Apexstone
Silica Free Engineered Stone Slabs - Australian Code Compliant Benchtop Surfaces
Silica-free engineered stone slabs developed for the Australian market where engineered quartz has been banned from July 2024. Zero crystalline silica content (<0.1%), fully code compliant. Non-porous, stain-resistant, available in 20 mm and 30 mm thicknesses up to 3200x1600 mm. Polished, honed, and super-matte finishes. Direct replacement for quartz kitchen benchtops, bathroom vanity benchtops, and commercial surfaces. Compliance documentation provided with every shipment. Silica-free stone supplier Apexstone - 42+ countries since 2002.
Highlights
- Zero crystalline silica (<0.1%) - fully compliant with Australian July 2024 engineered stone ban
- Direct replacement for banned engineered quartz benchtops in kitchen and bathroom applications
- Non-porous, stain-resistant surface requiring no sealing - Class 5 stain resistance per ISO 10545-14
- 20 mm (3/4 inch) and 30 mm (1-1/4 inch) thicknesses, slab sizes up to 3200x1600 mm (126x63 inch)
- Polished, honed, and super-matte finishes with eased, beveled, bullnose, and waterfall edge profiles
- Compliance documentation and test reports provided with every shipment for Australian certifiers
Specifications
| Stone Type | Silica Free Engineered Stone |
|---|---|
| Crystalline Silica Content | <0.1% (verified by XRD testing) |
| Australian Compliance | Compliant with July 2024 engineered stone ban (Safe Work Australia) |
| Base Color | Pure White |
| Veining | Subtle soft grey veining |
| Pattern | Consistent engineered veining, batch-matched |
| Density | 2.3-2.5 g/cm³ |
| Water Absorption | ≤0.2% |
| Mohs Hardness | 5-6 |
| Flexural Strength | 40-50 MPa |
| Stain Resistance | Class 5 (ISO 10545-14, highest rating) |
| Heat Resistance | Up to 250°C (482°F) for brief contact |
| Thickness Options | 20 mm (3/4 inch), 30 mm (1-1/4 inch) |
| Max Slab Size | Up to 3200 x 1600 mm (126 x 63 inch) |
| Available Finishes | Polished, honed, super-matte |
| Edge Profiles | Eased, beveled, bullnose, waterfall, ogee, custom |
| Cutouts | Single/double bowl, faucet holes, cooktop, custom |
| Backsplash | Integrated 100 mm or full-height, matched from same slab |
| Sealing Required | No - non-porous surface, no sealing needed |
| Available Colours | Pure White with grey veining, Cool White, Warm White, Solid White |
| Recommended Styles | Modern, Contemporary, Minimalist, Scandinavian, Transitional |
| Applications | Kitchen Benchtops, Bathroom Vanity Benchtops, Commercial Surfaces, Interior Stone |
| MOQ | From 10 m² |
| Lead Time | 25-35 days from drawing approval |
Product Detail
The Australian Pain Point: Your Best-Selling Benchtop Product Is Now Banned
Since July 1, 2024, engineered stone containing crystalline silica has been banned from manufacture, supply, processing, and installation across Australia — following Safe Work Australia's December 13, 2023 announcement responding to the silicosis epidemic among stonemasons exposed to respirable crystalline silica dust during cutting, grinding, and polishing of traditional quartz. For Australian fabricators, builders, and stone importers, this is not a compliance detail: the benchtop material that anchored kitchen and bathroom quotes for two decades is off the menu. Every quartz quote now needs a compliant substitute that certifiers will accept, fabricators can process without the silicosis hazard, and homeowners cannot distinguish from the surfaces they always wanted.
What the Ban Means for Your Business If You Have No Compliant Line
Without a compliant benchtop product, every kitchen and bathroom quotation you write is exposed: either you lose the job to someone who has a silica-free line, or you substitute a natural stone that changes the price point, the fabrication process, and the maintenance promise you made. Certifiers and councils now verify compliance documentation on the material — a substitute without paperwork stalls at inspection. And fabricator workforce safety is now a board-level issue: processing high-silica material where it is banned is not a risk, it is an offence. The commercial question is no longer whether to switch surfaces, but which compliant substitute lets you keep your margins, your fabrication partners, and your delivery dates.
Our Solution: Silica-Free Engineered Stone With Documentation on Every Shipment
Apexstone's Silica Free Engineered Stone Slabs are developed specifically for the Australian market: zero crystalline silica content (verified to less than 0.1% by weight), engineered to deliver the look, durability, and performance of traditional engineered quartz without the respirable silica dust hazard.
- Compliant by analysis: each batch is tested and certified to contain less than 0.1% crystalline silica by weight, complying with the Australian Work Health and Safety regulations; test reports and compliance documentation are provided with every shipment for builder, certifier, and council verification.
- Fabricator-safe processing: fabricators, installers, and builders can cut, drill, and polish these slabs without the silicosis risk associated with traditional quartz surfaces.
