What Is Sintered Stone?
Sintered Stone is the latest innovation in engineered stone, also known as Porcelain Slab, Pressure Stone, Compact Stone, and Ultra-Compact Surface. All these names refer to the same type of stone material.
It's produced through a process called sintering by machine, which mimics the natural formation of rocks such as granite, marble, and quartzite, but in a significantly shorter period and with greater control over the final product.
The material are heated to an extremely high temperature and pressed, causing the materials to fuse together, essentially becoming their own binder.
The result is a dense, ultra-compact material with almost no porosity.
it differs from quartz stone, which uses resins to bind the minerals. Sintered stone contains no resin at all.
Sintered Stone VS Porcelain Slab
Have you ever wondered why global manufacturers such as Caesarstone, Atlas Plus, Infinity, and others label their products as porcelain slabs rather than sintered stone?
Is there a difference between a sintered stone and a porcelain slab?
The Material Composition
According to the manufacturer, the composition of porcelain slabs contains more glass than that of sintered stone.
The Compression Weight
The porcelain slab sintering process is lighter compared to sintered stone.
The weight of the Eiffel Tower in Paris is 10,100 tons. Sintered stone is compressed with 25,000 tons, while porcelain is compressed with a force between 15,000 and 18,000 tons.
The Heating Process
Sintered stone is produced by applying heat 1200℃ whereas the procelain slab is heated 800-1000℃.
The Difference
In the Malaysia's market, Dekton, Neolith is classified as sintered stone.
Compact stone or pressure stone is classified as a porcelain slab.
The Sintered Stone Features
Sintered stone has many benefits, making it an ideal choice for indoor and outdoor applications.
- Non-porous Material: Sintered stone does not absorb water, making it resistant to stains, mould, bacteria and odours. It's easy to clean with just water and soap.
- Heat-resistant: The sintered stone can withstand up to 300℃ of heat, the highest resistance among others stone surfacing material.
- Weather-resistant: Sintered stone can withstand extrame temperatures, UV rays, ice, and freezing without cracking, fading, or warping. It's suitable for outdoor use in any climate making it best suit for fascade use.
- Scratch-resistant: Sintered stone scoring Mohs Hardness Scale 8. It's hard enough to resist scratches from knives, kitchen utensils or more sharp kitchen objects.
- Chemical-resistant; Sintered stone does not reach to acids, alkalis, solvents or cleaning products. It can handle spills of wine, coffee, lemon juice, or bleach without damage.
- Eco-friendly: Sintered stone is made from natural and recycled materials that do not emit harmful substances or gases. It also uses less energy and water during its production than other materials.
The Drawbacks of Using Sintered Stone
Sintered stone has some drawbacks you should know before choosing it for your project.
- Expensive: Sintered stone is more costly than other materials such as laminate, melamine or solid surface.
- Heavy: Sintered stone is a dense material that can be heavy and difficult to install. Due to its weight and density, it may require professional installation and special tools and equipment. It may also require additional support structures.
- Prone to damage from impact: Sintered stone can crack or chip if a hard object hits it or if the countertop is not levelled correctly.
- Costly Repair: It may also be difficult and expensive to repair if damaged.
- Printed design do not extend though the slab: Sintered stone can have beautiful patterns and textures on its surface, but they do not run through the full thickness of the slab. If the slab is cut or chipped, the underlying layer may not match the surface layer.
The Sintered Stone Colour
Sintered stone can be customized to have different colours, textures, patterns, and finishes. It can imitate the appearance of natural stone, wood, concrete, solid, metal, landscape painting or its own unique design.
With the latest stone printing technology. We could print any arts on it.
What Could Sintered Stone Used For?
Sintered stone is a great alternative to granite, quartz, marble, or porcelain.
It offers similar or better performance characteristics while being more environmentally friendly and customizable.
Sintered stone can be used for a variety of projects, such as: -
Countertop
Sintered stone can create beautiful and functional countertops for kitchens, bathrooms, bars, or islands.
It can handle heat from pots and pans, resist stains and scratches from food and drinks, and offer a hygienic and easy-to-clean surface.
Wall Cladding / Fascade
Sintered stone can create stunning and stylish walls for any interior or exterior design.
It can add texture, colour, and pattern to any wall while resisting moisture, dirt, and graffiti.
Flooring
Sintered stone can create durable and elegant flooring for any room or space. It can withstand heavy traffic, resist wear and tear from shoes and furniture, and offer a slip-resistant and comfortable surface.
Others Applications
Sintered stone can be used for other surfaces such as fireplace surrounds, backsplashes, shower panels, pool decks, or outdoor furniture. It can adapt to any shape and size while offering a high-quality and low-maintenance finish.
Conclusion
Sintered stone is a material that combines the best of natural and technology to create a product that is beautiful, durable, versatile, and eco-friendly.
It is well-suited for certain use cases but may not be as suitable for others.
For further information on sintered stone, feel free to reach out to us. Contact us now for more details.
We would love to help you find the perfect sintered stone solution for your home project.