Friday 30 August 2013

All that glitters...

When you're in the worktop business, it is hard not to spot certain materials and colours when out and about. You can see endless uses of certain materials, particularly solid surface like Corian and quartz, which are versatile enough to be used in commercial applications, such as hotel check-in desks, fast food restaurant counters and airport check-in desks, to name but a few. The most exciting thing is that you often see colours that most wouldn't be brave enough to use in their kitchen! For example, my local McDonald's has Corian 'festival' tables.  Lots of fun but we don't get many requests for it in a domestic setting!

Corian 'Festival'

On a recent shopping trip I noticed a stunning example of a quartz top used to quite a dramatic effect. The 360 Champagne & Cocktail Bar in Braehead has a long sweeping white quartz bar down either side of it. What caught my attention was the sparkly effect that the quartz had.  It certainly does it's job in attracting customers!


This particular quartz can be found in our Apollo Quartz range and is called 'Steel'. It's a white quartz with mirrored flecks, giving it that 'sparkly' fiinsh which catches the light and would brighten up any space. This range of quartz, made with man-made polymers, is non porous therefore making it extra hygienic and so perfect for both commercial and domestic use alike.

Call our sales team on 0845 600 5512 for your sample of Apollo Quartz Steel.

Thursday 29 August 2013

On your marks, get set, BAKE!


The Great British Bake-Off is back for a new series and has got off to a scrumptious start. Following the DWS blog article on 'Which kitchen worktop is best for me?', granite is actually the best choice for all you budding bakers (as lovely as the GBBO's hardwood worktops are!)

The naturally cool surface of granite is ideal for working with pastry and bread dough. This week's show saw the contestants baking bread recipes from breadsticks to the 'show stopping' breads of their choice. Here at DWS, with such a sweet tooth, we are looking forward to the pastry episode and all the sweet treats they will be baking. Below is a recipe for sweet short pastry to keep you going until then.



Sweet Shortcrust Pastry Recipe

Ingredients
200g plain flour 
2tbsp icing sugar 
125g unsalted butter, cold from the fridge 
About 3 tbsp very cold water from the tap 
Method
Set a sieve over a mixing bowl and put the flour and icing sugar into it. Sift them into the bowl by gently tapping the sieve with your hand (sifting not only gets rid of any lumps but it adds a bit of air, which helps make the pastry light).
Cut the butter into tiny cubes. Add to the bowl and toss around with a table knife so they become coated with flour. Now cut the butter, in the bowl, into even tinier pieces by cutting through the mixture at random.
When the butter is about the size of small peas, put both your hands into the bowl and pick up a little of the butter/flour mix with your fingers only. Rub the mixture between your fingers and thumbs so the butter is squashed into the flour, then drops back down into the bowl (rubbing in). Keep doing this for a few minutes, then give the bowl a little shake - you should see any lumps you've missed. When all the lumps of butter have disappeared it's ready for the next stage.
Add the cold water and stir everything together with the table knife. When the mixture has started to come together in clumps of dough, use your hands to gather up the whole lot into a ball. If there are dry crumbs at the bottom of the bowl and the dough won't stick together, sprinkle over a tsp of cold water and gently mix it in; if the dough sticks to your hands or the bowl, sprinkle over a tsp of flour and mix it in. The dough should feel firm - not sticky or wet or dry and hard. Flatten the dough into a disc about 5cm thick, then wrap it in clingfilm. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle a little flour on the worktop, your hands and the rolling pin. Unwrap the pastry dough and set it in the middle of the worktop. Start rolling out the pastry in a forward and back motion, then side to side, sprinkling with a little more flour now and then to prevent it from sticking to the pin, until it is fairly round in shape and about 26cm in diameter. 

Taken from The Great British Bake-Off: Learn to Bake (BBC Books, £18.99)

Another benefit of granite is using it to actually bake on. Look at Jamie Oliver's idea below...
"What caught my interest was Jamie's suggestion to have a slab of granite in the oven to bake the pizza on. I found a company that sells and installs granite worktops. They sold me a small slab that fits my oven perfectly (throwaway from a major installation) for a very reasonable price. I baked my first pizza on the granite slab yesterday. 
For a first try the result was quite fantastic! I made some focaccia (dough simply seasoned with olive oil and spices). It puffed up beautifully! I also made some Margarita using Jamie's tomato sauce recipe, mozzarella, basil leaves and olive oil - yummy! I have some work to do on perfecting the dough, but the granite slab idea is absolutely brilliant".
I'm off into contact the BBC about discounted granite worktops for next year's series!
HAPPY BAKING!


Tuesday 27 August 2013

Which kitchen worktop is best for me?

The most popular luxury materials for kitchen worktops - granite, wood, composite/solid surface, quartz - have different advantages, so it's important to look at all the factors involved. Here's what you should consider before you buy.

Practicalities of kitchen worktops

* Think about practicalities, such as the maintenance of your worktop. If you have young children, a material that marks easily such as glass, is not ideal.

* If you like cooking, consider a heat-resistant material such as granite around your hob, so that you can move hot pans off the heat and onto the worktop.

* If hygiene is a concern, think about anti-bacterial materials, such as Corian or stainless steel. Remember that steel will scratch over time, creating a worn patina that some love, but if you want a pristine worktop, it might not be the right choice for you.

