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Artificial stone sink: how to choose? Video
The requirements for a kitchen sink are quite simple. It should be easy to use and pleasant to look at. It is desirable that the sink was easy to care for, subjecting it to cleaning and sanitization. Sinks made of artificial stone and composite materials meet all these requirements. To make the right choice, you should familiarize yourself with their features, advantages and disadvantages.
Artificial stone sink: the complexity of the choice
On the market you can find a wide range of artificial stone sinks. These products are distinguished by good reliability and quality factor, which is achieved by using materials with a homogeneous structure for the manufacture of such sinks. Artificial stone is highly resistant to chemicals used for cleaning. A sink made of such a material can be easily integrated with other interior items, for example, with a cutting table top.
It should be borne in mind that it is almost impossible to assess the quality of a sink made of artificial stone based on appearance alone. Manufacturers are trying to actively promote their products to the market, describing their advantages over stainless steel sinks. It is important for the manufacturer that his product is bought. But a potential consumer does not bother to know what artificial stone sinks can be, what are their possible disadvantages. This information will help you make informed choices based on facts, not just consumer feedback.
One of the features of such sinks is a rather high price. Composite materials and artificial stone are somewhat inferior in this indicator to porcelain stoneware sinks and more popular stainless steel products.
The choice in favor of an artificial stone is justified only if the overall quality of the product fully meets your needs and meets aesthetic requirements
Kitchen sink: acrylic stone
The most popular among consumers are sinks made of acrylic stone. Such a polymer material is manufactured industrially from acrylic resin, dyes and mineral particles. A distinctive feature of an acrylic product is that this material can be easily scratched.
A glossy sink with a uniform color shade is most susceptible to mechanical stress that spoils its appearance
When choosing an acrylic sink, try to avoid black or dark brown samples. Scratches left on the surface of the sink after prolonged use will be too noticeable. It is better to opt for a sink with a coarse-grained pattern, for example, stylized as natural marble.
Another disadvantage of acrylic sinks is that they are too sensitive to heat. With prolonged exposure to hot objects on the light surface of the sink, black spots may appear on it, requiring cosmetic restoration. In the worst case, an acrylic sink can crack under extreme temperature changes.
Composite sinks are increasingly being used in the kitchen. The composition of such products most often includes granite chips, quartz sand, fiberglass, rubber and binders, for example, polyester resins. In this case, the stone chips play the role of a filler, and the resin firmly holds all the elements of the composite structure. The result is a cast solid mass without seams.
Today, composite kitchen sinks have come close in popularity to stainless steel products. What is the secret of this success? The fact is that a composite sink has excellent consumer properties: increased heat resistance, environmental friendliness, and improved hygienic characteristics.
Composite sink is practically not afraid of contact with alkali and acid, it is also resistant to abrasion. No strong tea, coffee or fat leave traces on such a sink. Perhaps the only drawback of a composite sink is its rather high cost. But if you expect to get excellent quality and durability, then the money paid for such a sink will pay off.