While constructing your dream kitchen, the material of your countertops is one of the most important things. You’ll find a wide variety of countertop materials in the market. Which one is the best for you? While all of them might look the same, some have an advantage over others. This article lists the best countertop materials for your dream kitchen.
What Are The Top Kitchen Countertop Materials?
The most used part of the kitchen is the countertops, so it’s vital to put thought and effort into choosing the best surface. While marble does look nice, it’s easily scratched. On the other hand, granite is sturdy and aesthetic but is extremely expensive.To help you out, we compiled a detailed guide listing the eight best kitchen countertop materials to construct your dream kitchen.
Concrete
Concrete is a sturdy, heat, and scratch-resistant material. Concrete counters are also relatively inexpensive compared to most materials we’ll discuss later in this list. The reason we ranked concrete number one is its popularity among contractors. Concrete countertops are mainly popular because of their versatility and sturdiness.Concrete can easily be tinted and textured, meaning contractors can make your concrete kitchen countertops look like marble. However, while concrete can be made to look like marble, it won’t be waterproof or as low maintenance as compared to marble countertops.
Being a porous material, concrete countertops need to be regularly resealed.
Marble
Marble is another excellent countertop material. Marble countertops are the most expensive countertop materials on this list because marble isn't just sturdy, but it’s also heat and water-resistant. In addition, it’s incredibly low-maintenance, aesthetically pleasing, and it increases the overall value of your home.A long-term pro of investing in marble countertops is their excellent value for money.
Marble does get scratched if you do regular cutting on it. Therefore, if you decide on getting marble countertops, ensure you get some cutting boards too!
Wood
Wood countertops are the most aesthetically pleasing. With a warm feel and country vibe, wood countertops provide the homiest look. In addition, wood countertops are sturdy, long-lasting, relatively easy to clean, and feel great to work on.While wood counters feel good to touch and work on, they’re also expensive and high maintenance. Wood countertops must be regularly polished and sealed. Other cons of wood countertops include staining easily, and can grow bacteria if not properly taken care of.
While a wood countertop will look stellar in a country-style home, consider its maintenance cost before installing them. Beautiful wood countertops only last if they are correctly taken care of.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel countertops are the standard as most professional kitchens have them. The best thing about steel counters is that they’re easy to clean and low maintenance. Stainless steel countertops are also relatively premium, give an industrial look to your kitchen, cannot be damaged by heat, and will also increase the real estate value of your home.Another great thing about steel countertops is that they can be constructed to your liking. They won’t have joints and seals, so you’ll get a seamless countertop with no breaks. No other countertop material provides this feature.
However, stainless steel countertops are expensive, very noisy, and not scratch-resistant at all. Therefore, when you have steel countertops, cutting boards are a must.
Granite
Granite is one of the best options when it comes to countertops. But we ranked granite fifth due to its cost and maintenance. While granite is highly sturdy, durable, and heat resistant, it is also expensive.Granite is less expensive than marble, but marble doesn’t dull knives like granite. In addition, granite needs to be a porous material and regularly sealed to avoid stains. Granite falls in the luxury countertop category but is also “high risk” as it can easily crack if not installed correctly.
Soapstone
Soapstone has been gaining popularity in the kitchen counter market for its resemblance to granite. Soapstone is a deep grey, rich natural stone that gives a smooth feel. Soapstone countertops are aesthetically pleasing and are the perfect fit for modern-style homes. In addition, soapstone is impervious to heat, and any damage to the stone can be sanded out easily.However, soapstone does darken over time, which may ruin your kitchen's color palette. Moreover, soapstone countertops need to be treated with mineral oil and can scratch or dent easily.
Quartz
Quartz countertops are not technically made of quartz. Rather, they’re engineered with other low-quality materials, along with quartz and then molded in resin. However, quartz countertops are sturdy, versatile, and stain and heat resistant.It’s safe to say that, quartz countertops are the easiest to maintain as no sealing is required. You can customize them, though these are relatively expensive. But one thing’s for sure: they’re one of the most aesthetically pleasing countertop materials.
Ceramic Tile
Tile countertops are the most basic of the bunch. A standard kitchen will have ceramic tile countertops. Ceramic tiles are versatile and customizable, but they are not sturdy. Plus, tile countertops have a lot of seams and breaks, making them hard to clean. So, over time, gunk collects within these seams and gives the kitchen a dirty look.Ceramic tiles are heat-resistant and inexpensive and will work best if you want to go the basic route.
Conclusion
And there you have it! Our list of the best kitchen countertop materials will help you choose the best countertop for your dream kitchen. Of course, we understand that you want everything to be perfect, so we discussed the best materials and their pros and cons to help you choose the best kitchen countertop.At Scavolini Store Roseville, you can request a quote by telling us about your construction plans for your home, and we will offer you a complimentary 3D design. Contact us at (916) 542-6183 or drop by at 1470 Eureka Road, Suite 120, Roseville, CA, and we’ll help you build the kitchen of your dreams!