Designed Surfaces

19/06/2026

Friday… one of those days. Who actually wants to be at work? 😂
Another day of routing and sanding.
You know when you’re doing repetitive jobs and your brain just goes into overdrive?
One minute I’m planning next week’s jobs, the next I’m replaying an argument from 10 years ago that never happened, wondering if penguins have knees, deciding what I’m having for tea, and somehow solving world problems that nobody asked me to solve.
Then suddenly… YES! An air hole appears. Finally something exciting. Time to fill it with glue and carry on. 🤣
Talking of random thoughts…
People often ask why we sand solid surfaces so much.
Sanding isn’t just about making it smooth. It removes machining marks, levels joints and repairs, blends seams so they’re invisible, and creates the finish the customer actually sees. Whether it’s a satin, matte, or polished finish, sanding is what brings the material to life.
So while my hands are sanding, my brain is off having completely unrelated conversations with itself.
Happy Friday everyone! What random thoughts have been running through your head today? 🤔😂

18/06/2026

Replacement solid surface worktop fitted today in Tristone Milkshake.

The old worktop had been poorly fitted and had cracked around the corners of the Belfast sinks, with splits beginning to appear. The drainer section had also started to cup over time.

For this project, we went back to basics and produced a traditional hand-made template. Sometimes the old way really is the best way.

The new worktop has completely lifted the room and the colour choice has really freshened up the space. Looking forward to seeing the doors painted in a new colour to finish the transformation.

Good luck and enjoy your refreshed kitchen!

27/05/2026

Really pleased to see this wet room project completed alongside 👏

For this installation, we manufactured a bespoke circular solid surface window surround in Corian®, creating a clean and seamless feature that perfectly complements the bathroom design while bringing natural light into the space.

Projects like this are a great example of how solid surface materials can be used for far more than worktops — creating completely bespoke architectural details and statement features.

Great collaboration and an excellent finished result 🙌

19/05/2026

Day in the unit at Designed Surfaces 🔥

If it’s there… do it!! 💪
Busy one in the workshop today:

▫️ Possibly making history with the world’s smallest basin in white Corian 👀
▫️ Top cut and ready to go
▫️ Fitting drawers into a vanity unit and trying to remember how the drawer front fixings work… it’s been a while 😂
▫️ Final two tops prepped and ready for site tomorrow
▫️ Pulling out the blue for the finishing detail on the top — love adding a bit of colour 🎨
▫️ And of course, playing around with some fine red on the lathe… fun times!

Every day’s different in the workshop and that’s exactly how we like it 🙌

17/05/2026

Lots of bits going on in the workshop this week, but not much to show in pictures — haven’t been taking many 📸

Craig’s been busy making up a Tristone Snow Drift worktop which went out with a seamless waterfall end panel, mixed height upstands, and a full splashback behind the hob. A few finishing bits left to do on that one and it’ll be complete 👌

Meanwhile, I’ve been working on a Corian® vanity unit with Blum drawers, along with a shower room seat… plus a few window sills thrown in for good measure 😉

Busy week behind the scenes getting everything fabricated and ready to install!

11/05/2026

Today’s report from Sky News shines a light on a growing global health crisis linked to high-silica quartz worktops and the devastating impact respirable silica dust is having on fabricators and stone workers worldwide.

Silicosis is an irreversible lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust during the cutting and fabrication process. Cases are rising across the UK, Australia, Europe and the US, with workers in their 20s and 30s already suffering life-changing health consequences.

This is exactly why more homeowners, designers and fabricators are now turning to solid surface materials as a safer alternative.

Unlike engineered quartz, solid surface contains no crystalline silica, meaning there is no silica dust risk associated with fabrication. That makes it a far safer option for the people manufacturing, installing and working with it every single day.

But the benefits don’t stop there 👇

✔️ Seamless joins for a cleaner, luxury finish
✔️ Repairable and renewable surfaces
✔️ Non-porous and hygienic
✔️ Thermoformable for bespoke curved designs
✔️ Easier fabrication and installation
✔️ Lower risk to workers during manufacture and fitting

Beautiful kitchens should never come at the cost of someone’s health.

As awareness grows around the dangers of silica exposure, the industry has a responsibility to look at safer, smarter alternatives — and solid surface is leading that conversation.

On home renovation accounts on social media, quartz worktops are everywhere - but behind these glitzy makeovers is a hidden shame. People who work behind the scenes, cutting and polishing them, are dying from an incurable disease you've probably never heard of.

26/04/2026

Take a look at this before and after from a recent install using Hanex Venato Marble Champagne 👇

This is a great example of how far solid surfaces have come. The grained pattern gives a natural stone look that can easily compete with quartz worktops.

We’ve created a sleek, modern finish with seamless joints on the waterfall ends, a moulded sink, and coved splashbacks — all designed to keep everything looking smooth and continuous.

The colour itself is a warm, light cream with subtle champagne veining, adding a touch of luxury while keeping things timeless and elegant.

Really impressed with this one — well done Hanex!