Outdoor Countertop Options: Which is Coolest?

Downing Designs offers many countertop choices. In fact, we are the ONLY countertop manufacturer that can supply our own custom  Textured Glass and Concrete Countertops, along with White Glass, and every Quartz, Granite, Solid Surface, etc.

The point is: We are agnostic when it comes to materials for your project. We do not care to push you in one direction or another, and as such, are a trusted advisor to many architect and design-build firms who seek our vast experience in the selection of materials.

Many times we are are asked to fabricate outdoor countertops, and the plans call for dark colored material (which makes us wince). We like to enjoy the great outdoors as much as anyone, BUT, in the Florida summer heat, most materials will be uncomfortable in direct sunlight (not to mention making my beer/wine warm).

We have a huge warehouse in Tampa, and store many materials outdoors. I purchased a digital laser thermometer to find out just how uncomfortable some of these countertop options are in direct summer sunlight.

Facts:  September 19, 2017  1:30pm,  Temperature 93 degrees, Zero Clouds. All materials were outdoors since early morning, placed flat. 

Item          Temperature       Notes

White Glass                        96                                  Cool

Human Skin                        98.6

Ultra-Clear Glass               104                                 Slightly Warm

White Concrete                  108                                 Slightly Warm 

Light Grey Concrete           118                                 Warm-Hot

Wood 2×6                           122                                 Hot

Asphalt Pavement              122                                 Hot

Dark Grey Concrete            125                                Hot

White Fiberglass Boat Deck  129                              Very Hot

Steel Bars 1/4″ x 2″ x 8′       130                                Very Hot

Black Granite                       131                                Very Hot

As you can see, there are clearly bad choices to be made when selecting your outdoor countertop material. There was one very clear winner, not surprisingly it was the White Glass.

This material was developed by Russian space agencies to repel heat on their re-entry rockets. Clearly it succeeds in that regard. 

Conclusion can be drawn any way, but we continue to become more and more impressed with our White Glass material, as seen in the above evidence. When selecting your materials for your outdoor kitchen countertops, please keep in mind these results, as they may just make the difference between a countertop that is highly used vs one that gets used only during the cooler months.

Come on by our shop someday and bring your own materials to compare with ours. Our digital thermometer is ready…

Jeff Downing (813) 784 5211

 

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Comparing White Countertop Options…Which is Whitest: Glass or Quartz?

White Glass Countertops are a popular color for anyone in need of a crisp, contemporary look. They are also excellent outdoor countertop surface as they reflect almost all of the heat from the sun. This is a huge benefit in Summer months (esp. In Florida) where many other surfaces will be simply too hot to enjoy.  When comparing white countertop options, many designers wish to employ the whitest color possible to provide a crisp clean color to contrast to cabinets, floors, walls, and back splashes.

While there are many white quartz countertop manufacturers we can fabricate for you,  we also provide White Glass countertops. The qualities of these have been referenced in other blogs here, but in our experience our White Glass is superior in terms of:

• White Glass can be used outdoors…Quartz cannot due to UV yellowing.
• White Glass reflects the sun…gets only mildly warm…even in direct Summer sunlight.
• White Glass can accept hot pans directly…Quartz can melt, scorch or burn.
• White Glass is Stain proof….White Quartz will stain from oils, pen ink, and solvents.
• White Glass is cigar and cigarette burn proof…Quartz is not. Great for commercial work.
• White Glass provides the best background for Textured Glass high bars to capture the shadows cast from above.

We took our White Glass and photographed it against common quartz countertop options to see which was the purest white surfacing available. We juxtaposed our white glass against popular Quartz manufacturers such as Caesarstone, Cambria, and Zodiaq. The results surprised us, as they proved to be not truly white colors despite having names such as Snow White, Pure White, etc. When we looked to their website for “colorful” descriptions, we found some interesting claims. From Caeserstone: “Pure White is the purest, cleanest, dense white available.This colour meets the ongoing demand for “new” whites and combines modern style with durability.” Close, but not exactly true!  It might be the whitest quartz available, but when you select a fabricator like Downing Designs who can offer to fabricate quartz, glass, concrete, etc you get a smorgasbord of offerings vs a narrowly defined vision limited to one material. 

White Glass vs Pure White Quartz

Clearly, the White Glass is a MUCH purer white. This is not surprising as the quartz is 30% plastic resin binder and only 70% solid material filler. The grains of aggregate can also be clearly seen in any quartz. This gives them a completely different appearance to a pure White Glass surface which is homogeneous and has a much more pure and refined surface shine.

“Pure White” Caeserstone 

The feel of our glass is also much smoother to the touch…a luxury which we see more and more countertop buyers looking for in their material selection. (We can also diamond polish the high shine down to a matte finish for those who wish to use White Glass for shower steps, stairs, etc.)

While we do not suggest that pure white is the only white countertop option, we would suggest that if you seek the purest white color and absolute durability, then our White Glass has a distinct advantage both now, and for many many years to come.

Please give us a call anytime to discuss your whitest countertop needs. Thank you…Jeff Downing (813) 784 5211

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