I get asked all the time: “How do you actually install Critical. Cleanstone as a benchtop?” So I'm be making a video tutorial series to answer your questions.

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If you have a technical question about Cleanstone, drop it in the comments and I'll make it the next how to video.

Back to this one. Here are three things every designer or joiner needs to know:

1. Substructure matters for long horizontal overhangs and cantilevers

Unlike timber, recycled plastic isn’t as stiffstable. That means you’ll want to brace it with aluminium, steel extrusions for cantilevered designs to maintain stiffness. Even a simple L-angle at 600 centres can go a long way.

2. Folding + finishing

To achieve that seamless edge or curve and you don't have specialist thermoforming tools, you can simply slot cut the panel, fold by hand, and miter the edge. Then, fuse it with heat (soldering iron) and clean up with a pencil router for a sharp finish. It’s not perfect every time — we allow ±2mm thickness variation — but smart miters mean the joins disappear.

3. Joining panels

Cleanstone works a lot like timber. You can butt join with packers, biscuit join, use a clam lock, or even plastic weld. For a commercial benchtop like the one at One New Zealand, mechanical fixing plus sanding and polishing gave a tight, seamless join.

Honestly I get it. New materials is change is change is not always easy. But we need to do better by our environment with materials that are 100% recycled, 100% recycleable while being almost carbon neutral.

A fully functional, low-carbon benchtop made from 100% recycled plastic waste — that still looks good enough to sit in a top-tier workspace.

We’ve put together a full install manual and case studies if you want the details: https://lnkd.in/gJYxHAhc

If you’re a designer or architect and want to trial Cleanstone in your next fit-out, flick me a message. Always happy to kōrero.