Most people still call laminate tops Formica as these types of tops have been in use since the 1960’s. Laminate counter tops are still the most affordable tops available with the widest variety of color and pattern options. Choose from the standard self edge / square edge front to the more custom bevel edge option. Wilsonart offers a new HIGH DEFINITION finish which is available in various patterns.

We are in DuPont land so people in our area know this product by name. Corian is fabricated on site at Matteos. Corian is the original solid surface material invented by DuPont over 40 years ago. As with most solid surface materials it comes with a 10 year warranty. Corian is heat resistant and nonporous so it is easy to clean and does not promote the growth of bacteria, mold or mildew. Since the color runs all the way through, it’s renewable with mild house hold abrasives.

What makes Corian and other solid surfaces unique is the integral sink option. This option allows the fabricator to mold the sink into the top to make a seamless looking bond. Sinks are available in various sizes, styles and colors.

This category has had the most interest in recent years. Quartz products sold at Matteos are: Zodiac, Silestone, Cambria, Viatera, CeasarStone and Avanza. New companies are entering the market all the time.

Quartz products were first marketed by the box stores, offering the granite value without the hassle of sealing it. Quartz is considered a stone, manmade stone, that is comprised of 93-97% quartz to give it the hard feel and durability. Quartz products do not need to be sealed and come in a variety of colors and pattern options. The main characteristic of quartz is the uniformity of the stone slabs. Pricing of quartz is similar to that of granite with companies offering sales on select colors and some offer free sink options.

Stones from all over the world comprise the granite selection at Matteo Family Kitchen, Inc. The color of the granite is usually indicative of the area it was milled from. Different climates and soil compositions will cause different colors. Selecting granite usually requires a visit to a granite yard to view the stone in its entirety. Customers need to understand that certain characteristics: vein directional changes and pattern mismatch at seams, seam location and visual / feel expectations, pits, extrusions and fissures, and inclusions and pooling can sometimes lead to disappointment at installation. Based on the color selection, Matteos and their fabricator will make sure the customers knows what to expect on the final installation.

Care and maintenance on granite can be very simple. Granites are sealed at the granite yard once cut for the particular job. Sealers provide a temporary barrier and will need to be sealed from time to time during its lifetime. Different colors require more maintenance then others and a Matteos salesperson can easily explain the differences.  Granite is already millions of years old and with proper ease of maintenance should last a few more years in your home.