Try Corian to see if they have any more uniform colors. If not, maybe look at 3-form? I've used it for a countertop before, and at the time they could only do certain textures/patterns in the 1 3/4" to 2" thickness, but I've heard they've expanded capabilities since then.
I was thinking varia color "pure white", but both ecoresin and 100% (in "snowmelt" of course) look interesting, too. Those lines weren't there the last time I got to use this stuff.
I think the one we used was kami fossil leaf with a green color to it.
God no, don't use Corian. It looks dull in a couple years.
If you have the budget, use Thassos White marble. It looks exactly like a sugarcube, but with a sort of interior glow. It's absolutely beautiful.
In addition to Caesarstone, look into Technistone, Silestone, Zodiaq, and Cambria, at least one of them must do a white-white.
But seriously, you need that Thassos. Sometimes it's called Thassos snow or Thassos sugar, because there is also a Thassos with some veining in it. The real thing has no veining, it is truly like a sugarcube.
Doesn't Corian cause cancer in the people who make it, or something?
I *love* IceStone in "Ivory Cloud" --it looks kind of grayish on screen but it is a pretty white. Call for a sample set. The product is green, and if you seal it with bulletproof sealant you'll get a beautiful finish and it was the only countertop material we tested that was entirely impervious to staining from wine, lemon, saffron, etc. Been in one client's kitchen for months now, under heavy usage and deliberate attempts to stain, and hasn't stained at all. That can be a huge liability for a white countertop.
If you want pure white, use "White Thassos" marble. We use it primarily in bathrooms and it is an expensive stone, but is completely white with no veins.
If it is for an island, I would go with a Statuary or an Aribiscato Vagli (not sure of spelling) which is mostly white with a couple of veins (which I love). These you can typically get in a 2" thick stone which is great for an island.
if you can afford it, corian....the seams are unoticeable and it lets light through....it's very hard so you can even cut on it and not damage the surface...it's also antibacterial
"The first town charted in the new state of Vermont on December 23, 1779, Bethel is perhaps most famous for its spectacular "Bethel White Granite". This granite has been called the most prized white granite in the world. It's uncommon strength and durability were just some of the reasons why this granite was chosen to be used for the Union Station in Washington, D.C., the Wisconsin State Capital Building and the Western Union Building in New York City."
I have solid white corian countertops in my home, including the sink that makes a seamless transitions. We've had it for about a year and a half with no dulling or discoloration.
I think the issue regarding dullness or discoloration has to do with not cleaning it properly. I use oxyclean and a mild abrasive, usually the coarse side of one of those dual sided sponges, and it brings back the bright white every time.
You do have to make an effort not to leave food/coffee/wine in the sink as it makes the cleaning process more labor intensive.
being a solid material you can also sand and buff it, say if you cut the surface with a kitchen knife or something....
There is a white glass product from China that many companies in the US offer. It's sold under the names of Glassos, Fused Glass, and Agglomerates Mont Blanc.
It is a near-replica of white thassos, offered at a lower cost. The risk for yellow or grey veining that is sometimes present in white thassos is virtually eliminated.
However, buyer beware: the air bubbles that create the white-on-white flecks look terrible when cut (i.e. for exposed edges of the slabs or tile). In a short amount of time, the cut air bubbles collect dirt and are very difficult to clean. I've also heard horror stories that the product is not conducive to cutting multiple holes (i.e. for multiple lavs) and tends to shatter when more cuts are made.
But, if you need it for a monolithic slab or tiles that do not require holes or exposed edges, this is the product for you.
There is also another brand new product from China that is glass but looks like pure white porcelain with a high sheen. I believe it is called Ingo Glass. However, it does not yet have a track record in the US as far as installations.
lb: What have you used for grouting white thassos? In 12x12 tile installations, white grout is never white enough and leaves a grey residue between the tile and grout. Even when the joints are cleaned, they still don't look right. *sigh*
I've never used Thassos tiles, only slabs. White silicone at the joints between slabs, I think.
My Technistone has somewhat the same issue with the air bubbles - where a clear fleck ends up on a slab edge corner, it looks odd, but in a cool way for the quartz. Not so cool on the Thassos.
Another gorgeous countertop material if you have a good budget is Pyrolave. It's a glazed ceramic slab. I've only seen it in real life in yellow and green - absolutely gorgeous, glowing rich colors. They do show white on the website, but I can't speak to how pure it is. The photos on the website don't do it justice, they all look a bit puffy.
lb: good call on the silicone sealant at white thassos. (although I wonder if there is a potential for leaching oil into the stone over time? maybe not a concern in an interior application...)
Pyrolave looks fantastic! But perhaps the most expensive counter material around? (just a guess) "...Extracted from the Nugere crater at the heart of Auvergne's volcanoes"
Pyrolave is more than likely made out of gabbro or basalt (chemically identical, differing crystalline structures) with a high level of pyroxene (olivine).
