Artificial Stone Window Sills: 9 Tips For Choosing

For hundreds of years, natural stone in decoration has been considered the standard of luxury and respectability. In the digital age, nothing has changed: natural stone is still held in high esteem, only humanity has been able to create an artificial analogue of it. It costs less, weighs less, and even surpasses natural stone in some respects. Fake diamond began to be widely used in finishing work, including and to create window sills. We figure out how to choose a window sill made of artificial stone, and what is important to pay attention to first of all.

Advantages and disadvantages

Usually window sills do from plastic. It is inexpensive, relatively aesthetically pleasing, but not very durable and even somehow boring. A window sill made of natural stone will look much more elegant, will last for decades, but you will have to pay a large amount. A compromise solution is window sills made of artificial stone. The material is made of mineral filler, polymer, dyes and various additives. The output is a product that is difficult to distinguish by appearance from natural stone. Interestingly, the technology was created in 1967 and was originally necessary for bone prosthetics, and only then it began to be used in construction.

The advantages of window sills made of artificial stone:

• the cost is much lower than that of natural stone;
• longevity up to 50 years with appropriate care;
• high strength and resistance to stress;
• moisture resistance, as there are no pores in the artificial stone (unlike many natural breeds). Such a windowsill can be safely operated even in the bathroom. Mold and fungus they will not live on it;
• rather simple restoration in case of defects;
• wide choice - technology allows you to copy the structure of any stone;
• light weight simplifies installation and reduces the load on the supports;
• an opportunity to order a window sill of any configuration and size. The technology allows you to create quite large products without seams;
• easy care.

disadvantages:

• artificial stone is more expensive than plastic, ceramic tiles, wood and many other materials used to organize the windowsill. But the appearance is completely different;
• some types of artificial stone are afraid of high temperatures, therefore it is better not to put hot on them (it is important when organizing the kitchen space).

Artificial stone is made using various technologies. For the manufacture of window sills, quartz agglomerate, acrylic stone, cast marble and polyester stone are used. Each of these materials is distinguished by its pros and cons.

Acrylic stone window sill

It was with acrylic stone that the era of the production of artificial stone began. Since its introduction in the 60s, technology has, of course, changed, but the principle has remained the same. Stone chips (60-70%) are mixed with aluminum hydroxide, acrylic resins and dye. The resulting viscous mixture is poured into a mold, followed by cooling and molding of the material.

Benefits:

• the ability to get a stone of any shape and size, and even large window sills will not have seams;
• the ability to get an intricate curved window sill;
• variety of design;
• high moisture resistance, strength, durability;
• resistance to temperature extremes;
• durability, and over time, the color of the product does not change;
• a warm surface, so that if desired, the windowsill can be used as a seat;
• high maintainability.

Acrylic stone, although it is characterized by high strength and resistance to mechanical stress, but over time, scratches can remain on it. Therefore, even with care, it is not recommended to use abrasive detergents. But all the scratches and other defects can be easily removed during the repair process. Acrylic stone is fireproof, but constant heating can lead to yellowing.

Polyester stone windowsill

Polyester stone rarely used. This is a cheaper analogue of acrylic stone, in the production of which polyester is used instead of acrylic resins. Durability and moisture resistance are maintained at a high level, but there are some limitations. The material does not allow the creation of curved window sills, and in the first days after installation, the product will exude a specific smell, which will soon disappear.

Quartz stone window sill

Quartz stone is as close as possible to natural stone, and even surpasses it in some parameters. It consists of almost the same components as in acrylic / polyester stone - the difference is only in their quantity. As a mineral filler take a quartz crumb, its part reaches 92-94%. Everything else is polyester resins (or other polymer binders), dyes, additives. The product is formed under the influence of high temperatures and vibration. Production is carried out in a vacuum environment to avoid the ingress of impurities. The result is an artificial stone that surpasses in many respects natural analogues.

