An increasing number of architects and designers are now asking for Corian, while more and more people are coming in saying that they have heard of it but are not one hundred percent sure what it is. Well without getting too technical about it here is a brief history of the product and some do’s and don’ts.

Created by DuPont more than 35 years ago, Corian® is an advanced blend of natural minerals and pure acrylic polymer. Corian® is a versatile material with
a wide variety of uses across residential and commercial environments.
 Corian® combines superior design flexibility, subtle translucency, inspired colours and textures with durability,
 stain resistance and renewability. Warm and inviting,
Corian® expresses beauty that’s approachable and 
practical! Corian® is solid with colour all the way through
 and will not chip, peel or delaminate.

The sheets are cut to the required size and jointed
 with a special adhesive. They are then sanded down 
through many grades of sandpaper to provide a seamless
 non porous surface with no place for dirt or bacteria to 
hide. This makes Corian® the obvious choice for all
 food areas in the kitchen.

With almost one hundred colours the material opens up a whole new
 world of design possibilities for architects and designers. 
The range of choice is endless with integrated bowls and sinks, seamless joints shaped or thermo formed 
to the most demanding and imaginative designs. It makes sense to choose surfaces to survive the fun 
and the frustration. Surfaces that survive the wear and tear and the unavoidable accidents. Surfaces that 
you will enjoy year after year. Surfaces easy to live with.

A practical common sense in your home where good looks and hygiene are of equal importance.

Warm and inviting to the touch Corian® comes with translucent colours that blend into any environment. Minimal care is required to maintain its original beauty. With the broad selection of inspired colours, its easy to find a colour that is compatible with virtually any design.

Corian® Care

Corian® is non-porous so dirt, grease and bacteria can be wiped away with detergent and hot water, and the surface disinfected with a solution of one part water and one part bleach.

Routine Cleaning:

The more you clean Corian® the nicer its smooth satin sheen becomes. Regular cleaning with an abrasive powder cleaner, such as Ajax or Barkeepers Friend will enhance its looks and build up lustre. 
Any small scratches and impact marks which occur in normal use will smooth out with Scotchbrite and an abrasive cleaner. 
The gloss level of the Scotchbrite area may then need to be adjusted by blending with Ajax or Barkeepers Friend, until a uniform surface sheen is restored.

Watermarks:

Hard water may sometimes leave visible watermark deposits on the Corian® surface. 
Barkeepers Friend, or a proprietary watermark remover should be applied following the manufacturers instructions, and then left for a few minutes. Use a Scotchbrite pad to scrub the entire surface, then rinse with fresh water and buff dry. As in routine cleaning adjust gloss level as necessary.

Sink and Bowls

Follow the routine cleaning procedure above. Occasionally fill the sink with a water bleach solution, leave for 15 minutes then scrub the sink as the solution drains.

Preventing Damage:

Corian® is a quality product and responds being treated with respect. Always use a trivet for standing hot cookware and ovenware on Corian®. Do not stand hot pans, cook and ovenware directly onto Corian® worktops.

Do not cut or chop on Corian® countertops – use a chopping board.

Please do not allow pans to overhang the hob, complying with the recommendation of major appliance manufacturers.

Wipe up spills of strong chemicals immediately, e.g., oven cleaner and paint strippers, etc.

However if an accident does occur, Corian® specialists have the expertise to repair almost any damage. Corian® comes with a 10 year warranty backed by DuPont.

Finally we have selected a kitchen range that should suit most styles but there are just a few things to watch out for when choosing the colour.

Selecting Corian® colours for your application In order to ensure that you gain the greatest satisfaction from your Corian® and that it meets your expectations-please read the following carefully.

 Dark colours and heavily pigmented solid colours will show scratches, dust, ordinary wear and tear, more easily than the light, textured, colours. We therefore advise against using these colours for domestic or commercial kitchen/laboratory work-surfaces. 

Whilst the composition is the same as all other Corian® colours, the pigmentation is of a higher density to produce these solid and vibrant colours. Heavily pigmented and solid vibrant colours will require more frequent care to maintain their appearance.

Samples of Corian® may also vary from installed Corian® The following series of colours have veining, which can vary with intensity and may highlight joints: 

Dawn Beige, Venaro Grey, Venaro Natural Pearl, Venaro Peach, Venaro Rose, Venaro White

. The following solid colours are primarily designed for inlay work and are not suitable for kitchen work surfaces:

 Hot, Lilac, Mandarin, Nocturn and Sun.

The following dark colours require more maintenance and are not suitable for kitchen work surfaces:

Azure, Black Quartz, Cobalt, Emerald, Ruby, Gravel, Turkish Blue, Adobe, Olive, Shale, Flint, Anthracite, Blackberry Ice, Bronze Patina, Pompeii Red, Moss, Cocoa Brown*, Coffee Bean*, Night Sky*

 The following collection of colours contain reflective flakes, their directionality may highlight joints and restrict some fabrication techniques:

Anthracite, Blackberry Ice, Blizzard, Bronze Patina, Dune, Pompeii Red, Riviera Mist, Sage, Shadow and Winter Frost.

“That’s Corian®!”

If you would like to find out more or see it in action we have a display in our showroom where you can get further advice and tips from ourselves and the fabricators.