Avonite Surfaces offers a wide range of unique products that are used in many different applications. Some of these products may not be suitable for high traffic applications due to their unique characteristics, dark hues and saturated color. Additionally, determining the best finish for the product and application will transform any design into an elegant masterpiece of beauty.

Choosing the Right Finish
The most popular finishes available for solid surface are matte, satin, and gloss. Matte finish is easy to maintain and has no sheen. Satin finish is achieved by sanding the product during installation with finer grits and gray ScotchBrite™. It also is easy to maintain and has a low to medium luster. Gloss finish is achieved by polishing the surface after sanding. The result is a high sheen that reveals vibrancy and depth of color. If a dark color is being used in a high trafficked area, gloss finish should not be used.

It is important to discuss finishes with your customer and to manage their expectations. Different finishes often have different costs, while samples are also produced with different finishes to demonstrate the options for customers. Choosing the right finish requires consideration of not only color and texture but also the usage expected for each application.

Let’s compare two color options both from the Foundations™ acrylic solid surfacing for a typical kitchen countertop: Casablanca (a light neutral tan) and Good Earth Red (a deep and rich red).

The light and neutral Casablanca will not easily show signs of everyday wear but the Good Earth Red may show early signs of wear simply because of its color. This scenario would be true regardless of the finish chosen. A polished Casablanca countertop can go years without showing any wear.

Finishing Dark Colors
All dark colors should have a minimum Satin finish. Matte finishes on dark colors can appear chalky while easily showing everyday wear. Manufacturers put a minimum satin finish on the samples in their sample boxes because all of the colors look much better and cleaner.

Maintenance
Different color types and finishes require different methods to maintain their finish and beauty. Regardless of which finish was originally chosen, similar finishing steps must be applied to restore the surface to its original finish. Because of the specialty equipment used to achieve a Gloss finish, end users should acquire this equipment training to maintain the high sheen finish or contract their installer to refinish their surfaces periodically (every 4-5 years depending on the application). In most cases, countertops that are used and cleaned everyday develop their own level of patina or coating. Matte surfaces become more reflective with use. It is generally agreed that the Satin finish offers end users the best look with the minimum maintenance.

For a complete review of the proper finishing to consider, download the Avonite Surfaces Color and Finish Guidelines White Paper.