{"product_id":"12mm-obsidian-solid-surface-sheet","title":"12mm Obsidian Solid Surface Sheet","description":"\u003ch2\u003e12mm Obsidian Solid Surface Sheet\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlease note that product images are for illustration purposes only. Colours can appear different on screen depending on your device and display settings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSheet size: 3,660mm x 760mm x 12mm. Supplied as a full sheet.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSolid surface is a cast composite sheet, not a laminate or a coated board. It is made by blending pure acrylic (PMMA) resin with aluminium trihydrate, a mineral filler refined from bauxite, then curing the two together into a single homogeneous slab. Because the sheet is the same material all the way through, the colour does not stop at the surface. That is the difference from every decorative board: there is no thin printed layer to wear off, no substrate to swell when water reaches it, and no visible line where two pieces meet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree practical consequences follow. Scratches, scuffs and burns are abraded out and the surface refinished in place rather than replaced. The cured composite is non-porous, so liquids cannot soak in, nothing needs sealing and bacteria have no pore structure to colonise. And because the body of the sheet matches its face, two pieces bonded with colour matched adhesive and sanded flat read as one continuous surface with no shadow line and no gap to trap dirt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe decor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObsidian (DM4001) is a deep black from the DM4 series. It is a solid, unfilled black with no aggregate, speckle or veining, so the surface reads as a single continuous plane of colour. Named after volcanic glass, it does the same job in an interior that black glass or honed granite does, but with the crucial advantage that it can be jointed invisibly and refinished rather than replaced. Black is the most demanding colour any surface material can be asked to hold, and it is also the one that delivers the most when it works. A single unbroken black island top, with a formed waterfall end and no seam anywhere in it, is an effect you simply cannot achieve in stone or laminate. The same is true of a black reception desk or bar front, which is why this decor turns up far more often in commercial and hospitality work than in domestic kitchens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat to expect from a black surface, honestly \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is worth being straight about this before you order, because it is the single most common source of disappointment with dark surfaces of any kind, in any material. Dark colours show what pale colours hide. Dust, water spotting, fingerprints and the fine scratch pattern that every working surface accumulates are all more visible against black than against a white or a speckled neutral, and low raking light across a large flat area will reveal marks that are invisible from directly above. None of that is a defect in the material and none of it is specific to this product: it is what black does. Manufacturers of dark solid surface generally advise against specifying it for the heaviest use horizontal applications for exactly this reason.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere solid surface pulls ahead of black stone, black laminate and black glass is what happens next. When a black solid surface top starts to look tired, it is abraded back and refinished to an even sheen, and the colour is still there because it runs through the full 12mm. A black laminate that has worn through is finished. So the honest summary is this: Obsidian will need more attention than a pale decor to keep looking its best, and unlike the alternatives it can actually be brought back.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGetting the best out of it\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e■ Specify a consistent sheen across the whole installation. A matt or satin finish disguises marking considerably\u003cbr\u003ebetter than a high polish, and on a large black area a polished finish will show every wipe mark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e■ Clean with a soft cloth and a mild detergent rather than abrasive creams or scouring pads, which leave a haze\u003cbr\u003eon dark surfaces that pale ones absorb without showing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e■ Consider where the light falls. A run under a window or beneath a linear pendant will show more than a run\u003cbr\u003eagainst a wall in diffuse light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e■ It is the right choice for vertical and lower traffic surfaces: cladding, bar and counter fronts, reception faces, splashbacks and feature panels take black extremely well because they see less abrasion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWorking with the sheet \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eObsidian is jointed with ColorSeam Orca, the methyl methacrylate adhesive matched to this decor. Glue the joint, remove the surplus, then sand through a progressive grit sequence from 120 up to 400 to bring both pieces to one plane and one finish. The adhesive is low-VOC and GREENGUARD Gold certified, which is worth knowing on\u003cbr\u003eprojects chasing indoor air quality credits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDark solids are the least forgiving decors to joint, and this is where fabrication skill shows. On a speckled or veined decor the pattern helps disguise a joint; on a plain black there is nothing to hide behind, so the glue line must be tight and the sanding taken all the way through the grit sequence to a genuinely even sheen. Rushing the final grits on a black sheet produces a visible dull patch where the joint sits. Budget more finishing time on this decor than you would on a pale one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sheet is 12mm, the standard worktop thickness for the material. A heavier edge is built up by bonding a second strip of the same sheet beneath the front edge and jointing it invisibly, so a 12mm sheet presents as a 40mm or 60mm edge at a fraction of the weight and cost of solid material throughout. The material also thermoforms: heated evenly to forming temperature and worked over a jig, it takes curves, coved upstands and waterfall island ends, then holds the shape as it cools on the jig under restraint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCoverage \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne sheet covers 2.78 square metres. A standard 600mm deep run therefore yields just over six linear metres of worktop before allowances for cut-outs and edge build-up, so most single-run kitchens are a one or two sheet job.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProperty: Value | Decor: Obsidian | Decor code: DM4001 | Series: DM4 | Jointing adhesive match: ColorSeam Orca | Material: Pure acrylic (PMMA) resin with aluminium trihydrate (ATH) mineral filler | Sheet size: 3,660 x 760 | Thickness: 12 | Coverage per sheet: 2.78 | Colour through thickness: Yes, homogeneous | Finish: Deep black solid | Fabrication notes: No directional, pearl or veining restrictions | Thermoformable: Yes | Repairable and refinishable: Yes | Density: 1.729 | Flexural strength: 69.6 (10,100 psi) | Flexural modulus: 9,887 (1,434,000 psi) | Tensile strength: 45.9 | Tensile modulus: 9,890 | Elongation at break: 0.50 | Barcol hardness: 67 | Heat deflection temperature: 111.7 | Coefficient of thermal expansion: 3.49 x 10 -5 | Water absorption: 0.10 | Boiling water resistance: No effect | High temperature resistance: No effect | Thermal shock resistance: Pass, no cracking, crazing, blistering or spalling | Reaction to fire: B-s1, d0 | Surface burning: Class A (FSI 15, SDI 10) | Cigarette test: Pass | Stain resistance: Pass | Chemical resistance: Pass | Colour fastness: Pass | Light resistance (xenon arc): No effect | Fungal resistance: Does not support microbial growth | Bacterial resistance: Does not support bacterial growth | Food contact: Certified | Indoor air quality: GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD Gold certified | Warranty: 10 years against manufacturing defect\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Forge Finishes","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67883651825863,"sku":"Obsidian","price":720.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0797\/2752\/6087\/files\/800px.webp?v=1791753618","url":"https:\/\/forge-finishes.co.uk\/products\/12mm-obsidian-solid-surface-sheet","provider":"Forge-Finishes","version":"1.0","type":"link"}