Engineered stone is banned in Australia: which benchtop can you use in an imported kitchen?
Reviewed by Bo, Project Manager at NOVARTE · Updated
What the engineered stone ban covers, which benchtop materials remain available for imported kitchens, and how to plan the benchtop with cabinets made overseas.
The practical answer
Australia’s domestic ban on engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs began on 1 July 2024; the import prohibition followed on 1 January 2025. The definition includes at least 1% crystalline silica by weight. Sintered stone and porcelain are excluded only when they contain no resin. Natural stone, timber, stainless steel, compact laminate and suitable solid-surface products are other options. Confirm the actual specification and import requirements with your broker before ordering.
What the ban covers
The definition concerns artificial stone made by combining natural stone material with other constituents, then hardening it, with at least 1% crystalline silica by weight. Check benchtops and splashback panels as well as slabs. A product’s trade name does not settle its classification.
Safe Work Australia lists exclusions including natural stone, concrete and cement products, ceramic tiles, and sintered stone or porcelain containing no resin. Certain finished products not intended for further processing, such as prefabricated sinks, are also excluded. An exclusion from the engineered stone ban does not remove other import or workplace-safety duties.
Benchtop materials you can still use
| Material | Look | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sintered stone | Thin, stone-like slabs in many patterns | The exclusion requires no resin. Confirm heat and stain performance, edge details and cut-outs for the specified product. |
| Porcelain | Large-format slabs with marble or concrete looks | The exclusion requires no resin. Check thickness, support and edge protection; thin edges can chip. |
| Natural stone | Granite, marble or natural quartzite | Outside the engineered stone definition. Fabrication can still create silica dust and requires safety controls; marble can etch with acids. |
| Solid timber | Warm natural grain | Agree the protective finish, maintenance and sink-area detailing. |
| Stainless steel | A continuous, professional-looking surface | Integrated sinks may be possible. Confirm the grade, finish, joints and support. |
| Compact laminate | Slim profiles, colours and patterns | Confirm suitability for benchtop use, water exposure, joints and heat protection. |
| Solid surface | Continuous-looking joins and integrated basins | Check the composition and silica content. Repairability and heat limits depend on the specified product. |
Should the benchtop ship with the cabinets?
A top can travel with the cabinets when its permitted material, final dimensions and protective crating are agreed. Stainless steel tops or smaller porcelain and sintered-stone sections may be practical. Long or complex tops can be templated on site after the cabinets are fixed, then fabricated locally to match the walls and joins.
For Australian projects we assemble cabinets in our Foshan factory before shipping. Your local installer still positions, secures and adjusts the units, and coordinates the final benchtop measure.
Questions to ask before you order
- What is the material’s actual composition and classification, rather than its marketing name?
- Does it contain resin, and what does the specification say about crystalline silica content?
- Will the top ship with the cabinets or be templated and fabricated locally?
- Who confirms the final dimensions, installs the top and handles the required safety controls?
Sources
Common questions
Is quartz banned in Australia?+
Many products sold as quartz benchtops are engineered stone. Check their composition against the prohibited definition. Natural quartzite is natural stone, rather than engineered stone; do not rely on a similar-sounding trade name.
Is sintered stone allowed?+
Sintered stone and porcelain containing no resin are excluded from the engineered stone definition. Confirm the precise product specification and other import requirements with your customs broker.
Can I keep my existing engineered stone benchtop?+
The ban does not require existing installed tops to be removed. Repair, alteration, removal and disposal can have separate state or territory requirements; consult the relevant work health and safety regulator before that work.
Can you supply the benchtop with my kitchen?+
We can review permitted materials and a suitable shipping arrangement, or make the cabinets ready for a benchtop measured and fabricated locally. The material, dimensions, packing and installation responsibilities belong in the agreed scope.