Sink comparison: Blanco Silgranit II vs. Corian

11 years ago

I had a Corian integrated sink (cream colored) for 15 years; the Silgranit (white) is only 2 weeks old. Here is what I have noticed:

Staining - The Corian sink stained with berries, coffee, tea, chocolate, and cast iron pans. The Silgranit stains with cast iron pans and, surprisingly, stainless steel and aluminum. Winner: Silgranit

Cleaning - Both sinks cleaned easily with Barkeepers Friend. Winner: Draw.

Scratching - While the Corian countertop had scratches, I can't say I ever noticed any in the sink. So far, no scratches on the Silgranit. Winner: Draw

Heat Resistance - I have never tested this, as I don't put hot pans in the sink. I still run cold water in the sink while draining pasta. I assume the Silgranit would win here.

Ease of use - Corian wins here. The top of the sink was integrated and level with the counter top. The Silgranit is undermount and that extra inch of depth causes a bit more strain on the back while doing dishes. I also very much miss the integrated faucet deck.

Conclusion - I like both sinks and think either one is a good choice. I do feel a slight preference for the old Corian sink.

Featured Answer

dcward89

11 years ago

I wonder if one could get a Corian sink made as big as my huge, single bowl, 10" deep, 36" wide stainless undermount that I am currently deeply and forever in love with??

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Comments (7)

User
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
I don't think it's fair to say Corian is the winner in Ease of Use because the Silgranit sink is undermounted. ANY sink material that is undermounted would not be your preference; this is not the fault of the Silgranit material.
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oasisowner
Original Author
11 years ago
True, sahmmy. But I sure do miss that integrated faucet deck. We are all-in-all quite happy with the Silgranit.
jakkom
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
For heat resistance I think all you need do is check the mfg specifications. Corian is heat-resistant to 325 degrees; it's the integrated sinks where you need to be careful with boiling water because of the glue used (seams are always the weak point in any kitchen counter/sink material).

I'm not sure what Silgranit's max temp resistance is. My drop-in 32" Swanstone single-bowl sink is rated for 375 degrees. I never run cold water when I drain pasta, and have had no problems since its 2003 install.

The only thing SoftScrub won't get out of Swanstone is rust stains from cans. But oddly, they disappear after a while just from ordinary use (e.g., running water) after a couple of months. Mine is top-mount, but you can undermount it. The deck is pretty thin (compared to our previous Kohler cast iron, LOL) so it would add 1/4" to depth when you're bending over.

My DH would agree on a too-deep sink. He finds its 10" depth too deep for him (he's 5'10"). I'm four inches shorter and have no problems with the depth. He'd prefer an 8- or 9-inch sink, that would work better for him.

So far they haven't been able to make solid surface sinks longer than 31/32" for a single-bowl, last I heard.
sherri1058
11 years ago
Silgranit is heat resistant to 536 as per manufacturers specs, so yes, Silgranit wins in this area.

Oasisowner, when you say that the Silgranit stains, does this mean you are unable to remove the marks made by the pots? Or can you remove them with your Barkeepers Friend?
oasisowner
Original Author
11 years ago
No, I have never had a stain on either sink that I couldn't remove. Barkeepers Friend is a miracle cleanser!
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
11 years ago
last modified: 11 years ago
Acrylic solid surface sinks are virtually permanently unstainable as I would imagine a Silegranite sink would be. Silegranite sinks are solid surface sinks the difference being the "filler". Silegranite uses granite and solid surface uses Aluminum Trihydrate (ATH). ATH can "bruise" (whiten) if struck with a hard object, but these "bruises", like scratches, can often be abraded away. Silegranite is very difficult to scratch, but if you ever do, we can possibly get the scratch out with diamond pads, but the finish won't match, unlike solid surface.

As for size, I'd put the Corian 902 up against anything out there.