Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
Existing Caesarstone and other engineered stone benchtops can stay where they are and be protected in place. The resin binder is what makes engineered stone vulnerable to stains, strong chemicals and surface wear. Clear protection film is applied without cutting the stone, so no silica dust is created, and keeps the benchtop looking new.
Key points
- The 2024 ban covers new supply and installation, not existing tops.
- Film is applied without cutting, so no silica dust.
- Resin binders can stain and react to harsh chemicals.
- Also suits Essastone, Silestone, Smartstone and similar.
What the engineered stone ban means for your benchtop
Engineered stone is crushed quartz bound together with resin. From 1 July 2024, Australian work health and safety laws banned the manufacture, supply and installation of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs, because cutting and grinding them releases dangerous crystalline silica dust. Existing benchtops were not banned, and there is no requirement to remove them.
That makes protecting what you already have more attractive. Replacing a benchtop now means a different material and a significant renovation. Our film is cut and laid on top of the surface; we never cut, grind or polish the stone itself. More in our guide to benchtops after the ban.
Where engineered stone shows wear
The quartz in engineered stone is hard, but the resin holding it together is a plastic. That is why engineered benchtops can take stains from turmeric, beetroot, hair dye and permanent markers, why strong alkaline cleaners and oven cleaners can leave marks, and why the surface can scorch under hot pans. Film protects against stains, chemicals and everyday scratches. For heat, we still recommend trivets for hot pots, as we would for any benchtop.