What is Sintered Stone? The Complete 2025 Guide for Sydney and Perth Homeowners
Sintered stone is rapidly becoming the go to surface for designers, builders and renovators all around Sydney and Perth, for good reason. If you've been searching for a benchtop, splashback, or even an outdoor alfresco area, you've come to the right place.
In this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about sintered stone:
- What is sintered stone?
- How it compares to porcelain benchtops
- Pros and Cons of sintered stone
- Applications
- How much does sintered stone cost?
- Why Perth and Sydney homeowners can't get enough
What is Sintered Stone?
Used widely across Europe and Asia, sintered stone is taking off in Australia thanks to its extreme durability and sustainability. Unlike engineered or natural stone, sintered stone offers a 100% government-approved alternative to the now-banned high-silica benchtop materials.
Sintered stone is a 100% naturally based surfaces that combines incredible heat and pressure that fused together raw materials to create an incredibly strong and durable surface that's totally heat, stain, scratch and even UV resistant.
Our Asetica Techlam Sintered Stone Range was first created in 2007 by Levantina Group, Spain, one of Europe's oldest stone producers. In 2007, they saw the need for a new and innovative material that was far more durable than natural stone, yet still contained 100% natural elements.
How is Sintered Stone Made?
Sintered stone is formed by compacting and fusing raw minerals at pressures up to 33,000 tonnes and temperatures exceeding 1200°C. This replicates the natural geological processes that take thousands of years, completed in just a few hours.
This process, called Sintering, creates a surface that is incredibly strong, low-tension, and less prone to cracking than traditional porcelain benchtops.
One of the World’s Most Advanced Facilities
Our Techlam Sintered Stone is produced in Levantina’s cutting-edge facility in Spain, renowned globally for its sustainable and efficient production methods.
What are the Pros of Sintered Stone?
- 100% natural and government-approved surface material
- Up to 95% recycled content
- No toxic chemicals, polyester resins, or binders
- Virtually non-porous — no stains or spill marks
- UV resistant — suitable for outdoor applications
- Available in 12mm and 20mm slab thickness
- Heat resistant — ideal behind gas burners
- Large format 3200mm x 1600mm sizing
- Ultra-dense and strong — impact and chip resistant
- Looks like marble, performs like granite
- Exclusive to Asetica in Sydney & Perth
Applications of Sintered Stone in Perth and Sydney?
The better question is, what can’t it be used for? Techlam Sintered Stone is one of the most versatile surface solutions available today.
- Kitchen benchtops & islands
- Splashbacks
- Wall cladding
- Flooring
- Bathroom vanities
- Laundry rooms
- Outdoor BBQs & alfrescos
- Pool coping
- Fireplace surrounds
- Furniture and table tops
If you can design it, you can probably use sintered stone for it.
Sintered Stone Advanced Durability.
Sintered stone is built for life. Thanks to its unique manufacturing process, it resists:
- Extreme heat from pans or open flames
- Scratches and dents
- Stains from wine, coffee, turmeric and oils
- UV damage from harsh Australian sun
- Expansion and contraction in outdoor conditions
Sintered Stone Vs Porcelain Benchtops: What's the difference?
A common question is whether sintered stone and porcelain are the same. While both do use similar raw materials, the true difference to how it's made and and raw materials used.
Both surface offer similar qualities, but knowing what sets them apart will help you make more informed decisions that won't end is benchtop regret.
What is Porcelain?
Porcelain is a ceramic material, make primarily from Kaolin Clay and a combination of other raw materials that is heated at high temperatures or around 1200c. This results in a hard, and non porous material, similar to sintered stone. It's very commonly used for flooring, wall tiles and also kitchen benchtops.
Similar to sintered stone, porcelain is non-porous, which means it has a high resistance to sunlight, stains and scratches.
How Durable is Porcelain?
Like sintered stone, porcelain slabs are very hard, with a high resistance to scratches and stains as mentioned above. However, where porcelain differs to sintered stone is in its ability to stand up to sudden changes in temperature. This is the reason why savvy home owners are now turning to sintered stone, which has a higher resistance to changes in temperature, like adding hot pots or pans directly to the surface of the benchtop.
The Main Difference Between Porcelain and Sintered Stone.
While sintered stone and porcelain share similar raw materials, the real difference is in their scale and use. Porcelain is more often produced in smaller formats for flooring or walls, whereas sintered stone is engineered into larger format slabs, with a higher volume of natural raw materials.
A lot of large format porcelain designs on the marketplace today come from non European origins, which offer a more cost effective options, but come with a higher risk of breakage and cracking due to the lower production quality compared to European manufactuters.
How Does Sintered Stone Compare to Other Stone Surfaces?
Compared to many available surfaces on the market today, the benefits are obvious. Take a look at the table below to see how sintered stone shines compared to other surfaces.
| Feature | Techlam Sintered Stone |
Natural Stone (Marble, etc.) |
Granite | Quartzite | (Glass-based) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material Composition | 100% natural minerals, no resins | Natural stone, variable porosity | Natural igneous rock | Metamorphic natural stone | Glass & recycled content + binders |
| Government Approved (Australia) | ✅ Yes – 100% approved post-2024 | ✅ Yes (depends on silica %) | ✅ Yes (monitor silica content) | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes – New alternative |
| Heat Resistant | ✅ Up to 400°C | ⚠️ Variable – prone to cracking | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Excellent | ⚠️ Unknown – varies by brand |
| Stain Resistant | ✅ 99% non-porous | ❌ Requires sealing | ✅ Mostly stain resistant | ✅ Good resistance | ⚠️ Mixed reviews |
| UV Resistant (Outdoor Use) | ✅ Yes – ideal for outdoors | ❌ Not recommended | ⚠️ Some fading may occur | ✅ Good | ❌ Not warranted for outdoor use |
| Maintenance Required | ✅ Zero maintenance | ❌ Needs regular sealing | ⚠️ May require occasional sealing | ⚠️ Low, but not zero | ✅ No sealing, but requires more maitenance |
| Surface Finish | ✅ Soft matte & stone textures | ✅ Natural but inconsistent | ✅ Polished, honed or leathered | ✅ Similar to granite | ⚠️ Often shiny, reflective/glass-like |
Is Sintered Stone Government Approved?
Yes, our entire sintered stone range is 100% government approved by all states and authorities around Australia. It is a safe engineered stone alternative and is manufactured in a way that meets all Australian safety standards.
Due to the fact that Sintered stone is 100% natural, it was never regulated or banned like high crystalline silica engineered stone that was banned.
How much does sintered stone cost?
Pricing varies depending on brand, colour and application. While sintered stone generally costs more than new mineral engineered stone, it offers a significant saving against natural stones like marble and Taj Mahal.
In Sydney and Perth, sintered stone typically stands towards the mid to high range of the surface materials available. However, because it doesn't require any sealing or ongoing maintenance, and lasts decades, it's considered a much better lifetime investment.
Final Verdict: Should You Choose Sintered Stone?
If you value safety, sustainability, beauty, and performance, our Techlam Sintered Stone is the clear winner.
Exclusively available from Asetica in Perth and Sydney, Techlam combines decades of European innovation with timeless design and futureproof durability.
Ready to Explore the Range?
Speak with our expert team to:
- Organise samples
- Get matched with a local Asetica-accredited fabricator
- Learn more about what makes Techlam the best surface material in 2025
Visit our Padstow or Subiaco showrooms today, or contact us for personalised support.