Stainless steel sheets for countertops, you must know the knowledge points

We all know that there are many materials used to make kitchen countertops, such as natural stone, artificial stone, ceramic tile, laminate, concrete, etc., which are commonly seen in our daily life. But with people's pursuit of quality of life getting higher and higher, the design of the kitchen, especially the production of kitchen countertops, has become a quality choice for high-end life in terms of material pursuit. And stainless steel countertops have become the only choice for high-end kitchen design.

Stainless steel countertop is a kitchen countertop made of stainless steel material, which is often used in modern or industrial style kitchens. It is widely used in commercial kitchens and home kitchen designs because of its durability, heat resistance, stain resistance and modern appearance.

Stainless steel sheets used to make kitchen countertops are usually placed in the kitchen for a long time. Considering their environmental requirements and performance requirements, they generally need to meet the following requirements:

Since stainless steel countertops are in contact with moisture, acidic foods and various detergents for a long time, considering their environmental requirements, stainless steel sheets for countertops must have good acid and corrosion resistance to avoid rust or surface damage. In this regard, food-grade stainless steel, 304 and 316 are the best choices.

304 stainless steel has excellent corrosion resistance, heat resistance and antibacterial properties, and meets the hygiene standards for food contact. And 304 stainless steel contains 18% chromium and 8% nickel, which makes it more corrosion-resistant and suitable for home and commercial kitchens.

316 stainless steel, which adds 2-3% molybdenum to 304, further enhances corrosion resistance and acid resistance. If the kitchen environment is more demanding, such as at the seaside or in a highly corrosive environment, 316 stainless steel will be the best choice.

The thickness of the stainless steel countertop directly affects its operating performance and load-bearing capacity. Thicker stainless steel is stronger and more durable, and can withstand the impact and load in daily use, but it also increases the cost accordingly. The thickness of stainless steel sheet for countertop is usually between 1.2mm and 20.0mm.

Since stainless steel countertops are exposed to high temperatures every day, the stainless steel sheets for countertops must have good heat resistance to prevent high-temperature objects from directly contacting the surface. 304 stainless steel can usually withstand temperatures above 300°C, meeting the needs of daily cooking and high-temperature operations in the kitchen.

Stainless steel countertops are exposed to complex kitchen environments every day, and there are many bacteria attached to their surfaces around them. Therefore, choosing food-grade stainless steel is one of the important choices, because its non-porous surface is not easy to absorb moisture and food residues, and has natural antibacterial properties, ensuring the hygiene and safety of the countertop during use. This is an important reason for the food processing industry and catering kitchens to choose stainless steel.

In daily kitchen operations, it is inevitable that different types of hard objects, such as knives, will collide with stainless steel countertops, which will inevitably cause scratches and affect the aesthetics of the countertops. For this, stainless steel sheets with scratch resistance are undoubtedly the best solution.

Since stainless steel countertops usually use seamless welding technology to keep the countertops smooth and easy to clean, prevent liquids or food residues from penetrating into the gaps, and avoid bacterial growth, the seamless welding process of the countertops requires exquisiteness to ensure aesthetics and functionality.

When stainless steel plates are used for kitchen countertops, their appearance, texture and functionality can be changed through different finishing treatments. The following are some common types of stainless steel plate finishes for countertops:

Brushed finish stainless steel sheet has a delicate and uniform texture, a matte surface, and a slightly metallic texture. This finish reduces reflections and can cover up some small scratches, making the countertop more durable; the brushed texture also increases the visual layering.

Bead blasted finish stainless steel sheet is made by spraying fine particles onto the surface of stainless steel to produce a delicate matte texture, similar to the effect of sandpaper treatment. This stainless steel finish has a matte and uniform surface, with a metallic feel and no reflection, easy to clean and strong anti-fouling ability.

The surface of the embossed finish stainless steel sheet is formed by embossing or molding to form various concave and convex textures, such as diamonds, grids or geometric patterns. This stainless steel finish not only increases the anti-slip property of the countertop, covers scratches and stains, but also provides a more personalized appearance; it is used to make stainless steel countertops more design-oriented. The texture patterns of common embossed stainless steel are as follows:

The production method of the hammered finish stainless steel sheet is to make the surface of the stainless steel have a slight hammering texture and a concave and convex metal texture by purely hand-beating the stainless steel. Its unique hand-made texture covers fingerprints, scratches and stains; it has a strong sense of craftsmanship and retro art. This stainless steel finish is mostly used in kitchens with personalized designs and is suitable for retro or country-style homes.

Stainless steel countertops are the only choice for high-end kitchen design. When choosing stainless steel sheets for countertops, we need to pay more attention to its physical and mechanical performance requirements in all aspects, as well as its finish selection, to ensure that the stainless steel countertops produced can better meet our kitchen and daily operation requirements.