I miss a thread? 

[Jolly_F]

8 hours ago, Kiwi Bicycle said:

Here's the bathroom vanity in my soon to be new house. The building inspector picked up this damage we are going to have to fix. It's only 6 years old too. It sucks. Make sure it doesn't happen to you.

Meh if I get 6 years out of them, I will be happy. They weren’t super expensive bench tops and I expect some issues with wood but I still love them and wood will always be my preference for bench tops! 

[MarciaB]

We had stainless bench tops at our last house ( with a little bit of marble on the breakfast bar). I loved it! Once it is seasoned it is so easy to clean - you can move pots from cooktop straight onto it! Loved it.

We have the horrible manufactured stone now and I really don’t like it. Hopefully we can replace it soon and I would look at stainless for at least part of the surfaces - maybe timber for the bits not near the sink.

[Crombek]

Won't most manufacturers just move to a low/no silica alternative? I'm sure I read caesarstone already is?

Also if they ban engineered stone they need to ban sandstone & concrete too. Concrete is Very Bad for silicosis. 

[purpleduck]

I loved the idea of porcelain but more $$$ and kept getting told that it chips so easily, I think it was more that some kitchen installers didn’t want to deal with it? 

I also love timber but the cost was surprisingly high and so many people were warning about the maintenance. If I didn’t have kids who don’t care so much about water on the bench then I would have gone with timber. 

[Kiwi Bicycle]

1 hour ago, Gumbette said:

Slightly OT but you’re getting a new house!? Congratulations!  Did I miss a thread? 

I didn't make a thread but have mentioned it a few times. No more body corp!!! Swimming pool! DH has an office! 2 bathrooms! My life will be so much easier ( apart from the additional cleaning) and we can have guests again. 

[Kiwi Bicycle]

59 minutes ago, MarciaB said:

 maybe timber for the bits not near the sink.

Agree 100 percent with this. Wooden benches shouldn't be around a sink area. 

[Gumbette]

4 minutes ago, Kiwi Bicycle said:

I didn't make a thread but have mentioned it a few times. No more body corp!!! Swimming pool! DH has an office! 2 bathrooms! My life will be so much easier ( apart from the additional cleaning) and we can have guests again. 

I knew you were looking, but didn’t realise you’d found something.  That’s great! When do you move?

[Kiwi Bicycle]

Just now, Gumbette said:

I knew you were looking, but didn’t realise you’d found something.  That’s great! When do you move?

End of Jan. Ultra long settlement of 5.5 months ( not that I care). We brought in August.

[Crombek]

5 minutes ago, Kiwi Bicycle said:

Agree 100 percent with this. Wooden benches shouldn't be around a sink area. 

Solid wood is fine, it holds up really well. You might discolour the varnish on a chunk of tas oak, but you aren't going to do a thing to the wood. Trouble is, most people go for the cheaper laminated stuff that doesn't hold up. 

[Lesley225]

2 hours ago, Kiwi Bicycle said:

Agree 100 percent with this. Wooden benches shouldn't be around a sink area. 

My sink area in the bathroom is all wood and if it's of an age with the kitchen 20 years old.  It looks like it has a heavy varnish on the wood over the stain but most of it has come off and there's streaks of wood underneath and it looks pretty wrecked.  It's all wood in there.

[NannyPlum]

My parents have marble benches (I think. It's cold grey stone) and I hate it.  It's cracked around the sink, can't handle any heat difference, it gets water marks really easily and chips really easily.  The previous owners probably got the cheapest version and it's definately showing now.  

Laminate all the way for this cheapskate  At least I know to have low expectations for the price point.  

[Bornagirl]

5 minutes ago, NannyPlum said:

My parents have marble benches (I think. It's cold grey stone) and I hate it.  It's cracked around the sink, can't handle any heat difference, it gets water marks really easily and chips really easily.  The previous owners probably got the cheapest version and it's definately showing now.  

Laminate all the way for this cheapskate  At least I know to have low expectations for the price point.  

My laminate still looks good after more than 15 years. One small area (about six inches square) that has some little marks if you look hard enough, where the milk jug for the coffee machine was being tapped. As soon as we noticed what was happening, we started using a folded napkin in front of the machine which stopped it. I still really love the mix of colours with the bluestone tiled floor (which is engineered stone, something I didn't think about at the time).