What is Solid Surface and Its Uses?

When it comes to interior design and architecture, people demand materials that are highly reliable yet offer modern looks and design features. To meet the demands of people, scientists have developed a brilliant solution: silica-free solid surface materials. Not only do they look good on the outside, but they are also reliable during installation and fabrication, ensuring workers' safety and minimizing health risks. With the innovation of solid surface, architects, designers, and homeowners are increasingly opting for solid surface over ceramics, natural stones, and other acrylic and resin composites.

When it comes to solid surfaces, they speak of functionality, customizability, and reliability. So if you are looking to use solid surfaces on your kitchen countertops, bathrooms, wall panels, or furniture, you can experiment with different shapes, colors, and textures that are a perfect fit for your place. In this article, we will explore what solid surface materials actually are, their uses, compositions, designs, and the wide range of applications they support that are redefining the future of modern architecture and interior design.

What Is a Solid Surface? Composition and Key Properties

Solid surface is a premium material designed to mimic the appearance and natural look of a stone while offering great functionality, reliability, and versatility for its users. So, how does a solid surface achieve such features without compromising functionality? To answer the question, it's essential to understand the composition of solid surfaces.

The typical composition of a solid surface is a blend of acrylic or polyester resins, natural minerals that include aluminum trihydrate, and color pigments to give it a unique look. With the right composition and process, solid surfaces can be crafted into a final product that is smooth and durable, which can be shaped to fit and give a flawless look when completed.

With the blend of multiple materials, solid surfaces have some properties that make them among the top preferences for architects and interior designers. One of the properties achieved by the composition of materials in a solid surface is a non-porous surface that resists moisture, stains, and bacterial growth exceptionally well. If you are looking for a material that addresses common problems in areas like kitchens, bathrooms, hospitals, and other hygiene-sensitive spaces, solid surface is a reliable solution. Additionally, solid surfaces can be crafted to be fused seamlessly in intricate spaces, preventing the accumulation of dirt and grime in the spaces where cleaning is difficult.

One of the most significant advantages solid surfaces offer is their lower upkeep and repairability, which traditional marble or granite fails to offer. Minor scratches or stains can be buffed out. With a uniform color and warmer to the touch, they make them an excellent option for installations in residential spaces or commercial ones, offering unmatched reliability and performance.

Advantages of Solid Surface Material

All thanks to the engineering of solid surfaces, they have earned their spot in modern design, offering a balance of beauty, performance, and practicality. Let's examine the key benefits that solid surfaces provide, making them a suitable option for both commercial and residential settings.

• Seamless Appearance: One of the most significant advantages solid surface material holds is its incredible looks and finishes. When multiple pieces are joined together, their joints and seams are barely visible, giving a continuous and finished look. This seamless, smooth, and elegant finish ensures that the solid surface is an ideal choice for long countertops, reception desks, and wall claddings.
• Durability: The most prominent feature of solid surface that homeowners or commercial spaces require is durability, with appealing looks, and solid surface delivers more than that. For high-traffic and high-humidity areas, solid surfaces offer excellent resistance to stains, scratches, and moisture, making them a superior choice to traditional natural stones. If minor damages or scratches are incurred, they can be easily repaired.
• Hygiene: Thanks to their solid-surface, non-porous nature, they resist the accumulation of bacteria, mold, and mildew like a pro. This makes them an option that is easy to clean and maintain, making them an ideal choice for hospitals, bathrooms, and kitchens where cleanliness is the top priority.
• Design Flexibility: Sometimes, fixing panels in intricate and complex spaces can be tricky. Solid surface makes it possible, as it can be thermoformed into custom curves, shapes, and intricate designs. With the design flexibility, endless possibilities and applications are created for designers and architects to produce unique results.
• Sustainability: Unlike traditional stone, which requires replacement when slightly chipped, scratched, or stained, solid surface offers a more durable alternative. Such minor damages can be repaired, reducing landfills and pollutants. With further innovations such as Zero Silica Solid Surface, they ensure a safer and healthier installation process, incorporating modern sustainability and achieving compliance with modern safety standards.

Popular Applications of Solid Surface

The proper use of solid surfaces not only lies in their appearance but in their adaptability. This is what makes them an ideal choice for usage across a wide range of applications. Let's take a look at some of the popular applications of solid surface materials.

▪ Countertops

One of the applications of solid surfaces is countertops in modern kitchens, bathrooms, and hospitality interiors. Solid surfaces provide a smooth, clean, and seamless look to a space, and their ability to integrate seamlessly with sinks and backsplashes creates a surface without visible joints and gives a smooth feel.

Cleaning and maintaining countertops are incredibly crucial, and if countertops are made of natural stone such as marble or granite, cleaning stains or removing scratches can be extremely difficult or sometimes impossible. This is the reason people prefer solid surface countertops, thanks to their non-porous surface, which makes them easy to clean and maintain. At the same time, minor scratches or burns can be sanded out, restoring the original finish. The wide variety of colors and finishes makes solid surface countertops a durable and aesthetic option for homeowners, hospitals, and commercial spaces where hygiene, durability, and luxury are no bargain.

▪ Sanitary Ware

Beyond the use of countertops, solid surface materials are highly used in creating highly durable bathroom fixtures. The reason solid surface is popular in sanitary ware is its nonporous surface that doesn’t allow water seepage, which prevents bacterial growth, mildew, and moisture absorption, making it a favorable material for washbasins, bathtubs, shower trays, and vanity tops. These features ensure that hygiene is maintained in either commercial or residential spaces.

