George Buildings
Should you go with sintered stone? Here‘s all FAQs you want to know about, pros & cons, cost, top 10 stone manufacturers, comparison and ideas.
Sintered stone! Haven’t heard of it? No worries, you are in the right place.
New in the eyes, sintered stone is a powerful material that quickly becomes a hit with designers and homeowners. Sintered stone is beautiful, affordable and multi-occasion. But why exactly is it so popular and hot?
Dive into the complete guide on sintered stone!
Upon discovering this material in the market, we were full of curiosity as it piqued our interest. The rock slab felt like iron and stone; however, knocking on it produced a sound like glass and ceramics. What is it made of? The English words “SINTERED STONE” directly means “dense stone.” Here, two essential rock characteristics are expressed: density and derivation from Stone.
If you know nothing about this type of material, it’ll be almost impossible to differentiate sintered Stone from natural stone. The only way to tell them apart with the naked eye is if it possesses a different colour pattern than natural stone.
Nevertheless, sintered stone feels rough to the touch – similar to natural stone – and is resistant to many factors like water, stains, heat, etc. It’s almost near impossible to damage this material as it is built to last.
Sintered stone is composed of natural ingredients from three groups of elements, which are:
Extremely Thin
While you might not actively notice the influence of 3mm and 12mm on your interior decoration, the 3mm material is smaller than the competition, making your rooms look several inches bigger. Ultimately, it’s efficient in terms of space management.
Extremely Light
Due to the 3mm sheet thickness, sintered stone slabs barely weigh 7kg per square meter. Compared to standard ceramic tiles that weigh around 24 – 27kg per square meter. Note that this difference in weight makes the installation process more comfortable as the material is technically weightless compared to the competition.
In simple terms, companies manufacture sintered stone by using present technological advancements that replicate the natural process of stone formation. Although most unique stones like marble and granite take several thousand years to form, current science allows us to speed up the process to a mere few hours.
Note that the pressure and temperature that these materials undergo in the production process is similar to the conditions found deep in the earth’s crust – the home of granite. After the manufacturer finishes producing the materials, they’re bonded together without the inclusion of adhesives, resins, or any bonding agent.
Sintering is the act of recreating the same process nature uses to create precious stones within minutes – a procedure that’s supposed to take thousands of years. The material is subjected to over 400 tons of high pressure, where the raw materials undergo further processing in temperatures over 1400°C.
Afterwards, the manufacturer bonds the particles together without using bonding agents or resins.
Although the product’s purpose depends on the manufacturer and their target market, sintered stone has a wide range of applications. It can be used in the kitchen for tabletops and wall cladding, swimming pool tiling, bathroom vanities, and many more.
The primary factor limiting sintered stone usage is the size of the slab; some dimensions are best suited for specific purposes. It’s worth noting that there’s almost little space between two sintered stones when joined together, making it fit for both massive and small surfaces.
● Weatherproof
In addition to its resistance to moisture, sintered stone is also resistant to harsh weathers like extreme heat, cold, hail, etc. You’re guaranteed to enjoy a sintered stone countertop in your kitchen as its integrity enables you to function without fear of damaging the surface.
George Buildings is your affordable one-stop shop building materials supplier in China. We provide consultancy, design, building material supply for your residential, real estate & hospitality proj...
