{"id":1750,"date":"2023-06-13T15:24:42","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T13:24:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aitanachem.com\/how-to-improve-scratch-resistance-of-solid-surface-products\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T16:42:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T14:42:33","slug":"improve-scratch-resistance-solid-surface","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aitanachem.com\/en\/improve-scratch-resistance-solid-surface\/","title":{"rendered":"How to improve scratch resistance in solid surface products"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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If you manufacture countertops, shower trays or washbasins, you know the scene: the part comes out of the mould flawless, gets installed, and a few months later comes the customer call regarding marks and scratches around the sink. Scratching, along with staining, is a primary reason for customer complaints in solid surface materials\u2014and it is also the main argument quartz competitors use to capture kitchen countertop market share.<\/strong> The good news is that this problem has a definitive technical solution. The answer lies not in changing the resin system, but in optimizing the mineral filler.<\/p>\n

In this article, we explain why solid surface scratches, how scratch resistance is measured, and exactly what you get by implementing our new high scratch resistance technology for solid surface products.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Why solid surface scratches<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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A solid surface part consists, putting it very simply, of two main things: a polymer matrix and a mineral filler. The matrix (acrylic or ISO NPG polyester) provides cohesion, appearance, colour and that repairability which makes the material unique. The filler provides body, dimensional stability and, above all, surface hardness. And here is the key: the mineral filler accounts for around 60-70 % of the total weight of the part. When an object rubs across a countertop, you are not touching resin; but essentially, mineral surrounded by resin.<\/strong> If that mineral is soft, the part is soft. However good the resin may be.<\/p>\n

Conventional aluminium trihydrate (ATH), the standard filler used to produce solid surface parts, is a relatively soft mineral. While standard ATH filler provides excellent whiteness and enables easy sanding and polishing, it is not formulated to resist aggressive scratching from everyday metal objects. End consumers, however, expect long-term durability without needing to sand down their solid surface countertop every few months.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Mohs scale: where your part stands today<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Scratch hardness is measured on the Mohs scale<\/strong>, ranging from 1 (talc) to 10 (diamond). A material scratches anything below its rating and is scratched by anything above it. It is a simple scale. That is why it is the one the industry uses.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Scratch hardness in Mohs scale (approx. values)<\/caption>\r\n
Material<\/th>\r\nApprox. Mohs Hardness<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Fingernail<\/th>\r\n2,5<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Conventional solid surface (ATH standard) It gets scratched<\/span><\/th>\r\n2,5 \u2013 3<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Euro coin<\/th>\r\n4 \u2013 4,5<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Steel knife<\/th>\r\n5,5<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Glass<\/th>\r\n5,5 \u2013 6<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Solid surface with anti-scratch filler technology<\/span><\/th>\r\n6<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Quartz<\/th>\r\n7<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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If you look at the table above, you will see the problem straight away: a coin is harder than a conventional solid surface countertop. That is why it scratches it. That is why a key, a knife or the edge of a pan does too.<\/p>\n

Elevating the hardness if a solid surface countertop to Mohs 6 scale places it above coins and steel knives, bringing it to the level of glass. <\/strong>In daily use, the surface stops scratching against common kitchen utensils.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The coin test: Convince yourself in 60 seconds<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Seeing the material performance under direct friction provides clear proof. In this video from our YouTube channel, we compare two solid surface parts: one manufactured with our ATH AS 55 anti-scratch filler and another produced with a standard ATH.<\/strong> Both undergo a friction test using a euro coin.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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What happens in each case is the opposite of what it looks like at first glance. On the standard solid surface part, the coin is harder than the material: under pressure, the coin digs in and scratches the surface easily<\/strong>, leaving permanent damage that requires mechanical sanding.<\/p>\n

On the solid surface part manufactured with our ATH AS 55 technology, the opposite happens. The part is harder than the coin. Because of that, the coin acts like a pencil, leaving a superficial metallic trace on top of the part. This metal trace wipes off effortlessly with a cloth, leaving the underlying surface completely intact.<\/p>\n

Achieving a hardness of Mohs 6 (similar to steel) makes this technology ideal for high-wear applications like kitchen countertops and sinks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The solution lies in the filler, not just the resin<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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While manufacturers often attempt to increase surface hardness by upgrading to higher-grade ISO NPG resins, resin alone cannot overcome the physical limits of a formulation containing 60\u201370% mineral filler.<\/strong> Replacing standard mineral fillers with specialized functional fillers is the direct path to improving scratch resistance in solid surface products.<\/p>\n

We currently have two types of filler, depending on the colour of the finished part:<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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ATH AS 55: for white solid surface<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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ATH AS 55 is a specialized mineral mix with high chemical resistance developed to enhance surface hardness, scratch resistance, and abrasion performance in solid surface, polymer concrete, and engineered stone.<\/p>\n