About Composite Materials
COMPOSITE MATERIALS HAVE THE LOOK OF STONE but they are man-made from minerals or stone and polymers (solid-surfacing is a composite, but it has a big enough following to be in its own category). Fiber-cement countertops, such as the well-known Fireslate (one of several types used for lab counters), are strong and resistant to heat but not always resistant to staining, so they must be sealed periodically.
Engineered stone is a new composite countertop material that mixes go-pluspercent ground-up quartz or granite with a resin binder. These countertops are nonporous, like solid-surface, but heat resistant, scratch resistant, and supremely durable, like solid stone. Many colors and patterns are available and the finish can be polished, honed, or sandblasted. Engineered-stone countertops have the look of stone to a large extent, but expect uniformity in this composite material, unlike solid stone, which often differs from slab to slab.
A NEW HOUSE IN NEW MEXICO HAS AN OLD-WORLD CHARM, thanks to a combination of new and old materials.The soft green countertops are Fireslate, a composite stone used in laboratories. To provide stain resistance, they're given a coat of tung oil twice a year.The pot rack is an old gate hung from the ceiling, and the island cabinetry is a Japanese tansu chest.
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