Apollo Slab Tech Worktop

BullBauld

Anyone ever come across this type of worktop. It's manmade and apparently has the qualities of granite etc but not the price.

I was initially going for granite with my kitchen but this was put to me as a cheaper alternative so I'm interested to hear if anyone has any experience of it.

Here is link
http://www.apolloworktops.com/apollo-slab-tech.php

Thanks
Bull

WoodaleDesigns

I haven't heard of it to be honest. It does look similar to SileStone and Quartz. The choices of colour seem pretty limited and judging by their website they are only based in the UK? As far as I'm aware Cosentino the company that supply SileStone have opened a new showroom to the public in Dublin. They have also dropped their prices and some of the entry level countertops are slightly cheaper than granite with the added bonus of built-in anti bacterial agents.

BullBauld

Thanks for your reply. My local kitchen company are agents for Apollo worktops as are numerous others aswell by the sounds of it so it can be sourced here.

It just I've never come accross it before so a little cautious. But it appears to be a good alternative. I'm travelling to a kitchen showroom in the next few days to see it fitted.

Will check out Cosentino too and see how they compare.

Thanks
Bull

fm

hafele are bringing it in to ireland this year.basically its the solid surface worktops without the chipboard core,inhouse have a version too i think.

Bad Mustard

I've come across this product before over in England and it's basically a 30mm version of Corian but without the Corian price. I've also seen it fitted and they made it appear very easy, the fitters just used normal wood working tools.
They cut the undermounted sink out, finished it with the router and then put the drainer grooves in themselves.
When they joined the worktops I struggled to see the joint even though I knew where it was.
The curved corner they put on was very easy also, they just routered round a template, job done and the edge finish was put on using the router again, very quick.
Have to say I was very impressed.

Hope this helps.

KevArno

There are plenty of these solid surface products on the market at the moment (Encore/Getacore/HiMacs/Corian etc). I don't know anything about the particular brand you are referring to, however I would automatically be suspicious of any worktop that is in fact using about 3 times more material (in that it doesnt use a sub frame, plywood etc) and still manages to be substantially cheaper than the general market costs of this type of worktop... I would definitely want to see some finished work to assess the quality of both the material and the fitting.

As for the comparison with granite, generally good quality solid surface worktops like Corian and HiMacs cost at least as much if not more than granite. And they do not have the the same qualities as granite, in that they definitely look and feel like plastics. A little colder but plastic none the less. Also they will mark and scratch even easier than a good quality laminated worktop. However they can be re-buffed to remove marks.