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Corian Private Collection

Does anyone have these countertops? How do they look? I just came across the Burled Beach and like how it looks online. It's got more movement to it than regular Corian patterns, seems more similar to granite. We have granite now and was going to put that in new house but the only thing I don't like is that it's so cold. When I'm sitting at island eating or doing whatever I get chills when my arms are resting on it.

Comments (19)

  • neesie
    15 years ago

    Here's a link to an old thread that you'll find interesting. At least one person opted to put radiant heat underneath their granite at an island where they rested their forearms.

    Here is a link that might be useful: warm granite

  • homeimprovementdiva
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    thanks, very interesting. At least I know I'm not the only one.

  • melle_sacto is hot and dry in CA Zone 9/
    15 years ago

    I don't have Private Collection countertop but I've seen the samples and thought they were gorgeous. Way out of the price range tho so we picked something more affordable (LivingStone "Volcanic Ash", Corian-equivalent product). I like the feel of Corian counters.

  • idrive65
    15 years ago

    I've seen Burled Beach and Tumbleweed installed, and they looked great, a small chip doesn't show the full effect of the swirly marbling. Our KD said the only issue we might have is turning the corner in our L-shaped kitchen. Typically the slabs (sheets?) of corian that come into the shop are fairly narrow, so rather than cutting an L from a single large piece (as you might with granite), they need to seam it at the corner. The large marbled design means you will see that seam, even if you can't feel it.

  • remodelfla
    15 years ago

    Does anyone have the Corian products. I had never considered them for a variety of reasons but the ones that concern me most are: 1. are they heat resistant and 2. do they scratch easily? Thanks for any info. Some of the new lines look absolutely gorgeous... the Illuminations line looks like it could be a great idea for a backsplash?

  • cheri127
    15 years ago

    I found this picture on google image. Looks pretty nice, I think.

    Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

  • astridh
    15 years ago

    I just took out a Corian countertop in my kitchen (we're mid-remodel). I hated the look because it was grey/white/black speckles. Along with bright blue Formica cabinets it was truly horrifying. I am a natural materials kind of person, BUT I really did like the Corian from a functional standpoint. I liked the fact that it wasn't cold to touch, wasn't hard (no clatter when you put down a plate or pot), didn't stain or etch. I never noticed any scratching, but we did always use a cutting board. It is not heat resistant, but I never found it a problem to put a hot plate down elsewhere, on the range top or on a loose 16" by 20" piece of marble that we kept on the countertop for that purpose.

    I think the new natural looking Corian countertops are pretty nice. I actually got a big piece of the Carrera-looking one and considered it. But I chose honed quartz instead because I wanted the durability and liked the look a bit better. One piece of advice: I went to a local place that makes a lot of Corian countertops and they had a part of their shop with fairly big remnants so I could see a bigger piece. I agree that the tiny samples can be misleading. Also, there are sites online where you can order a cutting board made out of Corian. It was about $20 (not sure) but if you are committing $1000 + to a countertop, it is well worth it to see a large piece.

  • raggiemom
    15 years ago

    We have LG HiMacs in Almond Pearl. We went with these instead of granite or quartz because:
    1. I really am not a huge fan of granite. Like it in others' homes, but I don't want it in mine.
    2. I love the intergrated sink. It just gives such a finished look to the kitchen. Over or under mounted sinks just can't compare (IMHO).
    3. No seams or at least none that show.
    4. Ability to have scratch marks, burn marks or any other problem taken out if the need should ever arise.
    I am glad we stuck to our solid surface. Almost everyone we know kept telling us we needed to get granite - that it was so superior. Well, not to us. Whatever you buy - make sure it is what you love - not what public opinion loves.

  • idrive65
    15 years ago

    "Does anyone have the Corian products. I had never considered them for a variety of reasons but the ones that concern me most are: 1. are they heat resistant and 2. do they scratch easily? "
    ...

    I have it, and I like it a lot. It's not heat resistant enough to put a hot saucepan on, but I've set cookie sheets on it from a 350 deg oven. It isn't as hard as granite of course, but not as soft as soapstone. It doesn't etch with acids as some stones do. I clean it with 409 or windex, and stains and small scratches or patina can be polished out. Mine is black/white/tan speckles and it is great at hiding crumbs of every color.
    :)

  • remodelfla
    15 years ago

    Thanks for the input. It's nice to know that I have another option to consider.

