Solid-surface countertop is a man-made material consisting of mineral dust (mostly marble) mixed with a variety of plastic resins and pigments. Its main appeal is that it is easy to fabricate and can create completely seamless countertops, unlike any other countertop surface. It was introduced in 1967 by DuPont under the brand name Corian, though there are now other major brand names offering the material, including Samsung and Topstone. It is a decided improvement over laminate countertops and over the older plastic material commonly called cultured stone.
While solid-surface materials mimic the look of stone, thanks to the fact that it includes mineral dust, no one is likely to mistake it for solid granite coutertops. For many people, the look of slab granite for a countertop simply cannot be duplicated or beat. But recent years have seen the introduction of quartz countertops. Most of these are engineered stone products consisting of about 95% ground natural quartz and other materials with 5% binding resins. There is a serious competition between natural stone and solid surface materials, both occupying the middle tier of countertop options.