FAQs

Engineered Stone is made up of 91-97% natural quartz. The rest of the slab is composed of resins, polymers and various types of pigments. This allows the manufacturers of the Engineered Stone to produce high quality, strong and durable products. There is a huge colour range available, with a growing trend of the imitation marble look, giving you the gorgeous look of marble, at a fraction of the price, without the continuous upkeep that marble requires, or wear that it suffers.

Engineered Stone slabs are fairly colour consistent. The process in which it is produced creates hundreds of slabs at one time that are batch matched. There can be some inconsistencies between batches, but this gives you the ability to select a colour from a sample without the absolute necessity of viewing a slab beforehand.

Once your quality cabinetry is installed and level, we will then come in and digitally template the area. From here, you are looking at having your Engineered Stone benchtop install within 5-10 working days! For an Ultra-Compact Surface, due to extra processes that are required, the lead time is just 10-15 working days from template to installation.

We will require all relevant information to be present at the time of template. Any information delay may have an adverse effect on your lead time.

We only fabricate products that have an industry standard limited 10-year manufacturer’s warranty. For warranty information for the product you have chosen, please see the manufacturer’s website.

In addition to this, Stone by Design offer a 10-year workmanship warranty.

Engineered Stone is more expensive than the traditional laminate benchtop. However, research shows that upgrading to stone in your house will increase the value of your property. As well as having a diverse colour range, all our suppliers also provide more cost-effective options if you need. We will work with you to ensure you receive a great colour, that fits your house and price range.

The options are endless! Engineered Stone can be used in many applications for your home, these include (but are not limited to):

Fantastic! Your first step is to contact us (link through to contact info) and we will supply you with a free quote. We do require a drawing of your benchtop, with any seen edges marked, don’t worry, you don’t need to be an architect to do this, we are happy to talk with you over the phone to achieve a quotable plan. Our experienced team can also talk you through further details in regards to sink and hob mounting or any additional cut-outs that you might like. We are able to price your new benchtop in a variety of brand and colour options, ensuring that you will be receiving the best option for your budget and lifestyle. We will require you to visit our showroom to select your final colour choice, and while you are here you can pop into our adjoining factory to view the fabricating process if you so desire!

Your personal situation (home renovator or new build), will determine your next steps. Speak to us today to find out what will work best in your situation.

Your new benchtop is resistant to scratches, stains and heat; however, we do not advise that you put this to the test! The manufacturers have spent millions of dollars in research and development to ensure a hard-wearing surface, but we do require you to follow some general rules to ensure your new benchtop keeps looking as good as the day you got it.

• Always use a heat mat or chopping board to put any hot pots or pans on. This includes fry pans, slow cookers etc.
• Use a chopping board for cutting foods
• Do not drag objects across the surface of your benchtop.
• Avoid using abrasive cleaners such as jif, oven cleaner etc
• For day to day cleaning, warm soapy water will do the trick. We recommend using Lithofin (http://www.lithofin.co.nz) Easy Clean once a week to keep your benchtop looking great. For further for cleaning information, please visit our Care & Maintenance page (link through to Care & Maintenance) or the supplier’s website.