Available in a variety of colours and patterns, quartz kitchen worktops are a great choice for those looking for a sophisticated finish to their kitchen design. Offered in a gloss or matt finish, quartz is a hard-wearing and low-maintenance choice, making it ideal for busy kitchens.
Granite kitchen worktops are one of the most popular worktop stones for very good reason. Attractive, glossy and hard-wearing, this versatile stone can suit a whole range of kitchen designs to create a stunning look.
Our Marble worktops are the ultimate luxury finishing touch for your kitchen. Attractive and hard-wearing, this versatile stone can suit a whole range of kitchen designs to create a stunning look.
We stock, Stone, Granite, Quartz and Marble from the following manufacturers
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Marble is a stunning natural material created from either sedimentary dolomite or limestone rock. Under extreme heat and pressure, unique crystallised rocks are formed, each with distinctive flowing veins running through them. Due to this organic process involving earth movement, earthquakes, and volcanic eruption, considerable variation in the colour and veining may occur. So, with each type of marble having different characteristics, no two pieces of marble can ever be alike, which means you may not receive the exact marble you see in the pictures on our website or in the samples in our store, although rest assured that our professional team of experts will do their best to obtain pieces most closely resembling your colour and veining of choice. That being said, your kitchen or bathroom are guaranteed to be unique with no exact copy anywhere else in the world!
For people who love natural white rock and appreciate individuality, there is no better choice as marble’s elegant and luxurious whiteness cannot be matched by the likes of granite, soapstone, or man-made materials. Its light, creamy hue is particularly suited to smaller kitchens as it tends to make a room appear larger and brighter, which is why it’s also considered to be the ideal stone for small bathrooms.Not only does it add a dash of refinement and a touch of class to the aesthetics of your room, consider too the practical benefits. It is fairly low maintenance so is easy to clean and look after. It stays cool and is heat resistant, so it can stand up to pots and pans in the kitchen, as well as styling tools in the bathroom. Also, the beauty and value placed on marble surfaces will no doubt add value to your home overall.
Very few materials are infallible, and there are some drawbacks to investing in marble countertops. Marble is softer than granite, so scratching and chipping may occur if you are not careful with the use of kitchen knives, heavy pots, pans, and dishes. It also has a tendency to stain as marble is a porous stone and will absorb liquid. So being careful in the kitchen with wine, oils, colourful spices, juices, and any acidic product is a must. In the bathroom, be wary when using nail polish, make-up remover, and liquid make-up.
However, marble can be sealed when it is installed and then every few years thereafter to keep it in shape and looking its best. There are sealers that are readily available in stores for those who are not afraid of a bit of DIY, as well as professionals who can help.
Granite is a 100% natural product that is less porous than marble, and is mostly used for kitchen worktops. It is a common intrusive igneous rock that has become increasingly popular as a construction stone due to its tough nature. The name comes from the Latin word for grain (granum), which refers to its large and course-grained texture typical of a crystalline rock. Found in the interior plates of the Earth’s crust, it is the hardest natural substance on earth after diamonds, sapphires, and rubies. Counter tops made of those materials may cost a little extra!
Granite is a genuine natural stone that is quarried from the ground in its natural state, then cut into slabs ready for your kitchen. This process means it is part of the ‘green building movement’ as granite contains no harmful chemicals, does not emit dangerous radiation or gasses, and most importantly, its durability and strength means it lasts a lifetime.
This titan of the rock family comes with a list of benefits that would make it a perfect addition to any kitchen. It is a unique natural substance that once polished can give an endless gloss and luminescence to your room, also making it one of the easiest surfaces to clean and maintain. It is one of the most heat-resistant worktops on the market, as well as being scratch-resistant as very few minerals are able to mark it. However, it is always recommended to use a chopping board in order to save your knives from becoming dull and blunt. Granite can be stain and chemical resistant if treated properly by a sealer, which can also make it a hygienic surface that doesn’t allow bacteria to soak into the pores. Despite its durability, treating granite with a sealer is recommended.
As with all natural products, we are limited to what Mother Nature decides to give us. Granite does not have an unlimited array of colours and patterns from which to choose, and depending on its chemistry and mineral make-up, it usually comes in gradations of pink, white, grey, and black.
If you choose to purchase a Quartz worktop, you will in fact be buying an engineered composite of ground quartz (about 90% to 94% with a blend of resins, polymers, and colours, giving it the benefits of natural stone and synthetics, like solid surfaces and laminates. Even though this doesn’t make quartz a 100% natural choice, the addition of the resin polymer blend means it is more durable, and more flexible in terms of colour as pigments can be added to the manufacturing process. You can choose a natural granite-like or slate-like slab, or with less organic pigments, you can go for a more bold and vibrant option.
There are lots of Quartz manufacturers available, and we at New Forest Stone are approved fabricators for all major Quartz brands.
Not only does Quartz offer highly durable and low maintenance worktops, we also have a wide selection of colours, tones, finishes, and patterns than can be mixed and matched for a truly personalised touch.
The combination of natural stone with resin renders quartz a truly non-porous surface that is a hygienic resistant to stains and bacteria as liquids won’t soak into the pores as they would with granite and marble. This also makes it easier to clean as spills easily glide off the surface, so is perfect for any kitchen or bathroom.
Quartz is also extremely durable and resilient and will sooner blunt your knives and break a dish than be scratched or chipped. The combination of Quartz and polymer resins also means that your surface is highly impact resistant as the resin that adds flexibility and elasticity, and serves as a kind of shock absorber if hit with heavy objects.
Discuss your project with one of our designers. Be inspired and see the range of stone available by visiting our showroom in Romsey.
We will take your down ideas, discuss your likes and create your expertly crafted kitchen worktop. Book an appointment and visit the showroom today.