Seamless Surface? Yeah, I got that:



Cambria



Granite

Joe

Up here we say laminate .I refused to use generic terms. Pass me a tissue not a Kleenex. This is my point

Most product have seams. It is just a matter of how well you can hide them.

New "name" would be great, but not sure misleading consumers would be in the industries best interests. You call it "seamless" and the granite guy disproves that, who win's who loses? What else are they "lying" about?

I think Jon is working with folks that are familar with SS, while the average consumer knows nothing about it. They probably have heard the name "Corian" but not SS. I agree about Formica SS. I was selling Formica products and I think they screwed up by not keeping Surrell.

Biggest problem is, the day of having enough $ to promote solid surface as an industry is long gone. Corian did a good job early on, today, no mfg has enough profit margin to do what they did. Best hope we have is the Big Box stores, but, sadly, the associates are more interested in an "easy" sale rather than an informed customer. They sell granite and quartz cause its "easy".

The future of SS is in the commercial area, where you have design capabilities that they can take advantage of. Most retail customers are not going to pay for or have interest in, inlays, thermoforming and other interesting design elements. They want a basic countertop, and when compared to granite and quartz, there is not much cost difference, if any, and, the other products have a "perceived" value being higher end products.

SS is now a commodity. People use to buy Corian as a status symbol, today that is natural stone.

Posted By Wags on 13 Apr 2011 04:04 PM
The future of SS is in the commercial area, where you have design capabilities that they can take advantage of. Most retail customers are not going to pay for or have interest in, inlays, thermoforming and other interesting design elements. They want a basic countertop, and when compared to granite and quartz, there is not much cost difference, if any, and, the other products have a "perceived" value being higher end products.

SS is now a commodity. People use to buy Corian as a status symbol, today that is natural stone.

Wags,i agree...  I'm still not sure why ss manufacturers don't make 36" wide sheets.  A 36" wide  would have worked better on any commercial job I have ever done.. works better on kitchens since I do a stacked edge.

who came up with 30" anyway??

I have been hearing on remodeling show that they are calling quartz, 'solid surface' and stone a "Solid Surface". I get the feeling they are using that term to distinguish between laminate and tile.

Vetrazzo is called on patent..Vetrazzo Solid Surface...When a new up and coming specifier calls the local countertop  maker and says can you make me tops for this bar...they want  Solid Surface...says he just got his carbide router bits all sharpened and ready...:) he takes the job...because who cares what the brand is...if its solid surface...we all know what the material is anyway