Silestone – A unique product

Silestone bridges the gap between nature and technology. It is a man made quartz material comprising of 93% natural quartz, 7% resin, colouring, glass and mirror. Only three other materials, diamond, sapphire and topaz are harder than quartz.

This makes the material particularly suitable for use as a worksurface with its hard wearing scratch, stain and heat resistance. It is available in over 50 different colours and three different finishes, polished, honed and the leather finish which is a slightly textured matt finish.

There is a colour to suit all tastes including many colours that particularly suit the modern ‘designer look’ that are not available in other natural stones.

Slabs are available in 12mm, 20mm and 30mm and are approximately 3.04m x 1.38m which makes it perfect for any interior surface including kitchens, bathrooms, shower rooms and floor and wall tiling.

Silestone has at least four times the flexural strength of granite and is virtually non porous and therefore does not require any sealing or ongoing maintenance and can generally be cleaned with a mild household cleaner such as Ciff.

Silestone worktops now also contain an antibacterial protection Microban which inhibits the growth of potential harmful bacteria such as salmonella, e-coli and listeria. This enables Silestone to provide increased levels of hygiene as the process ensures all the quartz particles are individually protected. This means that even the hardest to reach corners will always be protected.

Routine Cleaning

On a day-to-day basis Silestone simply requires a wipe down with soap and warm water which will maintain its natural beauty and shine.

As Silestone is not porous it does not require the application of any surface sealants and is naturally highly resistant to surface staining from cooking oils, wine, coffee etc.

Stubborn marks

In the event of any stubborn marks, firstly wipe the Silestone surface clean with warm water and Cif Household Cream.

For marks that harden when they dry (food, gum etc) remove by gently scraping the material off the Silestone surface using a blunt plastic blade then wash and remove any residual matter with Cif and warm water.

Any lime scale or water stains can be removed using Viakal, which is available from all major supermarket chains. Manufacturers usage recommendations should be adhered to.   

Heat Resistance

Silestone is extremely resistant to heat and can withstand moderately high temperatures for brief period of time without damage. Although Silestone is more heat resistant than most other surfaces, all stone can be damaged by sudden and extreme temperature changes especially near the edges.

For this reason we strongly recommend using a trivet or hot pad to protect your Silestone work surface from extreme heat.

Chemicals to avoid

Avoid exposing Silestone work surfaces to strong chemicals and solvents. Items to avoid include nail polish remover, neat bleach, caustic soda, paint strippers and cleaning solutions that contain trichlorethane or methylene or dimetil chlorine. Also avoid highly aggressive cleaning agents like oven/grill cleaners that have high alkaline/PH levels.

If any of the above contaminates are spilled on the surface rinse off immediately with plenty of water to minimise their effect.

General precautions

Although Silestone work surfaces are extremely scratch and heat resistant, we recommend that you protect the beauty of your tops by using a cutting board whenever using knives and a hot pad/trivet when using hot pans.