The ultimate guide to Dekton® countertops

If you’re on the hunt for a new kitchen worktop and you’re wondering if Dekton® is any good, you’re in the right place to find out.

We’ve pulled together this ultimate guide to help you decide whether to buy a Dekton® countertop or not. It covers everything you need to know about Dekton®… plus everything you might not have even thought about!

Who makes Dekton® countertops?

Dekton® is manufactured by a Spanish, family-owned company called Cosentino. They’re one of the biggest worktop manufacturers in the world. They work with a global network of fabricators and installers to get their high-quality surfaces into homes and buildings.

And Dekton® isn’t just for kitchen worktops. Cosentino also uses it to make flooring, tiling, wall cladding and building facades. So, that should give you an idea of just how versatile and hardwearing this surface is.

As well as Dekton®, Cosentino also manufactures Silestone® (a quartz surface), Sensa (a granite surface) and Natural Stone worktops.

How are Dekton® countertops made?

Dekton® is described as an ultra-compact surface. It’s made from a mix of porcelain, glass and natural quartz minerals, fused together in a process called sintering.

This process mimics the way marble is naturally formed in the earth’s crust. It uses extreme heat and pressure to fuse the minerals together without adding a bonding agent.

So, the result is an incredibly dense, non-porous and hardwearing surface.

Why choose Dekton® countertops?

Kitchen worktops take a lot of abuse over their lifetime. Spilt food and drink, hot pans, cleaning chemicals, abrasive materials and knives are all part and parcel of the everyday wear and tear they go through.

So, the question is, are Dekton® worktops any good at standing up to this abuse?

The simple answer is, yes! In fact, we think Dekton® is the best worktop material for performance and here’s why:

• It’s stain-resistant. Red wine, coffee, tea, lemon juice, turmeric and other spices… even drain cleaner won’t leave a mark on a Dekton® worktop because it’s non-porous.
• It’s UV-resistant. Remember we said Dekton® is also used on building facades? Well, this is one of the reasons why. Dekton® is perfect for outdoor kitchens. And your worktop won’t fade in a sunny kitchen.
• It’s scratch and abrasion-resistant. You can slide objects along this countertop or use abrasive cleaning cloths without leaving any marks because it’s incredibly hardwearing. You can even cut veg on it, although we always recommend using a chopping board when using sharp knives on any worktop material.
• It’s fire and temperature-resistant. This refers to both hot and cold temperatures. So, you can put hot pans or electrical appliances directly onto a Dekton® surface without fear of it scorching or cracking. And its resistance to cold is another thing that makes it ideal for outdoor kitchens.
• It’s maintenance-free. All these worktops need is a wipe down with soapy water after use. That’s it!
• It comes with a whopping 25-year manufacturer’s warranty. A nod to show just how confident Cosentino is in the durability of this surface.

What finishes and colours do Dekton® countertops come in?

When it comes to colours and finishes, you’re spoilt for choice with Dekton®. Because it’s an engineered stone, Cosentino can create many different colours and designs. From worktops that mimic natural stones to worktops that mimic other materials like concrete.

Here’s a run-down of the range.

Dekton® finishes

Dekton® has 4 finishes: polished, smooth matte, textured matte and velvet. Not all colours come in all finishes, so if you’re set on a particular finish, check the colour you pick is available in it.

Dekton® colours

Dekton® colours range from various shades of white, beige and pale grey to dark browns and blacks. There are solid colours, plus patterned designs to mimick marble and granite worktops.

Here are a few of our favourites:

What design choices do Dekton® countertops give you?

When it comes to creating unique designs, Dekton® is perfect. Here’s how you can make your worktop both functional and bespoke with Dekton®:

Dekton® countertops can be installed on any brand of kitchen units

People often ask us if units from places like Ikea, Howdens, B&Q and Homebase, are strong enough to hold Dekton® worktops. The answer is yes. All standard kitchen units are fine to have Dekton® worktops fitted onto them. So, your choice of worktop won’t limit your choice of kitchen supplier.

Dekton® countertops come in four thicknesses

Dekton® is available in 8mm, 12mm, 20mm and 30mm thicknesses. 20mm is the most popular size, but the slimmer 12mm looks great in a modern kitchen.

Dekton® countertops can be curved

Gone are the days when you had to stick to straight lines in the kitchen. Cabinets come in all sorts of curved shapes now, and Dekton® is a worktop material that can be fabricated to fit those curves. You can also have curved breakfast bars and cut-outs for round sinks.

