Smartstone porcelain makes its way into commercial and hospitality spaces

Brings next-level durability and aesthetics into hospitality venues

Durable and practical, Smartstone Sintered Collection porcelain surfaces have made its way into commercial and hospitality spaces, offering a unique look and combining aesthetics with performance.

An exceptional alternative to the recently banned engineered stone, the new Smartstone porcelain product range was launched in March 2024 and has since caught the attention of the entire building industry.

In response to the ban of engineered stone, Smartstone pioneered the transition of its products as early as 2023 by developing an entire range of sintered surfaces that elevate the qualities of traditional porcelain into an entirely new level.

The new product did not only replace Smartstone’s engineered stone range. It also offered the market a comprehensive benchtop solution that addresses the demands of busy workspaces and can endure harsher elements in commercial environments.

Open to public traffic, hospitality venues require surface materials that can withstand high volume activity and, at the same time, provide next-level aesthetics and stunning visuals.

Recognising the durability and aesthetic value of the new collection, designers have been specifying the material in restaurants and office spaces, capitalising on the striking beauty of showstopping surfaces that replicate the world’s most precious marbles.

Reasons why the Sintered Collection is ideal for commercial and hospitality venues

1.      Durable and easy to maintain

Smartstone surfaces are ‘sintered’ at a very high temperature (>1200◦C) and compressed using very high pressure (>30,000 tonnes) to create ultra-compact surfaces that can endure daily exposure to busy workspaces like bars and kitchens.  Essentially a porcelain product, the Sintered Collection is easy to clean and resistant to heat, stains, scratches and corrosion. With exceptional durability, the Sintered Collection is ranked 7 on Mohs Scale of Mineral Hardness, 10 being the hardest (diamond).

2.      Cost-efficient

Surfaces from the Sintered Collection provide the luxurious look marble without the need to pay the price for natural stone. Because commercial establishments are businesses, cost-efficiency is a key factor in choosing materials. Sintered stone surfaces are manufactured within hours compared to natural stone which takes thousands of years to form, making them more accessible, available and affordable than natural marble.

And because of their remarkable durability, Sintered Collection porcelain benchtops last longer and reduce the need for replacements and costly repairs.

3.      Non-porous and antibacterial

An ultra-compact surface, the Sintered Collection has low porosity with water absorption lower than 0.03%. This means it won't absorb water, swell or deform. Test results also show that the surface has 99.9% antibacterial effect on Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, making it safe to use in food preparation areas like commercial kitchens and restaurants.

4.      Aesthetic precision with through-body veining

Due to advanced print technology, natural marble designs are replicated with utmost accuracy on a durable sintered porcelain surface. This allows commercial establishments to showcase elegant and luxurious marble designs with sintered stone durability. In addition to the impeccable recreation, the Smartstone introduced the through-body veining feature which extends vein design and colour from the surface through the body of the slab, a quality not available in traditional porcelain products.

Opportunity to upgrade benchtop performance

The transition to a sintered porcelain range posed an opportunity for Smartstone to improve its offering with a new surface material that out-performs other benchtop surfaces and is suitable to face the demands of both residential and extremely busy business environments.

With proven performance and impressive aesthetics, the demand for sintered surfaces has been growing significantly worldwide for homes, hospitality venues, and commercial projects.

Hailed by some as the most durable surface money can buy, sintered stone surfaces have already gained traction and momentum as a genuine, viable alternative to both natural and engineered stone in Australia.

Below are some of the commercial and hospitality spaces featuring Calacatta Viola and Bellini Bianco from the Sintered Collection.