It probably has some special property to it (like being extremely coarse or being relatively porous [making it lighter than typical basalt]). Anyways, gabbro and basalt can be heated to extremely high temperatures without cracking or changing in composition. This is more than likely due to the fact that basalt and gabbro are only formed via either volcanic activity or in subterranean situations beneath the crust.
Oddly, most of the crust of this planet is comprised of olivine despite the fact that it isn't readily visible. So, heating it up in a kiln isn't much of an issue (in order to glaze it).
The only thing I could see being particularly tricky about pyrolave is getting a ceramic glaze to stick to something as smooth as basalt.
The only other thing I have to add is about Corian.
There's almost no way possible for Corian to be carcenogenic unless DuPont is adding a "trade secret" ingredient to it.
If I remember right, corian is a composite material made from acrylic and alumina trihydrate (a fancy name from aluminum hydroxide). How they made something so durable from two extremely fragile ingredients is beyond me.
But here's two problems that ou all might like to know...
Aluminum hydroxide will turn anhydrous is heated over 200 degrees celsius (~390 degrees F). This means it will start to gas off its steam. So putting a hot pan or a something out of the over directly onto corian will cause the surface to lose crystallization. This basically means that the luster and strength will be irreversibly gone.
Secondly, stong acids or bases will dissolve it. You basically cannot clean it with straight bleach or straight ammonia.
Furthermore, ammonia dissolves acrylic. So cleaning this stuff with a heavy duty cleaner will cause it to become fragile and lose its luster. I do not know about acrylic and strong bases.
So, keep "power" cleaners and oven hot items away from corian!
I've used white thassos tiles before and simply grouted with a white grout. We used a clear glass tile as an accent which was nice with the thassos.
The one thing to be careful of when you spec/order white thassos is that there is a Chinese produce that is a composite material made of glass that is frequently passed off as "white thassos". It is cheaper, but you do notice a difference.
white countertops
any suggestions on a white material for a countertop surface?
i'm think i'm gonna use caesarstone if i can afford it. but i probably can't.
where is going and what type of use?
the caeserstone is nice, however the client feels like it is not a very uniform white...
it is a kithcen counter top in a residential project..
high $$ budget...
Try Corian to see if they have any more uniform colors. If not, maybe look at 3-form? I've used it for a countertop before, and at the time they could only do certain textures/patterns in the 1 3/4" to 2" thickness, but I've heard they've expanded capabilities since then.
works pretty well for super white counter tops.
you beat me to it gin!
what 3form product, rationalist? 100%? ecoresin?
Corian "Glacier White" - pure, uniform white...
I was thinking varia color "pure white", but both ecoresin and 100% (in "snowmelt" of course) look interesting, too. Those lines weren't there the last time I got to use this stuff.
I think the one we used was kami fossil leaf with a green color to it.
God no, don't use Corian. It looks dull in a couple years.
If you have the budget, use Thassos White marble. It looks exactly like a sugarcube, but with a sort of interior glow. It's absolutely beautiful.
In addition to Caesarstone, look into Technistone, Silestone, Zodiaq, and Cambria, at least one of them must do a white-white.
But seriously, you need that Thassos. Sometimes it's called Thassos snow or Thassos sugar, because there is also a Thassos with some veining in it. The real thing has no veining, it is truly like a sugarcube.
Doesn't Corian cause cancer in the people who make it, or something?
I *love* IceStone in "Ivory Cloud" --it looks kind of grayish on screen but it is a pretty white. Call for a sample set. The product is green, and if you seal it with bulletproof sealant you'll get a beautiful finish and it was the only countertop material we tested that was entirely impervious to staining from wine, lemon, saffron, etc. Been in one client's kitchen for months now, under heavy usage and deliberate attempts to stain, and hasn't stained at all. That can be a huge liability for a white countertop.
yes, I agree with liberty bell thassos is awesome, but remember to use a bullet proof finish on that stuff
If you want pure white, use "White Thassos" marble. We use it primarily in bathrooms and it is an expensive stone, but is completely white with no veins.
If it is for an island, I would go with a Statuary or an Aribiscato Vagli (not sure of spelling) which is mostly white with a couple of veins (which I love). These you can typically get in a 2" thick stone which is great for an island.
Wow, the Thassos sounds awesome. Statuario or whatever is also very nice.
if you can afford it, corian....the seams are unoticeable and it lets light through....it's very hard so you can even cut on it and not damage the surface...it's also antibacterial
i second statuary marble...
is pretty nice too...though not completely white, it is extremely uniform.
bethel white granite
http://www.graniteimporters.com/AvailableGranite.htm
"The first town charted in the new state of Vermont on December 23, 1779, Bethel is perhaps most famous for its spectacular "Bethel White Granite". This granite has been called the most prized white granite in the world. It's uncommon strength and durability were just some of the reasons why this granite was chosen to be used for the Union Station in Washington, D.C., the Wisconsin State Capital Building and the Western Union Building in New York City."
bump
I have solid white corian countertops in my home, including the sink that makes a seamless transitions. We've had it for about a year and a half with no dulling or discoloration.
