Pros and cons
Engineered stone for a table top?
Engineered stone is made of crushed stone bound together by epoxy resin, which produces a very hard material. It can be made of marble as well as granite. It should be noted, however, that engineered stone inherits the characteristics of its ingredients. This means that engineered marble will be less resistant to acids than engineered granite.
This material offers a wide range of possible colours, finishes and designs to choose from as well. Another advantage of engineered stone is that it can be made in any thickness while retaining characteristics similar to natural stone.
Another aspect of engineered stone which should be mentioned is its weight – at the same thickness, it is approx. 20% lighter than natural granite or marble. Moreover, it allows for nearly seamless joining.
An engineered stone table or counter top will be resistant to humidity, heat and chemicals.
However, although the choice of colours is wide, it will not reflect the natural structure of stone. Using a polished engineered stone table or counter top, one should also be mindful of scratch marks that might occur with intensive use, e.g. chopping directly on the surface. This problem can be avoided by selecting a matte or satin finish.