Stone Benchtops Perth - A 2025 Renovators Guide
If you're looking at stone benchtops in Perth, you might be feeling a little confused about what to use after the recent Australia wide engineered stone ban.
In this Perth renovator guide, we share with you all you need to know about choosing the right stone benchtop option for your new space. Plus, we share three critical things you should know about how to reduce your stone benchtop costs, without hassle.
Pictured: Kaledonia
Stone Benchtops Perth - What Choices are There?
With so many options to choose from for your new stone benchtop project, it can seem overwhelming at the best of times.
Costs, availability, design, style, legalities... the list goes on.
From January 1, 2025 no provider can legally sell high crystalline silica benchtops, so that means anything you see on the market today is a 100% government approved kitchen benchtop design, like our Techlam Sintered Collection.
But what are some of the popular stone benchtop options and how do they vary by price, so you know what you can choose to stay within your budget.
However, budget shouldn't be your only consideration. If you have small children, a big family or entertain a lot, them maybe a marble benchtop isn't for you.
Moreso, if you're looking for an outdoor UV rated stone design for BBQ space or alfresco kitchens, natural stone and even the new mineral glass stone benchtops aren't covered for UV exposure under warranty.
Pictured: Asetica Taj Mahal
Stone Benchtop Options In Perth.
Natural Marble Stone Benchtops Perth
Let's face it, as far as stone benchtops go, natural marble is like the Rolls Royce of stone benchtop options. As unique as a fingerprint, every slab has it's own traits and look that has taken hundreds of thousands of years to produce by mother nature.
The downside is this, maintenance. Since natural marble is soft and porous, keeping it is great shape can be a real challenge.
Coffee cup rings, sauces, spices and general spills can wreak havoc on your new stone benchtop if going down the natural marble route.
Natural marble also requires sealing prior to installation, which means a sealant is applied to the surface for 24 hours, that absorbs into the stone, allowing it to be more resistant to marks and stains,.
Unfortunately, this often needs to be re-applied every 12 months after consistent use as the penetrating sealer eventually fades away. Another downside to natural marble is the softness of the material, meaning that chips can be a common occurrence on benchtop edges or around sinks if using an undermounted sink.
Pricing for natural marble in Perth can also be very high depending on the design you choose. Calacatta's, carrara's and quartzites can be incredible expensive due to supply and demand at the time.
It's always best to shop around, but when you see the vein styling and design you love in a natural design, it's hard to find something exactly the same when each slab is different.
The verdict on natural marble stone benchtops - Great for admiring, but not so great if you're someone who likes to cook and entertain a lot.
Granites and Quartzites (Such as Taj Mahal / Mont Blanc)
Arguably one of the most popular designs in Australia right now is Taj Mahal. A gorgeous example of classic quartzite design that's incredibly durable and very beautiful.
It also happens to be thousands of dollars per slab and fabrication costs can just as high. This is due to the material being incredibly hard and often times difficult to fabricate.
A slab of Taj Mahal can be anywhere from the $3000 - $6000 range for a single slab, which is wildly expensive for those looking at cost saving options.
With alternatives available like our Techlam Taj Mahal, more and more designers are turning to options like sintered stone for near identical designs that perform just as well, if not better in some applications than quartzites.
This comes with a reduced cost, longer warranties and more simplistic cutting ability.
Natural Marble Benchtops Perth
Another choice is natural marble, unique, beautiful and also expensive. Not only is natural marble an expensive stone benchtop option, it can also be very hard to maintain and this is due to the porosity of natural marble which can lead to a lot of stains and scratches across your new benchtop over time.
Natural marble also requires sealing prior to being installed, in many cases. This process involves bathing the stone in a sealant, which is often left of the surface for up to 12 hours to absorb into the surface, which creates a temporary barrier against stains and spills.
However, this sealant needs to be applied frequently depending on how often your benchtop gets used. This can be costly and inconvenient having to arrange this treatment to be done with a stonemason, or benchtop care company.
Mineral Benchtops Perth
The mineral glass based benchtops are the alternative to high crystalline silica quartz based kitchen benchtops, which were recently banned by the Australian government. These new mineral benchtops are very new to the market and come with limited testing and historical data and while these new benchtop offerings are the most cost effective, they are the least tested.
This creates some questions around the longevity of the product in the future and whether the limited testing data is enough to give you confidence that this product will remain durable and look the same in 12-18 months from now.
Stories of supplier stock turning yellow and containers having to be sent back to China due to quality issues creates concerns with some renovators and designers who are hesitant to now use this material until further testing data becomes available.
Sintered Stone Benchtops Perth
It's one of the world's most resistant benchtop designs and for good reason. Sintered stone revolutionised the global market when it was introduced to the world in the early 2000's. Sintered stone offers you the best of both worlds, with incredible heat, stain, scratch and even UV resistant properties, combined with 100% natural minerals and materials.
Pictured: Marvel Gold
Since the engineered stone ban, more designers, builders and renovators are turning to safer, more durable options without any concerns about quality or safety.
What is Sintered Stone?
Sintered stone is a 100% naturally based stone surface, meaning it's made from natural minerals, binders and clays which are fired at temperatures of around 1300 celcius. This firing process voids the surface of virtually all moisture, which makes makes essentially non-porous and this means it is impossible to stain.
It also means it is incredibly heat resistant and because it is also UV stable you can use it even in direct sunlight. So for all your outdoors designs needs like alfresco areas, BBQ surrounds, flooring and building facades, our Techlam Sintered Collection is your ideal stone companion.
It is also
- Spill resistant
- Scratch resistant
- Stain resistant
- Heat resistant
- UV resistant
- Weather resistant
- + a whole lot more
To learn more about our sintered collection, take a look at our guide here
So if you're looking for a new stone benchtop in Perth, consider Sintered Stone. Not only is it natural and safe, it's incredible durable, strong and beautiful.
Want to know more?
Order your free sample set today.