I think the issue regarding dullness or discoloration has to do with not cleaning it properly. I use oxyclean and a mild abrasive, usually the coarse side of one of those dual sided sponges, and it brings back the bright white every time.
You do have to make an effort not to leave food/coffee/wine in the sink as it makes the cleaning process more labor intensive.
being a solid material you can also sand and buff it, say if you cut the surface with a kitchen knife or something....
I heart concrete... go with that but white, through in the tiny glass beads for an added effect.
There is a white glass product from China that many companies in the US offer. It's sold under the names of Glassos, Fused Glass, and Agglomerates Mont Blanc.
It is a near-replica of white thassos, offered at a lower cost. The risk for yellow or grey veining that is sometimes present in white thassos is virtually eliminated.
However, buyer beware: the air bubbles that create the white-on-white flecks look terrible when cut (i.e. for exposed edges of the slabs or tile). In a short amount of time, the cut air bubbles collect dirt and are very difficult to clean. I've also heard horror stories that the product is not conducive to cutting multiple holes (i.e. for multiple lavs) and tends to shatter when more cuts are made.
But, if you need it for a monolithic slab or tiles that do not require holes or exposed edges, this is the product for you.
There is also another brand new product from China that is glass but looks like pure white porcelain with a high sheen. I believe it is called Ingo Glass. However, it does not yet have a track record in the US as far as installations.
lb: What have you used for grouting white thassos? In 12x12 tile installations, white grout is never white enough and leaves a grey residue between the tile and grout. Even when the joints are cleaned, they still don't look right. *sigh*
I've never used Thassos tiles, only slabs. White silicone at the joints between slabs, I think.
My Technistone has somewhat the same issue with the air bubbles - where a clear fleck ends up on a slab edge corner, it looks odd, but in a cool way for the quartz. Not so cool on the Thassos.
Another gorgeous countertop material if you have a good budget is Pyrolave. It's a glazed ceramic slab. I've only seen it in real life in yellow and green - absolutely gorgeous, glowing rich colors. They do show white on the website, but I can't speak to how pure it is. The photos on the website don't do it justice, they all look a bit puffy.
Birch! Birch is dense, doesn't scratch when forks and knives drop. Has a natural light finish - almost 'white' appearance when clear coated.
lb: good call on the silicone sealant at white thassos. (although I wonder if there is a potential for leaching oil into the stone over time? maybe not a concern in an interior application...)
Pyrolave looks fantastic! But perhaps the most expensive counter material around? (just a guess) "...Extracted from the Nugere crater at the heart of Auvergne's volcanoes"
Pyrolave is more than likely made out of gabbro or basalt (chemically identical, differing crystalline structures) with a high level of pyroxene (olivine).
It probably has some special property to it (like being extremely coarse or being relatively porous [making it lighter than typical basalt]). Anyways, gabbro and basalt can be heated to extremely high temperatures without cracking or changing in composition. This is more than likely due to the fact that basalt and gabbro are only formed via either volcanic activity or in subterranean situations beneath the crust.
Oddly, most of the crust of this planet is comprised of olivine despite the fact that it isn't readily visible. So, heating it up in a kiln isn't much of an issue (in order to glaze it).
The only thing I could see being particularly tricky about pyrolave is getting a ceramic glaze to stick to something as smooth as basalt.
The only other thing I have to add is about Corian.
There's almost no way possible for Corian to be carcenogenic unless DuPont is adding a "trade secret" ingredient to it.
If I remember right, corian is a composite material made from acrylic and alumina trihydrate (a fancy name from aluminum hydroxide). How they made something so durable from two extremely fragile ingredients is beyond me.
But here's two problems that ou all might like to know...
Aluminum hydroxide will turn anhydrous is heated over 200 degrees celsius (~390 degrees F). This means it will start to gas off its steam. So putting a hot pan or a something out of the over directly onto corian will cause the surface to lose crystallization. This basically means that the luster and strength will be irreversibly gone.
Secondly, stong acids or bases will dissolve it. You basically cannot clean it with straight bleach or straight ammonia.
Furthermore, ammonia dissolves acrylic. So cleaning this stuff with a heavy duty cleaner will cause it to become fragile and lose its luster. I do not know about acrylic and strong bases.
So, keep "power" cleaners and oven hot items away from corian!
I hope this helps!
I've used white thassos tiles before and simply grouted with a white grout. We used a clear glass tile as an accent which was nice with the thassos.
The one thing to be careful of when you spec/order white thassos is that there is a Chinese produce that is a composite material made of glass that is frequently passed off as "white thassos". It is cheaper, but you do notice a difference.
silestone, quartzite, icestone, or Chinese milk as strit_typ stated
birch is an interesting idea. how do you seal it? linseed oil?
Block this user
Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site?
Archinect
This is your first comment on Archinect. Your comment will be visible once approved.