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Dear Friends,
There's been negative talk in trade publications lately about solid surface products. Some of it is from people who have a gut reaction to losing a sale, and some of it from people who don't have the facts. I'd like to present my take on the facts.
The 1960s was a very interesting time in American history. President Eisenhower, in the late 1950s, began the space program to compete with Russia and NASA was established. President Kennedy wanted to put a man on the moon in 10 years, and NASA went into full gear, creating all kinds of new "space-age" products. Invention was booming.
DuPont was working on its own space-age products. The company gathered a group of engineers and, as has been said before, had the good sense to leave them alone to see what they would invent. One thing they invented was a product made of polymers that had all sorts of properties not before in existence. They called it Corian, and it was patented in the late 1960s. Then a decision was made to develop Corian for use as a countertop product, and so began the world of solid surface.
In the '70s and '80s, wood and laminate shops were introduced to the new-age product. Many loved working with it, and they loved the look and feel of it. It had special appeal to some insightful shop owners who saw its great potential. With the development of joint adhesive in the mid-80s, the product category grew in leaps and bounds,
What Is Joint Adhesive? And What Does Seamless Mean?
Joint adhesive is a two-part epoxy adhesive that, when combined, forms a chemical bond with the solid surface sheet, and actually becomes a solid surface when dry. Seamless means that there is no space between two pieces. The space has been filled in; it is solid.
Joint adhesive brought important but simple advances for kitchens and baths, such as coved backsplashes and attached solid surface sinks. These eliminate the black germ-ridden seam behind the sink where the backsplash meets the deck and make countertops easy to keep clean.
A huge advantage of joint adhesive has to do with design innovations. Architects and designers remain fascinated by the possibilities with this product because of its ability to appear as one continuous piece, and exciting designs and uses continue to be developed. Another capability of the product that led to almost limitless possibilities is its ability to be thermoformed.
What Is Thermoforming?
Heating solid surface makes it bendable. This technique is called thermoforming. Over the years, fabricators developed and honed these techniques.
You may recall the photos last year from the Hotel Puerta America, in Madrid, Spain, fabricated by Rosskopf & Partner. This job involved enormous amounts of thermoforming, and would have been impossible to fabricate without joint adhesive. Walls became furniture; bathrooms were one solid piece; designs were stunning and creative. It is a work of art.
Another useful characteristic of solid surface that has given it more acceptance is that it is nonporous.
What Does Nonporous Mean?
There are no holes, crevices or open seams in solid surface. It doesn't support the growth of mold or mildew. It's no fluke that the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved solid surface for use in commercial kitchens (stainless steel is the other one that is FDA approved). And sealing is never an issue.
Solid surface is also approved for use in hospitals, including surgery room counters and wall cladding. It is the product of choice for many national and international restaurants and cafés, including Starbucks and Panera, food courts, airport ticketing counters, universities, military housing, spas, lavatories, etc. It does extremely well in high-usage areas.
And there's more. Solid surface carries a warranty, usually 10 years depending on the manufacturer. Large quantities of it can easily color match — a huge plus on larger jobs. It can be polished, refinished and repaired, usually without removing it from its installation. It's easy to care for and easy to live with.
Personal History
Some of you may recall my own "solid surface journey." I'm repeating it as a reminder to those who may have forgotten how wonderful this material is, and also for those who haven't heard the story, and who might gain some insights, as I did.
In 1987 my husband Mike and I had a cabinet shop, and were introduced to Corian. Before Christmas, Mike made a large kitchen table from seven pieces of Sierra Dusk "scrap." The next evening company was coming for dinner. I wondered how best to put my new surface to good use, and decided to make bread, and the table was perfect for kneading dough. My daughter, Catherine, age 8, was painting at the other end of the table. A quick glance at the clock, and I realized it was late. "Catherine, quick, we need to clean this mess and set the table." We cleaned up the paint, the dough, the flour on the floor, the dinner debris, and set the table directly onto the surface (I didn't have a large enough tablecloth.) I stepped back to see what we might have missed, and my eyes popped open. The table was beautiful and elegant, all in less than 10 minutes.
Startled, I called Mike and told him what had transpired. "Who else knows about this?" "Who else really understands the possibilities with this product?" "What else can be done with it?" "What other product has all these properties?"
The ideas were dancing like sugarplums, and they still are.
Sincerely,
Joanna Duggan, Publisher Emeritus
author: Joanna Duggan, Publisher Emeritus