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Is Richlite® a solid surface?
How durable is Richlite®?
How stain resistant is it?
Will Richlite® scorch?
Since Richlite® is made out of paper will it darken over time?
How scratch resistant is Richlite®?
Is the material food safe?

Is Richlite® a solid surface?
By the technical definition of solid surface, NO. Most solid surface materials combine two main ingredients: a natural mineral (the "filler") and a resin (the "binder"), along with various additives. These are combined and then formed in a curing process that results in a sheet or a shape.

All that being said, some people have grouped Richlite® within the solid surface category because of the solid color through the material. If you cut it in half you’d find the same surface on the inside as you started with on the outside. If that’s not a solid surface, what is? But it’s not a poured plastic with fillers like most of the other products that call themselves solid surfaces. And it’s not a kind of laminated sandwich where a nice topskin is glued to a cheaper substrate. Richlite® is truly in a class of its own.

How durable is Richlite®?
Richlite® is extremely durable. Remember it’s been used for industrial and marine purposes, and as a skatepark surface for years. The kitchen is the Richlite®’s least challenging environment.

How stain resistant is it?
Your countertop is stain resistant to most all kitchen related substances with the exception of some raw meat juice (such as liver), high-alkaline fruit or vegetables (such as papaya and red beet), and high-alkaline soaps (such as automatic dishwasher powder) when left in contact for a prolonged time.

Will Richlite® scorch?
Richlite® is heat resistant up to 350°F. A pot of boiling water won’t affect the look of the surface though a red hot pan under extreme temperatures will discolor the material. Hot pads are recommended to prevent scorching.

Since Richlite® is made out of paper will it darken over time?
The composition of Richlite® Surface is cellulose fiber and resin, much like Mother Nature's trees (but with extra resin in our product to make it more durable). And similar to certain characteristics of wood, Richlite® Surface r100 material does noticeably darken with age due to ultra-violet exposure and oxidation, much like Fir or Cherry cabinet material. It is this enriching color transformation that has many architects praising the look of the r100 color. The Browns Point, Black Diamond, Green Mountain, Redstone and Blue Canyon do not display such a change because of their darker base colors. Of course, color evolutions can be restrained by employing ultra violet shields upon incoming natural light.

How scratch resistant is Richlite®?
It's significantly harder than wood but, like most countertop materials, can, under force, be scratched or gouged. Richlite® countertops should not be used as a cutting surface. Because Richlite is a solid color all the way through, when scratches do occur, there will be no difference in color – unlike many solid surfaces where the scratch appears as a different color than the material. Use of a separate Richlite® cutting board is recommended. Most cuts, scratches and nicks can be repaired with a light refinishing.

Is the material food safe?
Yes. Richlite® does not support the colonization of bacteria and is food safe. Richlite® cutting boards are certified by the National Sanitation Foundation for use with direct food contact in restaurants. The NSF sets standards and certifies food service related products for the industry. The same material is used in Richlite® countertops.
NSF Standard 51 (64kb PDF)