Corian is a brand of solid surface material created by DuPont. It is a man-made material created by mixing minerals with acrylic resins. Its primary use is as a countertop, benchtop surface, washbasin, and wall panel, although it has many other applications. Corian is composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate, and it is manufactured in three thicknesses: 6 millimeters (0.24 in), 12 millimeters (0.47 in), and 19 millimeters (0.75 in) . Most Corian is manufactured at a DuPont facility near Buffalo, New York. Cross-section cuts show consistent color and particulate patterning evenly distributed throughout the material, giving rise to the category name "solid surface".
Corian meets or exceeds current emissions guidelines for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), and is "Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certified". It is nontoxic and nonallergenic to humans, free of heavy metals, and complies with the EU Directive 2002/95EC on the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) . Its hygienic properties make it popular in installations where maintaining sanitary conditions is important.
Corian is a "solid surface" material, meaning the man-made material has a solid composition from the inside out. It is often used for countertops, and its seams are virtually invisible, thanks to epoxy blended to match the countertop colors. Although many consider quartz and natural stone to be the most attractive surface materials, Corian is also hard to beat on the appearance front.
