Choosing between Hi Macs vs Corian worktops UK means weighing two leading solid surface options that deliver a seamless look, dependable performance, and a wide colour choice. Premium Worktops supplies and installs both, with a professional fitting service available across the UK.
Understanding Solid Surface Worktops for Modern Kitchens and Workspaces
For anyone re-imagining their kitchen worktops or commercial space, solid surface worktops present a sleek and highly functional solution. The latest innovations from brands like Hi-Macs and Corian offer an impressive blend of aesthetic appeal and practicality. With a seamless appearance and a richly tactile feel, these worktops are designed to elevate contemporary interiors.
They’re not just about beautiful looks; solid surfaces also provide durable, hygienic areas fit for everyday life. Whether you’re aiming for effortless modernity or a standout designer statement, both materials deliver high-end results while accommodating the needs of homes and demanding workplaces alike.
What Is a Solid Surface Worktop?
Solid surface is an engineered blend of natural minerals and premium acrylic. The result is a smooth, non-porous slab that can be joined with near-invisible seams. Sinks, splashbacks, and upstands can be formed to match, so you get a consistent finish that looks tailored to the room.
Materials and Build Quality
Both Hi Macs and Corian are acrylic solid surfaces. In use, they feel warm to the touch and sit between natural stone and quartz in appearance. The material is the same all the way through, so light marks can be refinished. For design-led spaces, this homogenous build is a major advantage because cut-outs, curves, and edge profiles look clean from every angle.
Where the Brands Differ
Corian is the longest-established name in this category in the UK, with a broad palette and strong recognition among architects. Hi Macs is known for excellent colour clarity, attractive marble-style veining, and reliable sheet quality. In day-to-day use, both deliver very similar performance. The decision often comes down to which colour family you prefer and the availability for your project’s lead time.
Premium Worktops is an approved supplier for both brands, so you can expect consistent guidance on colours, fabrication, and aftercare.
Durability and Hygiene
A non-porous surface resists staining from tea, coffee, wine, and cooking oils. Everyday care is simple. Use warm water with a small amount of mild detergent, then finish with a soft cloth. Because joints are bonded flush, there are fewer places for crumbs to linger. That makes both options a sensible choice for family kitchens and high-traffic staff areas. Corian is described as non-porous and hygienic on the Premium Worktops site, and Hi Macs is presented as non-porous and suitable for hygiene-sensitive settings.
Scratches from normal activity are less noticeable than on many glossy stones, and minor scuffs can usually be re-buffed by a professional. As with any surface, avoid placing very hot cookware directly on the worktop and use trivets to protect the finish.
Colours and Style Options
You will find fresh whites, gentle greys, deep charcoals, and natural stone looks across both ranges. Veined patterns that suggest marble are popular because they combine drama with the practicality of a renewable surface. If you want a striking feature, consider a waterfall end on an island or a full-height splashback in a complementary tone.
Corian’s range spans more than fifty colours, and Premium Worktops offers free sample packs so you can check options in your lighting before you choose. Acrylic collections across the site also offer free samples.
Design Freedom and Fabrication
A standout benefit of a solid surface is the creative freedom it gives your designer and fabricator. Curves, tight radius corners, and precise drainer grooves can be machined cleanly. Integrated sinks from the same material deliver a smooth transition from worktop to bowl and are easy to keep hygienic. Hob and tap cut-outs are clean and chip-free. If you want subtle lighting, a coved upstand with an LED strip can create a soft glow along the back edge.
Experienced templating and installation are essential for a showroom-ready finish. Premium Worktops arranges a site visit for templating and survey, confirming layout, edge detail, overhangs, and the position of any cut-outs before manufacture and fitting.
Price and Value
Costs of hi-macs worktops vary by colour group, sheet usage, edge detail, sink choice, and the complexity of shaping. Both brands are competitive within the solid surface category. If you like a premium marble effect, check price groups in each range to see where the best value sits for your design. Your quote from Premium Worktops includes professional installation, and you can request a free online quote to scope your project clearly.
Pros and Cons at a Glance
Advantages shared by both
- Seamless joints for a modern, continuous look
- Non-porous and hygienic with simple daily care
- A renewable surface that can be refinished to refresh the appearance
- Design flexibility for curves, bespoke edges, and integrated sinks
- Consistent colour and pattern across joints and cut-outs
Considerations
- Use trivets for very hot pans
- Abrasive pads can dull the finish if used with strong pressure
- As a made-to-measure product, lead times depend on colour availability and fabrication schedule
Use Cases and Recommendations
- Family kitchens: Choose a mid-tone or softly veined colour that disguises everyday crumbs while keeping the room light.
- Entertaining spaces: A bold marble look island in either brand creates a focal point and photographs beautifully for social sharing.
- Commercial settings: Reception desks, café counters, and washrooms benefit from the seamless, easily cleaned finish. The site’s resources also highlight solid surface for healthcare and dental projects where hygiene is a priority.
- Small kitchens: Lighter tones help the room feel open. A matching sink and coved upstand keep lines tidy.
If you want a classic, widely specified look, Corian’s long-standing palette is a safe choice. If you prefer crisp modern whites and contemporary veining, Hi Macs is often the favourite. In truth, you cannot go far wrong with either when the colour and fabrication are right for your project.
Care and Maintenance
Keep the surface clean with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth. For limescale around taps, a non-abrasive bathroom cleaner applied with a damp sponge works well, then rinse thoroughly. Use chopping boards to protect the finish during prep. If you do catch the surface with a pan or knife, most light marks can be re-polished by a trained technician so the worktop looks new again.
How to Choose between Hi Macs and Corian
- Start with the colour. Shortlist three to five samples that work with your cabinets and flooring. View them in natural and artificial light. Premium Worktops can supply free samples on request.
- Confirm the edge and details. Decide on thickness, upstand style, and sink shape. Integrated sinks in the same colour give a very sleek result.
- Match features to lifestyle. Families often like drain grooves and a coved upstand for easy cleaning. Keen cooks value a generous preparation zone with uninterrupted runs.
- Plan lead time. Check colour availability and schedule the site survey early, particularly if you are coordinating multiple trades. Premium Worktops handles templating, followed by fabrication and fitting.
- Get a written quote. Ask for templating, fabrication, fitting, and finishing to be included so you can compare options with confidence, then request your free online quote.
Ready to Take the Next Step
Request free samples, book a survey for templating, and arrange professional installation with Premium Worktops. Nationwide fitting is available, and quotes are free.