Hardwood

Best used: Food preparation and dining areas, for example, islands and breakfast bars. Iroko and teak are ideal for using around the sink as they have a high oil content and are water resistant.
Best look: Suits all kitchen styles. Can be incorporated into a contemporary scheme using glass or stainless steel to add a warm feel.
Upkeep: Wipe up spills instantly to prevent staining. Once established, seal with Danish or linseed oil quarterly to stop drying out. Scratches can be sanded out with fine wire wool
Sealing required: Hardwoods require an initial programme of sealing using oil (DWS hardwoord worktops all come pre-oiled) Apply a coat once a day for the first week, then once a week for the next month, then once a month for a year.
Durability: If hardwoods are properly sealed and maintained they will last for a long time, but don't use the worktop as a chopping board, or place hot pans directly onto the wood, as it can scorch.
Flexibility and fitting: Wood is very easy to cut, and is suitable for use in most situations

Composite/Solid Surface (Corian, Apollo Magna, Apollo Slab Tech, Apollo Solid Surface Quicktops & Maia)


Best used: A very practical and beautiful choice that can be used anywhere, including next to hobs and around the sink. 
Best look: Dramatic colours such as dark grey and blue look fabulous in modern and contemporary kitchens. If your room design is quite traditional, stick to neutrals such as cream. 
Upkeep: Wipe up spills to prevent marks. Keep clean with a soft, damp cloth and a mild detergent. 
Sealing required: No 
Durability: Composite is very tough and more durable than many natural stones. As the colour runs right the way through the material, any scratches can be sanded out. 
Flexibility and fitting: This worksurface can be thermoformed into different shapes without joints to create streamlined, seamless worktop runs. 

Granite


Best used: Any area of the kitchen, including around the sink and next to the hob or oven. A large expanse of glossy granite makes a striking island worktop
Best look: It's a luxury material that never falls out of fashion and suits traditional and modern styles. Choose from a classic polished finish, or a honed matt for a more contemporary look.
Upkeep: Very low maintenance. Clean using a damp cloth and a mild detergent
Sealing required: Granite requires an initial sealing, and then another about 10 years later
Durability: The best of all the natural materials, it can withstand high temperatures, is water resistant and impervious to most stains, but wine and citric acids must be cleaned up at once.
Flexibility and fitting: With advances in modern technology, granite can be cut into a variety of shapes and sizes, although it is very heavy to transport and difficult to manoeuvre. 

Corian


Best used: In wet areas. Perfect for a seamless integrated sink and worktop run.
Best look: Suits most schemes. Available in a variety of colours - choose bright hues for modern kitchens, white for architectural, and any pale shades for traditional rooms.
Upkeep: Low-maintenance. Clean with a soft cloth and mild detergent.
Sealing required: No
Durability: Stain and water resistant. Heat-resistant to 250°C, but best to use a trivet. As it is a solid surface material, scratches can be sanded out.
Flexibility and fitting: Can be formed into any shape without the need for ugly or unhygienic joints.

Quartz (Apollo Quartz, Zodiaq & Silestone)


Quartz Worktops are also one of the best alternatives to place in your dream kitchen. Since they are made from the combination of polymer resins and natural quartz, they are also called as 'engineered quartz.' They provide sturdy quality which is also easy to maintain.
Here are some reasons why you must chose engineered quartz instead of other work surfaces:
Quartz offer uniform color thus you get consistent appearance and shade in what you are purchasing. They don't have discoloration in between sections that provide a consistent finish.
They are maintenance-free. There is no need for regular cleaning as they are easy to maintain with just warm and soapy water. Quartz doesn't require special polishing and they are non-porous providing a stain-free surface. They have resistance against juices, wine, coffee, tea, food, and nail polish.
They are versatile as they can also be used in installing other surfaces including wet bars, islands, desktops, tabletops, and backsplashes. They can also be used as vanities, floor, shower surrounds, tub and fireplace surrounds.
They are superior in strength. Since they are added with resin, these components add extra durability to them. They are not easily chip, scratched and are scorch resistant.
Surface offers non-porous characteristic which makes them less prone for bacteria hosting. They also prevent possible growth of mildew, bacteria and molds which also makes them a perfect material for bathroom surfaces. There are varieties ofkitchen worktops available in the market today. But quartz provides an amazing feature of sturdiness which makes them one of the most durable worktops these days. From many stone work surfaces, only diamonds, sapphire and topaz are harder than this semi-mineral worktop which makes them sustain the heavy impacts of daily activities. They are excellent investments that will make any gourmet space trendy and long lasting.

*please call 0845 600 5512 for Discount Worktop Store's competitive prices for these materials.

(Adapted from House to Home magazine article & Benefits of Quartz worktops- Sooper Articles)

Friday 23 August 2013

Open for business!

The new Discount Worktop Store website is now officially open for business! Visit us at www.kitchen-worktops-store.co.uk to check out our extensive range of premium kitchen worktops at highly discounted prices.

We supply solid surface, granite, quartz and hardwood kitchen worktops from luxury brands such as Dupont Zodiaq & Corian and Apollo. We supply, template & install worktops throughout the whole of  mainland UK.





Friday 16 August 2013

Welcome to DWS


Welcome to Discount Worktop Store's brand new blog!  We are an online store specialising in premium kitchen worktops such as Hardwood, Corian, Apollo, Zodiaq Quartz, Silestone Quartz and solid surfaces. Working closely with leading kitchen worktop manufacturers, we are able to offer highly competitive quotes on our full range. We have something to suit every taste from traditional to ultra contemporary kitchens to suit your lifestyle. Get a quote today by calling 0845 600 5512 and benefit from our amazing discounts on luxury worktops. You'll be one step closer to your dream kitchen.

Come back soon for industry and company news, 'latest worktop trend' articles and our current special offers.