- Standards-backed performance: the material meets AS/NZS 4266.1 standards for water absorption, flexural strength, and abrasion resistance for benchtop applications.
- No sealing, ever: the non-porous surface resists staining from coffee, wine, oil, and food acids — rated Class 5 (highest) stain resistance per ISO 10545-14 — and requires no sealing, unlike natural marble or granite benchtops.
Technical Properties Your Certifiers and Fabricators Will Ask About
- Density: 2.3–2.5 g/cm³, comparable to traditional engineered quartz.
- Water absorption: below 0.2% — the basis of the non-porous, no-sealing promise.
- Hardness and strength: Mohs hardness 5–6; flexural strength 40–50 MPa.
- Heat behaviour: rated for heat resistance up to 250°C (482°F) for brief contact.
- Formats: 20 mm (3/4 inch) and 30 mm (1-1/4 inch) thicknesses; slab sizes up to 3200 x 1600 mm (126 x 63 inch).
- Finishes: polished (high-gloss, reflective), honed (matte, soft), and super-matte (ultra-low sheen, fingerprint-resistant).
- Colours: Pure White with soft grey veining, Cool White, Warm White, and Solid White — each engineered to mimic premium natural marble or engineered quartz without the silica hazard; custom colours and vein patterns can be developed for project volumes above 500 m².
Fabrication matches the benchtop workflow your customers already know: kitchen benchtops are cut to exact CAD dimensions with sink, cooktop, and faucet cutouts, plus eased, beveled, bullnose, and waterfall edge profiles — including solid waterfall edges for islands. Vanity benchtops take single or double bowl cutouts, faucet hole drilling, and integrated backsplashes, with honed finishes recommended for wet-area bathroom applications.
Procurement Value: Quote Kitchens Again, With Paperwork Attached
With a compliant silica-free line, your quoting pipeline reopens on the terms you already know: 20 mm and 30 mm thicknesses, large 3200 x 1600 mm slabs, waterfall islands, and the white marble-look palette Australian clients ask for — with one decisive addition. Every shipment carries the test reports and compliance documentation your certifier, builder, and council need, so approval is a document handover instead of a negotiation. Fabrication carries no silicosis exposure, which protects your workforce and your licence to operate. And because the material meets AS/NZS 4266.1 and holds the highest ISO 10545-14 stain class without sealing, the maintenance promise you make at point of sale is the one the product actually keeps. MOQ starts from 10 m² for benchtop supply; lead time 25–35 days from drawing approval. Apexstone has supplied natural and engineered stone to projects in 42 countries since 2002, manufacturing in our Xiamen facility under strict quality control with each batch tested for crystalline silica content and physical performance.
Product Specifications
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Material | Silica-free engineered stone (crystalline silica <0.1% by weight) |
| Compliance | Australian WHS regulations; compliance documentation with every shipment |
| Standards | AS/NZS 4266.1 (water absorption, flexural strength, abrasion resistance) |
| Stain resistance | Class 5 (highest) per ISO 10545-14 |
| Slab size | Up to 3200 x 1600 mm (126 x 63 inch) |
| Thickness | 20 mm (3/4 inch), 30 mm (1-1/4 inch) |
| Finishes | Polished, honed, super-matte |
| Edge profiles | Eased, beveled, bullnose, waterfall |
| Density | 2.3–2.5 g/cm³ |
| Water absorption | Below 0.2% (non-porous, no sealing required) |
| Heat resistance | Up to 250°C (482°F) for brief contact |
| Colours | Pure White (grey veining), Cool White, Warm White, Solid White; custom colours above 500 m² |
| MOQ | From 10 m² |
| Lead time | 25–35 days from drawing approval |
Purchasing FAQ
- Will Australian certifiers accept this material?
- Each batch is tested and certified to contain less than 0.1% crystalline silica by weight, and test reports and compliance documentation are provided with every shipment for builder, certifier, and council verification. The material also meets AS/NZS 4266.1.
- Can fabricators treat it like quartz?
- The slabs are cut, drilled, and polished with standard benchtop fabrication — sink, cooktop, and faucet cutouts plus eased, beveled, bullnose, and waterfall edges — without the respirable silica dust hazard of traditional quartz.
- Does it need sealing like natural stone?
- No. The surface is non-porous (water absorption below 0.2%) with Class 5 stain resistance per ISO 10545-14, so no sealing is required.
- What do you need to quote a project?
- Share benchtop drawings, quantities, edge profiles, finish requirements, and colour preferences. MOQ from 10 m²; lead time 25–35 days from drawing approval.
Request Silica-Free Slab Samples and Compliance Documents
Send your benchtop drawings, quantities, edge profiles, finishes, and colour preferences. We will confirm slab availability, provide batch compliance documentation, and quote your project. MOQ from 10 m²; lead time 25–35 days from drawing approval.
Request Silica-Free Details