The materials used in sanitary ware should not only survive but also match the overall vibe and aesthetics of the bathroom. Different designs, colors, and shapes allow designers and architects to create an immersive atmosphere that elevates the overall bathroom space.

▪ Solid Surface Sheets

Solid surface sheets are flat panels designed for various architectural and decorative purposes in either commercial or residential spaces. One of the most significant advantages of solid surface sheets is that they can be cut and thermofoamed to fit and blend perfectly with the surrounding space.

One particular example of solid surface sheets is translucent solid surface sheets that allow light to pass through, creating an environment that is more open and looks and feels more atmospheric. When combined with backlighting, they make an immersive interior environment that can be commonly used for lampshades and decorative wall panels. With their smooth texture, consistent colors, and versatility in shapes and sizes, solid surface sheets are an excellent option for wall cladding, furniture surfaces, or custom installations.

▪ Commercial and Decorative Uses

Solid surfaces are not only limited to use in homes, but are widely used in commercial spaces. Whether used in offices, hospitals, hotels, restaurants, or retail spaces, solid surfaces deliver both performance and aesthetics, creating an appealing atmosphere that attracts people and customers.

What commercial spaces enjoy most about solid surface material is its low maintenance and upkeep cost. Solid surface resistance to scratching and high repairability ensure low replacement costs and longevity. The non-porous surface resists water and moisture, making it better for hygiene in hospitals or commercial toilets and significantly easier to clean. Similarly, for luxury hotels, designs play a significant role. Versatility in designs offered by solid surface materials ensures that custom designs and shapes can be created to match the vibe of a hotel suite, giving guests a luxury feel and providing a thriving business for hotel owners. Solid surface material is proof that practicality and beauty can coexist effortlessly.

Translucent Solid Surface Panels: A Fusion of Art and Function

Amongst the 100s of designs available in solid surface, one of the designs that stands out the most is Translucent Solid Surface Panels. They offer an artistic blend of looks and performance by allowing light to pass through, making the pattern and design more vivid.

Designers and architects use these panels to create an ambiance that matches the overall theme of lounges, restaurants, hotels, and reception areas, where lighting is key to setting the mood and atmosphere. These translucent panels are ideally suited for use with the combination of LED backlighting or overhead lighting, emitting a soft, glowing light from within the panels to provide an instantaneous feel of warmth and relaxation. With variations in thickness that can vary the amount of light passed and multiple design options, translucent solid surfaces transform ordinary spaces into appealing visual experiences.

Not only do translucent solid surface panels look good, but they are also very durable and offer consistent performance over time. Their easy-to-clean and non-porous surface ensures that cleaning is a hassle-free process and hygiene is maintained. With all of these factors combined, translucent panels bring modern design solutions that bring interiors to life with an aesthetic appeal and unmatched performance.

KingKonree: A Trusted Leader in Solid Surface Innovation

If you have decided to go towards a solid surface, it's crucial to have a supplier with experience and a good reputation in the field. This is where Kingkonree shines. They bring over 25+ years of experience in the field of designing, developing, and manufacturing of solid surfaces in the global market. KKR is a proud owner of a factory in Huizhou, China that spans about 25,000 square meters, shipping about 1,200 containers of product to 126 countries, containing a full spectrum of solid surface materials. KKR offers a range of solid surface products, including bathtubs, basins, acrylic sheets, and more. Their success in the field of solid surface is backed by strict quality control, after-sales services, and extended warranties, ensuring customers always think of KKR when it comes to solid surface solutions.

KingKonree is not only one of the pioneers of solid surface but also constantly innovates. Zero Silica Solid Surface, developed by KKR, ensures that during installations or manufacturing, any health issues, such as silicosis caused by breathing in silica, can be prevented. Another example of KKR’s innovations in the industry is a variety of translucent Solid Surface Panels. They are a step up from traditional solid surface panels, offering an artistic blend of looks and performance by allowing light to pass through, which makes patterns and designs more vivid. KKR provides a 10-year warranty and holds certifications like CE, SGS, cUPC, CSA, and PROP65 with over 1000 molds, ensuring that KKR is a reliable option for residential and commercial projects seeking safe, stylish, and high-performance surface solutions.

Final Verdict:  Why Choose a Custom Solid Surface Solution?

A solid surface is a material that can transform an ordinary space into something that looks extraordinary. The design flexibility, wide range of colors, designs, and variations to choose from, and solid surfaces give complete freedom to interior designers and architects to change the overall look and feel of the space.

By choosing a solid surface over traditional stones, you unlock a wider range of possibilities and variations in design and shape. This includes options that are curved or designed to fit complex, intricate shapes, which traditional natural stones cannot achieve due to their inherent form and texture. Furthermore, solid surface materials are easy to clean and maintain because they are non-porous, which prevents any moisture or bacterial growth. Additionally, if you accidentally scratch the surface, solid surfaces can be easily repaired to their original form. Lastly, always look for a manufacturer such as KKR (KingKonree) that is experienced and well-reputed in the field of solid surface to ensure that projects, whether in homes or commercial spaces, are executed with precision, quality, and long-lasting performance.

Elevate your next project with a solid surface, where imagination meets precision, and every surface tells a story.