Worktops
A new kitchen is not something you buy every day. What kind of worktop materials are available these days? And what are their advantages and disadvantages? There are also hundreds of colours to choose from. Dekker Zevenhuizen will be happy to help you make the right decision.
Properties of customized worktops
The index shows the most common materials for custom made worktops and their properties. They are ranked according to their price indication. TopLaminaat is the most affordable material.
There are many different materials for worktops and these consists of different raw materials and therefore has different properties. You will find an overview below.
Laminate kitchen worktops
Kitchen worktops finished with laminate (also called HPL) are available in different compositions. The worktops base material is made of Greengridz®, chipboard or plywood and have a laminate finish. The advantage of a laminate worktop is the affordable price. These worktops are also low-maintenance.
TopLaminate
TopLaminate® is one of the most versatile materials for a kitchen worktop. The worktop is easy to maintain and due to the availability of large sheet dimensions, virtually any design is possible. With a wide variety of colours, you'll always be able to find a design that perfectly complements your interior, taste, and budget. It's no surprise TopLaminate has remained the best-selling kitchen worktop for years.
TopLaminate is available with a Greengridz base. Greengridz is an innovative water-resistant wood-based material, which is also sustainable as it's FSC-certified. This means the base meets the strict norms for sustainable forest management. Furthermore, the base material itself is also Carb2 certified and CO2 neutral, contributing to environmentally friendly production.
DecorTop
A DecorTop® kitchen worktop is made of material that is very beautiful, user-friendly and has a natural look. Due to the extra thick laminate, DecorTop has a deep, coarse texture. It is available in various exclusive colours. The natural colour and texture create a feel of real wood or stone. Like TopLaminaat, DecorTop kitchen worktops can be produced with a sustainable Greengridz core.
TopCore
A TopCore® kitchen worktop is waterproof, hygienic and easy to clean. The core of TopCore is a sheet of 1cm thick compact laminate made of wood fibres and pressed with resin. This makes it highly resistant to impacts and chipping. But the real strength of TopCore is in the decorative top layer. The textures don’t just look, but also feel like wood, textile or stone. Thanks to the V-groove technique, the pattern rolls over into the edge. This gives the top its solid look and offers numerous possibilities for original and contemporary designs.
FENIX NTM
This worktop has a luxurious appearance and can be combined perfectly with a design kitchen due to its special properties. FENIX NTM® is a kitchen worktop with special nanotechnology that has numerous advantages. Because of this technique, the kitchen worktop has an extremely matt appearance but still feels silky soft. And the surface of the worktop never shows fingerprints. With normal use, small scratches will disappear by themselves! The core is the durable Greengridz or a 1cm thick compact laminate made from wood fibres and pressed with resin.
Corian®
The material is virtually impermeable and small scratches or nicks can easily be repaired. In contrast to laminate, this kitchen worktop is solid and homogeneous so that each worktop can be fully customised and formed into any desired shape. Ideal for designer kitchens with round shapes! The material is available in many colours including a wide variety of white shades.
Stone kitchen worktops
Kitchen worktops can be made of natural stone, such as granite. A good alternative to natural stone is engineered stone, ceramics or Dekton. These kitchen worktops are made by pressing stone dust or clay powder and adding pigment or a texture. This allows for many colours and finishes.
Engineered Stone
Engineered Stone (Evora® Quartz) consists mainly of quartz, just like granite. This gives it the same natural look. But unlike granite, it is a composite product containing minerals, binding resins and pigments. Because of these added materials, engineered stone has some advantages. The combination of minerals, resin and the manufacturing process makes the top more resistant to acids and makes it less porous. In addition, many colours and textures are possible, from
Granite
Granite (Evora® Granite) is 100% natural. How the stone is mined, is exactly how it is used for the worktop. Different patterns can be discovered in a granite kitchen worktop all the time, and its shade adapts to the light and decor of the kitchen. Each granite kitchen worktop is unique, but this natural material requires a little more maintenance for use in the kitchen.
Ceramics
Ceramics (Evora® Ceramics) offers a wide choice of colours and comes in calm natural tones as well as distinct marble prints. Ceramic worktops are printed and pressed under very high pressure and temperature. Due to this production process, the material is extremely scratch and heat resistant. But it is less chip-resistant: so beware of impacts near the edges.
Dekton
Dekton is ideal as a worktop because, just like ceramics, it is heat-resistant, hard-wearing, resistant to stains, and low-maintenance. The unique colours and finishes make the look exclusive and distinctive. The material is pressed under extremely high pressure, which gives this stone worktop these exceptional properties. However, in comparison with other stone tops, Dekton is more susceptible to impact damage.
Sustainable kitchen worktop
Several of our products are FSC certified, including our solid wood kitchen worktops and the core materials of Greengridz and plywood. The FSC® Label guarantees that this wood comes from responsibly managed forests. Another advantage of the Greengridz worktops is that 60% less CO2 is emitted during the production process. Because of the grid structure, less material is needed. The base material of Greengridz worktops are also Carb2 certified and therefore meet the strictest standards for composite wood products, as laid down by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). This means that the emission of formaldehyde is less than 0.08 ppm! This makes Greengridz one of the first worktop materials to meet this high standards.
No harmful emissions
Fenix, TopCore, Corian and the EQ composite stone collection carry the Greenguard Label. Greenguard is a label of UL Environment. The certificate is proof that the products comply with the strict guidelines for chemical emissions in the indoor environment. This means that they contribute to the creation of a healthy living environment. The Greenguard Gold Label guarantees that the products are also suitable for use in environments like schools and hospitals. This label has even stricter guidelines for the use of chemicals, and fewer emissions are permitted.
Terrazzo
The terrazzo technique is hundreds of years old. In the fifteenth-century, Venetian workers found a new practical use for rejected waste material from the marble quarry: they used it to pave the terraces around their houses. Now, many centuries later, terrazzo is more popular than ever. Also in the kitchen! However, no matter how beautiful a kitchen worktop is, the material must be practical and fit the budget. Fortunately, there are materials with the same appearance as terrazzo, but with completely different properties. There are lookalikes in different price ranges, so that anyone can enjoy this centuries-old trend in their home.
Solid Wood
A kitchen worktop of solid wood creates a cosy atmosphere in your kitchen. Wood has a warm appearance and is available in many different types and shades. Moreover, wood can be easily combined with any other material. The worktop consists of rod-glued waterproof glued wood. The wooden kitchen worktops are made of 30 or 40 mm solid wood and finished with oil. Any signs of wear and tear can therefore be removed easily by lightly sanding the worktop and oiling it. Various edge finishes are possible.