Benefits:

• highest strength. Quartz stone surpasses not only acrylic stone, but also granite;
• it is almost impossible to leave scratches on the material, therefore washing can be done by any means, including abrasive
• moisture resistance due to lack of pores;
• resistance to high and low temperatures. A hot pan or pan will not leave a trace, and for a window sill in the kitchen it is very important. Acrylic stone from some manufacturers is damaged when exposed to high temperatures;
• high durability;
• diversity.

There are also minuses. Damaging a quartz stone is more difficult than acrylic, but if a defect appears, it is almost impossible to restore. The surface of the material turns out to be cold, which makes it as much as possible similar to natural stone, but with constant use it can cause discomfort.

Cast marble window sill

Natural marble - a beautiful stone, but fragile and porous. By production of cast marble it is possible to get rid of some shortcomings. The material is made on the basis of marble chips (up to 80%), a polymer binder and various additives. The result is an agglomerate that is superior in strength to natural marble. In addition, it is devoid of pores, therefore it will be better to tolerate the effects of moisture. Such a stone can withstand temperatures up to +80⁰C, because too hot objects can not be placed on it. It is worth casting stone cheaper than acrylic, but did not get wide distribution.

Artificial Stone Manufacturers

Window sills made of artificial stone are made to order. As a result, you get a unique product that most closely matches your requirements (size, shape, color, etc.). Companies, as a rule, use ready-made artificial stone, from which window sills are made. There are not so many manufacturers of artificial stone, and even fewer good manufacturers.

To the most large and time-tested manufacturers of artificial stone can include:

• Corian (USA) - stone produced by the company Dupont, which once created the first artificial stone. Makes acrylic stone of the highest quality, in a huge variety of colors and textures;
• Montelli (USA / China) - acrylic and quartz stone with excellent strength characteristics, but with a limited model range. But the prices from the manufacturer are excellent. Stone is made by DuPont;
• Sansung (South Korea) produces acrylic stone Staron, the composition of the material, among other components, includes white clay. Products are presented in several collections to simplify the selection. The price / quality ratio is one of the best in the market, which has made the products popular;
• Akrilika (Germany) produces high-quality and inexpensive products, supplies non-standard sizes of material. Some complain that the stone of the company is too fragile, but when it comes to the windowsill, this is not a significant drawback;
• LG (South Korea) produces stone Hi-Macs, which is distinguished by an acceptable price and fairly good quality;
• Tristone (South Korea) offers a wide range of stone in several collections;
• Hanwha (South Korea) produces stone Hanex. The range is sufficient, operational quality is also up to par.

Windowsill shape

From the material provided by the manufacturer, companies that manufacture artificial window sills can produce products of almost any shape:

• rectangular window sill - a classic of the genre, appropriate in any room;
• bay window sill great for decoration bay windows. The product has a semicircular cut;
• half-bay with a slight bend it looks good in the corner of the room;
• figured The window sill has a complex shape with numerous bends.

If necessary, stone can be cut convection slotsso as not to impede the movement of warm air masses. It is especially important to foresee them when Radiator fully or partially hidden by the finish.

Window sill butt it can be simply smooth or have a figured finish - the choice depends on the characteristics of the interior. If desired, even engraving can be done at the end.

Sill Size

The length and depth of the windowsill depend on the window opening and your own preferences. It is possible to take out the window sill by 10 cm, or it is possible by 30 cm, turning it into an additional countertop. The width depends on the width of the window opening. FROM thick everything is somewhat more complicated. Stone window sills 12 mm thick are popular, but many experts say that this is not always enough. In order for the product to be strong, durable, able to withstand loads and be used as a tabletop, it is better to order a 30 mm thick windowsill. Naturally, the greater the thickness, the more durable the product will be.

Color and design

Manufacturers offer artificial stone in different shades - from white to almost black. Which to choose? Depends on the interior and personal preferences. Remember that too dark and saturated shades are not suitable for small rooms. You can combine the color of the window sill with another element in the room. In the kitchen, for example, the countertop and window sill can be made of the same material. The same goes for the bathroom. In the living room you can focus on the color of the furniture. Stone window sills go well with both plastic and wooden windows.

Artificial stone window sills look great in any room and fit into any interior style. And most importantly, they will serve for a long time.