Fun, Popular Choices to Change up Your Kitchen Counters
You don’t have to remodel your entire kitchen to make it feel fresh. Sometimes all it takes is a new or different counter top to breathe some life and excitement into your kitchen. To help you decide which material to choose, here’s a look at the pros and cons of the most popular ones used today:
Granite
Granite’s gorgeous colors and patterns make it the best when trying to give your kitchen a natural look. It’s also very durable and can’t be easily ruined by heat, moisture, or bumps from common kitchen tools. The downside to granite is that it requires frequent sealing to avoid stains, plus you’ll need sturdy cabinet boxes due to its heavy weight.
Butcher Block
This is the best material if you want to give your kitchen a warm, cottage/country style look. While butcher block is vulnerable to knife scratches, it’s probably the only material that can still look good with some cuts in it— they’re also easy to sand out. Just be wary of its weakness to moisture and humidity, which means oil should be used often.
Quartz Surfacing
Also called engineered stone or quartz, this material comprised of tinted quartz chips and resin. It’s an excellent choice if you want the look of natural stone but more colors and patterns to choose from. Although durable and attractive, it is an engineered material and thus won’t exactly match the natural beauty of real stone.
Stainless Steel
If you want the most durable material possible for your counter top, go with stainless steel. Most restaurants use it because of its resistance to bacterial growth, heat, and physical damage. Stainless steel is also a must if you want to give your kitchen an industrial look. Keep in mind that you’ll be doing a lot of wiping to remove fingerprints, and it’s not a cheap material. Plus, it’s very noisy when pots and pans are used.
Tile
If you want options, look no further. There’s no shortage of designs and colors when it comes to both porcelain and ceramic tiles. It also stands up well against cuts, heat, and stains, and is easy to replace should one take some heavy damage. The main flaw with tile is that it doesn’t have a perfectly even surface. Bacterial growth and stains are also common when faced with unsealed grout and standing moisture.
Solid Surfacing
Originally called Corian, this material is made mostly out of polyester and acrylic and comes in a wide variety of colors and hues. Installation is easy and it requires almost no maintenance other than the small burn or scratch, which can be sanded out. It’s a good choice unless you’re afraid of giving your counter top an artificial look.
Marble
If you want to give your kitchen a touch of glamor and class, there’s no better choice. Marble is a timeless material that will always look good and isn’t as pricey as you might think. Just know that while it’s good against heat, marble is very vulnerable to chips, stains, and scratches.
Soapstone
If you want a natural look but aren’t convinced by granite or marble, soapstone is a great choice. A lot of people prefer its soft, subtle coloring that changes with time from a light gray to a darker tone. Unfortunately, soapstone is also known to crack over time, especially if you don’t frequently polish it with oil.
Laminate
Laminate is not only very affordable but it’s also easy to clean and maintain. Newer designs also make it look more like stone and other more stylish materials. The main issue you may face with laminate is that it’s sensitive to heat and damage, which means burns and scratches are more likely. It’s also a challenge to repair when serious damage is done.
Concrete
The main advantage to using concrete is that it can be shaped and tinted in whatever way you desire. You can also add fun inlays like shells, rocks, or glass while never having to worry about physical damage. Just remember to seal often or you may end up with cracks. Concrete is also very heavy, of course.
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