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Kitchen Countertop Materials - What's Best For You?
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However, granite costs from about $60-$150 per square foot, with the rare ones priced at upwards of $300. This makes it rather impractical for people who have allotted just a couple of thousand dollars on a kitchen renovation.
With this price, your renovation bill can run up to more than a thousand dollars on the countertop alone. If you can afford it, granite is certainly one of the best kitchen countertop materials around. Its strength is unparalleled in the kitchen design scene and it possesses a natural beauty that synthetic or man-made kitchen countertop materials cannot match.
Factors to be considered
As mentioned above, durability in a kitchen countertop is key. The surface has to be able to withstand the stress of the activities that go on in a kitchen. Wood has been used as kitchen countertop materials for ages but the surface of wood, although it is one of the hardwoods such as maple, oak, cherry, or mahogany, still cannot escape chips and discoloration.
In time, the wood may even rot if the wood is not treated regularly and moisture seeps into the grain. To keep it looking new, treat the wood with mineral oil and sand and re-finish the surface regularly if necessary. However, if you want a distressed look for your counter, then leave the nicks and chips as they are.
Ceramic tiles can easily crack when accidentally struck with a heavy object. It is especially prone to damage when a heavy chopping board is placed on top of it and large bones or poultry are being chopped. They also cannot hold up to extreme heat and are therefore not the most ideal material for use as backsplashes for stoves.
Marble is a kitchen countertop material that had its heyday in the '80s. It was also used in almost every part of the home, from bathroom counters to flooring to side tables to bathroom walls. It lost popularity when people who used them for kitchen countertops started having problems with seepage. In addition, other types of classier-looking stone entered the market and upstaged the then-ubiquitous marble.
The popular choice of chefs for commercial kitchens is stainless steel. Undoubtedly, it can withstand extremes in temperature, but this kitchen countertop material can sustain scratches and nicks. Care must be taken when installing stainless steel kitchen countertops because otherwise, the material can dent from a faulty installation.
If all these are way beyond your budget, then you'd have to settle for a laminate countertop. Laminates are plastic sheets that are glued onto the existing Kitchen Countertop. It may be possible for you to come across a few stylish designs, but the difference between laminates and other kitchen countertop materials is the durability.
Laminates are neither heat- nor scratch-resistant, and so those who have them installed must expect to refurbish countertops often. The homeowner should also be extremely careful in keeping hot objects away from the surface, as it would instantly stain and warp.
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Source: 中国石材网
