Paperstone countertops

Do you know what paperstone is? What about paperstone countertops? Paperstone is said to be the "greenest architectural surface on the planet". I have been studying the paperstone product and evaluating it as a possible countertop option....

What is paperstone and what is it made of?

Paperstone is a paper composite, although it’s called paperstone, it has little in common with stone. It’s basically paper bonded with phenolic resins. So it’s marketing is really set on its green credentials.

It’s fabricated in the US, by a company called Paneltech Products, Inc.. They’ve been in business since 1996, and are located in Hoquiam, Washington. The manufacturing facility includes their own resin plant, as their phenolic resin is also a featured product, as it’s trademarked PetroFree phenolic resin.

How to make countertops and other cut to size pieces from paperstone?

Paperstone like all other composite materials, are sold in panels, with three different standard sizes: 5' X 12'(1524 x 3657mm), 5' X 10' (1524 x 3048mm), 5' X 8' (1524 x 2438mm). They have a wide range of thicknesses available, namely: for the 5’x12’ they have it available in 1/4” (6mm) and 3/8” (9mm) thickness; the 5’x10’ panel they have these in 1/2”(13mm) and 3/4” (19mm) thickness, the 5’x8’ panels are sold in 1”(25mm) and 1 1/4” (31mm) thickness.

It is said that paperstone is easily worked, unlike composite stones, paperstone is managed with carbide-tip woodworking tools. So it’s far from being a composite stone, as it may be solid and resistant, but not a stone like composite.

Paperstone compared to engineered stone

Green Issues: Paperstone 1 – Engineered Stone 0

Regarding green issues, paperstone is superior to engineered stone. Most engineered stones still used unsaturated polyester resin, and some of the quartz grit is actually, as some manufacturers tend to claim incorrectly, not made from quarry debris, most of the quartz is actually selected and chipped from chosen quartz.

Price: Paperstone 1 – Engineered Stone 1

In price, paperstone is very similar to engineered stone and in some cases even more expensive.

Durability and physical properties: Paperstone 1 – Engineered Stone 2

Durability and physical properties, engineered stone tops in this category, besides problems that engineered stone has, namely with heat, paperstone has it also, and other problems, like scratching. Quartz is a very durable mineral, polyester resin has great mechanical features, so in my opinion, engineered stone is superior.

Colour availability: Paperstone 1 – Engineered Stone 3

Colours available and marketed as standard. Paperstone has a limited offer of colours, far from most engineered stone producers.

Surface finishes: Paperstone 1 – Engineered Stone 4

Surface finishes, engineered stone has currently the lead in this feature, it has polished finish, honed finish and a few more standard finishes available. Paperstone, is honed finish product, and doesn’t seem to have many standard options regarding surface finishes.

Paperstone, is more of a composite paper panel, with a relatively reasonable hardness which is wrapped in a green marketing strategy. It tends to compare itself to composite stone, although it is a totally different product, it will not feel like stone and will not look like stone. Yes it is a green concept product, however I’m rather curious to know, about the quantity of resin used in it and the pigments needed for the colouring, as its colour selection is based and dark colours.