Types of Kitchen Countertops

A kitchen’s countertop can often be the focal point of the room. This is where, apart from the cooking, even socializing often takes place. In the modern home, in fact, the kitchen countertop is the center of the busiest of rooms. Therefore, some of the most important concerns about the kitchen countertop, apart from the functionality, is its durability, and probably more importantly, its aesthetic appeal. As your kitchen’s centerpiece, the countertop should both match as well as enhance the style and ambiance of the room.

In the past, Formica and plastic laminates ruled the roost as far as kitchen countertops were concerned. However, with changing tastes, budgets, and technology, those materials have been rapidly giving way to countertops made of natural stone and material such as granite, quartz, concrete, and so on. So, here is a discussion about these materials to help you in choosing a type of kitchen countertop that will suit your needs.

Granite Kitchen Countertop for Toughness, Durability and Quality

One of the toughest natural materials that you can use as your kitchen countertop is granite. Next only to diamonds as far as hardness is concerned, granite is becoming an increasingly popular choice as a kitchen countertop due to its matchless toughness. Granite is also generally impervious to scratching. While granite used to be considered a high end product used by affluent people, these days, and increasing number of average people are opting to install it as their kitchen countertop.

Another of granite’s advantages is its resistance to high heat. You can place very hot cooking pots and frying pans on a granite countertop without causing it any damage. However, granite does have a drawback – its natural porosity. This makes it susceptible to permanent staining if oily or acidic substances should spill on it.

Since granite is a natural material, you may think that it would be available in limited colors. But, on the contrary, since it is quarried from a number of locations all over the world – from Sri Lanka to Brazil to Texas – the variety of colors that it is available in is quite impressive – from ruby red, to verdant green, to jet black. Moreover, each granite slab will have its own distinctive color pattern, with splotches, stripes, and speckles that you will take pleasure in for a long time indeed.

Quartz Kitchen Countertop – Natural and Engineered

Quartz, also called Quartzite, is one more natural material made of stone that is growing in popularity as a kitchen countertop. It is primarily sought after because quartz being a crystalline material, adds a shimmering depth and beauty to any kitchen it is installed in.

Natural quartz is a material that is very dense and hard which usually can withstand very high pressures and temperatures without being damaged. Natural quartz’s surface is exceptionally smooth, which is what makes it as popular as a kitchen countertop. And, because of its internal structure, quartz is as tough as marble and granite. Moreover, since it is much less porous than the other two, there is much less chance of stains damaging the countertop permanently.

Apart from natural quartz that is mined from quarries, there is also engineered quartz that is available, which is comparatively cheaper. They come in a wide range of colors. Engineered quartz is created by ground quartz particles being added to colored resin, which is then baked, and then pressed, and finally polished. The material that results from this process is non-porous to a high degree, is extremely hard, and has a shine that does not dull to any great degree for a long time. Even though engineered quartz cannot quite match the variety of texture and grain that natural quartz has, still, it mimics the natural variety quite closely, plus has less maintenance requirements.

Concrete Kitchen Countertop – A Great DIY Material

Although you may not think that concrete would make an attractive material as a kitchen countertop, it actually does. Many manufacturers make polished concrete kitchen countertops that are very beautiful and are also quite affordably priced. However, one of the best things about concrete is that you can make a countertop yourself. In fact, making your own DIY concrete kitchen countertop will prove to be very economical indeed. As long as you are ready to experiment with the process of making concrete and don’t mind getting a little messy, you can make a countertop that you will be proud of.

By using colored pigments, different types of aggregate, and chemical stains, a concrete kitchen countertop can mimic much more expensive material such as granite, limestone, and marble. And by giving your concrete countertop a coat of epoxy, you can give it an attractive and glossy finish, which will also protect it. The natural and warm patina that concrete has makes it very attractive as a kitchen countertop.