  • 3katz4me
    15 years ago

    I saw one of their newer ones in a display not too long ago and it was beautiful - not sure what it was but I loved it. My kitchen's long done though so I won't be getting it. I have mostly Corian in my kitchen with granite in a couple places (including my island where I do not enjoy the coldness of it in the winter).

    Very, very happy with the Corian. It's not heat resistant but since I was never accustomed to setting hot things directly on my laminate counters for the past 30 years, that wasn't a requirement for me. Now I'm thinking about what to do with my 35 year old bathroom - likely will get one of the newer Corian patterns.

  • homeimprovementdiva
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks everyone for the input. I think I did see cutting board sample available on the Corian website. I'm glad I waited to order samples.

  • laurmela
    15 years ago

    I have corian Matterhorn and love it! WE have had it for 3 years now and it is great. I love the integrated sink as well. We have a small kitchen with not a lot of counter space and I couldn't justify granite. Plus couldn't find one I loved. We got the corian at HD when they had a speical deal on upgrading and a free sink.

    Here is a pic of it right after it was installed, they did an awesome job!

    Since then I have put granite tiles in my master, so it is not that I don't like granite, I just liked the corian better for the kitchen. It is in the FKB if you want to see.

    Toodles,

  • igloochic
    15 years ago

    we removed a "nice" (about two year old) corian counter from our kitchen and gad i'm happy. no it's not heat resistent (evidenced from the large cracks that radiated from our cook top). and it does stain (our white sink always looked like crap if it wasn't scrubbed constantly). it feels like plastic (cuz it is i guess) and i don't think leaning on a diaper pail (plastic) is any more comfortable than leaning on a rock for warmth.

    you supposedly can fix it if it scratches, etc., but you can do the same with stone, so thats not a sales point to me (we tried to do so on the cracks following instructions) and it looked like crap still.

    can you tell i hate the stuff? i rejected a home recently that we had considered purchasing...because of the corian EVERYWHERE!!! YUCK YUCK YUCK

    ok theres two sides to every story....so some folks do love them, but i think they're horrible.

  • neesie
    15 years ago

    No offense, but they do scream: PLASTIC!!!!

  • mmme
    15 years ago

    The one thing Corian does really well is resist stains.

    As I've mentioned here endlessly, I'm presently in the process of testing samples of countertop materials to see how they hold up. Two granites that I like both stained after less than an hour with washable marker and red wine. I have to soak the stains in a special poultice for a day just to get them 90% out. Meanwhile, a corian sample with PERMANENT marker wiped clean with a single swipe with a damp sponge after the same amount of time.

    No comparison, in my book. With young kids, it's easier for me to control where a hot pot or appliance will be set than it is to control where markers or oily fingers might land.

    I'm having a hard time switching because I personally prefer the look of granite, but corian offers an irresistably low-maintenance surface.

    (And for those who asked: scratches or burn marks can be buffed out. My mom has had white corian counters for 20 years and they look brand new despite the fact that she works them hard.)

  • remodelfla
    15 years ago

    I'm a natural stone lover and plan to use some combination thereof in my remodel. However, I can say that I've had Silestone, it might have been Stellar Sky; for 7 years now and It it looks exactly the same as it did when I installed them. ('cept for a split in the seam where my cheapo cabinets settled). It's a light color, I'm an all over cook, I've laid hot stuff on them, missed stains on them (coffee maker leaking in back), and nothing. If they weren't so darn shiney and speckly, I'd consider them again based on ease of maintance. Now, mine didnt' yellow at all but my kitchen window faces a huge screen pool patio area that has a flat roof so it was protected from direct sun. Still, IMHO; there is nothing like the beauty of natural stone.

  • bons
    15 years ago

    No offense, but they do scream: PLASTIC!!!!

    So what's wrong with PLASTIC!!!! ?

    No offense, but I'm not planning on eating it. And when someone tells me that food prepared on granite TASTES better than food prepared on corian or any other surface, I, too, will believe it is the BEST countertop for Everybody to have.

    Sheesh!

    Bonnie

  • igloochic
    15 years ago

    plastic is umm plasticy :oP thats whats wrong with it :oP

    and food tastes best when prepared on stainless steel silly. thats why you see it at restaurants all the time. Sheesh!!! :OP

    (just kidding sort of lol)

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