Solid Surface:10 most frequently asked questions

Cutting through the confusion

When a project names Solid Surface as the material, it can immediately conjure up questions for the person that needs to source it. It can be stressful and overwhelming scrolling through endless content on google at a time when you need a quick, straight to the point, honest answer.

This is when it is time to speak to an expert.

At BSF, we have answered thousands of questions in our 22 plus years of working with Solid Surface, and we continue to offer advice and information to our customers on a daily basis.

Here are 10 questions that we are asked often:

Q1. What is Solid Surface?

Solid Surface is a hard as stone, beautiful, sleek hardwearing man made surface material, which is so versatile as it can be manipulated into curves and shaped, that other materials cannot achieve.

Q2. What is Solid Surface made from?

A.   There are two variants. Most of the brands are a combination of ATH, which is made from a by-product of aluminium mining called Bauxite Ore, and acrylic. The other variant is a mix of ATH with polyester.

To find out more about the properties of Solid Surface, have a quick read of my article here

Q3. How many Solid Surface brands are there?        

A.     There are a lot of brands, we currently offer 13 in our portfolio, providing our customers with choice about what they can have for their project.

Q4. What are the differences between the brands?

A.   Most of the brands are made in the same/ similar way, with nearly identical chemical composition. The biggest difference is the material manufacturer and distributor, colour offering and pricing structure.

If you would like to know more about the different brands that we work with, please click here to read our article.

Q5. What is the standard colour and size- do you sell in slab like granite?  

A.   In Solid Surface fabrication everything is bespoke so there is no standard colour, shape or size. We do not sell in slab form, as everything is made to order, every item is completely unique

Q6. Can I install it myself?

A.   If it is something that can be placed in one piece and does not require joining, you can likely install yourself. If it needs a join ( which we call a seam) then it will need to be installed by one of our skilled, trained fitting team, as we use specialist techniques to ensure the seam is inconspicuous and maintain your warranty is secure.

Q7. Is it easy to clean?

Solid Surface is supremely easy to clean, you need plenty of elbow grease, a micro fibre cloth/ cellulose cloth, ordinary household cleaner (with bleach possibly) and, if you have any, Bar Keepers Friend. I keep my kitchen surfaces pristine by using a household cleaner, like Method Antibacterial Spray, and wiping a damp cloth across the worktop. This should remove the every day dirt and muck away relatively easily.

If you would like to know more about how easy it is to clean Solid Surface, take a peek at my article which gives more information, here

Q8. How do we price?

We use an in house estimating database, which enables us to offer the most competitive prices as possible.

Every we make is hand made to order, therefore, they are priced accordingly. There is no one set price for anything, each item is evaluated when offering a quote.

We do not offer a price per M2 or linear metre.

We are friendly and accommodating bunch, so you can get in touch with us via phone or email and we will happily turn a price around as quickly as possibly. We aim for within a day, depending on the size and type of project.

Q9. What is the warranty and what does it cover?

A.  The warranty is normally ten years from installation. It covers the material, so in the rare event of a material failure (clouding, colour etc) then the manufacturer will need to be involved. It does not cover for wear and tear, abuse or accidental damage.

Q10. Where are you based, and do you offer a nationwide service?

We are based in Essex, the land of glitter and gold (shh don't tell our chaps that), here is a little snippet of info about our factory. We do work nationwide, depending on the nature of your project, it is good to talk about what you need.

For a more in depth look at how we work, it would be great if you took a look at my showcase article here.

This is just a handful of the questions we are asked on a regular basis by our valued clients.

The thing is, you don’t know what you don’t know, so just ask! We are a friendly bunch, we will chat, send information, samples, drawings and offer expert, impartial advice.

Have a question?

Give me a call on 01277 263603

Nicola x 

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Nicola Barden is the Managing Director of her family business, BSF Solid Surfaces Ltd, offering high end, bespoke counter surfaces from Solid Surface, a high end man made stone, for both commercial and residential projects, website www.bsfsolidsurfaces.com

She can be contacted on nicola@bsfsolidsurfaces.com or give her a call on 01277 263603 if you want to chat about anything, or nothing in particular.

In her spare time she can be found with her husband, son, two cats and crazy dog. They enjoy going to the zoo, the park, the rides and anything that allows their energetic son to expend his endless amounts of energy!