Dekton® allows you to have an undermount sink

When it comes to your sink area, Dekton® provides more choices than a standard sink and drainer.

Instead, you can install an undermount sink and have a recessed drainer or drainer grooves cut into the worktop. This means your sink blends seamlessly into your worktop for a minimalist look. And it makes the area easier to clean because water can drain straight from your work surface into the sink.

Dekton® allows you to have a flush-mounted hob

Another feature of a Dekton® worktop is that it’s suitable for use with a flush-mounted hob. This is where the hob is sunk into the worktop to make it flush with the surface, giving your kitchen a designer look. You have to buy a hob specially made for this too.

Dekton® allows you to have pop-up sockets

Occasional use plug sockets that pop-up out of your worktop are really handy in the kitchen. Particularly on a kitchen island, where you can’t use wall sockets. Dekton® is one of the worktop materials that makes this possible.

Dekton® has matching upstands and splashbacks available

Upstands and splashbacks that match your countertop give a beautiful finished look to any kitchen.

Upstands are 100mm tall, so only cover the bottom part of your wall behind the worktop. If you want to protect the rest of the wall from splashes, you can apply tiles.

Splashbacks cover your wall’s full height between the worktop and cabinets, therefore taking away the need for separate tiles.

We often get asked if you can have a 20mm thick worktop with thinner splashbacks or upstands?

Unfortunately, you can’t. This would affect the worktop’s use and increase the price. But also, different surface thicknesses are manufactured in different batches. So, your worktop and splashback or upstand wouldn’t be a perfect colour match if they were different thicknesses.

Dekton® comes in a large slab size, meaning less joins

All Dekton® slabs come in a larger than average size of 3150mm x 1440mm. This means it can cover large areas with fewer cuts and joins than most other worktop materials.

However, if you need to cover an area that’s longer or wider than this, you will require a join. And how visible the join is will depend on the colour and design of your worktop.

For example, if you choose a solid colour, the join will be a fine width, sealed with colour matched glue. So, the join will barely be visible. But on a veined worktop, veins across two slabs won’t match up, so the join will be more noticeable.

Are Dekton® countertops expensive?

Because of their premium quality and high performance, Dekton® kitchen worktops naturally tend to be at the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to price. But they offer excellent value because they last for years.

And prices can vary quite greatly between suppliers, so it pays to shop around. For example, suppliers with many overheads, like showrooms and sales teams, usually have to charge more to cover their costs. On the opposite end of the scale, some suppliers might seem very cheap, but they could be cutting corners when it comes to customer service or installation.

At SEH Interiors, we’re able to supply and install Dekton® worktops at up to 50% less than our competitors. And that’s because we have low overheads and get discounts from the manufacturer as we buy huge quantities. But we also aren’t the cheapest because we never compromise on our service or the installation quality to keep our prices low.

What’s the installation process for Dekton® countertops?

Dekton® countertops are a bespoke buy, which means they’re made to order to fit your kitchen perfectly. Once you’ve decided on a Dekton® countertop, the process is simple:

1. Get a quote. We’re sure the first thing you’ll want to check is that your choice fits within your budget. At SEH Interiors you can get an online quote in one hour.
   
2. Order some samples. Buying a worktop is a significant investment, so you must see your chosen colour in the flesh, in the light of your own kitchen. At SEH Interiors you can order free worktop samples and get them delivered to your home within a few days.
   
3. Visit a Cosentino showroom to look at a large slab. There are nine Cosentino showrooms around the country with large slabs of every worktop colour on display.
   
4. Place your order.
   
5. Expert installers measure your kitchen and make a template of your worktop. This stage can only be done once your new kitchen base cabinets have been fitted into their final place. The length of time this takes will depend on your supplier. At SEH Interiors, we can visit you within a week of placing your order if needs be. Here’s some advice on how to prepare for a worktop installation.
   
6. Your worktop is made. This takes place at the fabricator’s workshop.
   
7. Your worktop is fitted. The length of time between the template being made and your worktop being installed will depend on the supplier. At SEH Interiors, we know that you’ll be keen to get your kitchen finished, so we aim to install worktops a week (with a maximum of two weeks) after the template has been made.

In summary

Dekton® is arguably the most hardwearing and high-performing worktop material available. With such a wide range of colours and styles to choose from its easy to find something that will suit your tastes. And its design versatility will allow you to create a bespoke kitchen, with a countertop that will look fantastic for many years.

SEH Interiors have over 10 years of experience supplying and fitting premium-quality kitchen countertops at affordable prices across the UK.
Browse our worktop ranges.