Best Kitchen Countertop Materials You Should Consider
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Selecting a kitchen countertop material that fits your kitchen design is the first step to achieve a functional kitchen. Explore the best countertop materials here!
Selecting a countertop surface material that fits your kitchen ways and style is the first step to achieve a functional kitchen. How so? Because apart from being the backdrop and “main event” in the kitchen, the countertop is where cooking really happens. This is why in choosing its materials, the utility and design should matter.
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Indeed, deciding which countertop is ideal for your lifestyle can be overwhelming and tricky. Since there are tons of options out there in the market, we will make things easier for you. Here is a list of ideal countertop materials and their advantages. Let us start!
Granite
Granite has been the top countertop material selection for homeowners who do not consider the cost an issue for a long time. So, why do most people love it even though it is expensive? This is due to the sophistication it brings in a kitchen. In fact, even a modest kitchen can seem and feel luxurious once flavored by the elegance and beauty of granite countertops.
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Granite has indeed been a high-priced material. Still, its cost has somewhat dropped as supplies have increased and engineered stone has become more common. Thanks to overflow of supply and lesser demand, granite’s price is within your budget’s reach.
Advantages:
Premium quality yet affordable nowadays
Increases house value
Durable
Easy to maintain
Aesthetic value
Easy to install
Each piece is unique
Feels like a natural stone
Easily accessible
Quartz
Next on our list is the quartz material. This is an engineered stone product containing 93% quartz particles and other minerals, formed into slabs and bound with resins.
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Designers think that if granite is the top material selection for quite some time, it is now being replaced by quartz, snatching the top spot for homeowners' most preferred countertop material. Moreover, when checking the average cost of granite against engineered quartz, the price points are very likely. Hence, the durability feature is often used as the deciding factor between the two. Although granite is generally cut from pure stone slabs, engineered quartz is a composite of ground quartz and resin, making it more robust.
Advantages:
Quartz is a non-porous material
Highly durable
Low maintenance
Slabs are uniform, so there are no imperfections
Resist stains and resistant to heat and acid
Stylish
DIY installation is possible
Customizable
Soapstone
Suppose you are looking for a natural stone with an impressive amount of warmth for a countertop. In that case, soapstone material is what you seek. Soapstone counters are made from quarried stone, a natural stone that is typically colored gray with a smooth and silky feel.
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Soapstone is now coming back as one of the best alternatives to granite. Although soapstone is often seen in traditional kitchens, they are now used in modern homes as countertop and sink material.
The colors you will find in soapstone range from almost pure white with slight marbling to charcoal gray with a nearly solid color. In between, you can enjoy a delightful array of whites, off-whites, pearls, and grays with rich marbling.
Advantages:
Durable
Easy to clean
Avoid scratches and chips
Aesthetic appeal
Offers a classical look to your kitchen
Stainless Steel
This modern and industrial kitchen look is best for you for a minimalist appeal, presenting a stainless steel countertop. This material is an ideal choice if you are looking for heat-resistant and robust kitchen countertops. Since they can be constructed based on your specifications, you can request a seamless kitchen countertop.
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Advantages:
Great for contemporary style kitchens
Resistant to heat damage
Of all countertop materials, this is the easiest to clean
Considered as a premium countertop
Incredibly durable
Easy to maintain
Aesthetically pleasing
Marble
There are only a few countertop materials that scream elegance and luxury, and marble is just one of them. Marble is also a natural stone that has soft white with gray swirls. Since no two sheets of marble material are exactly alike, we can regard that each marble countertop is unique.
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Although marble requires high maintenance and is more expensive than granite and other stone countertops, it does not mean one should rule out marble as a countertop selection. It is definitely possible to maintain this material, and it still has lots of advantages.
Advantages:
Adds to real estate home value
Luxurious appearance
Gorgeous stone with unique veining
Waterproof and heatproof
A durable stone
Stays cool
Solid Surface Material
The solid surface countertop material is known to be non-porous and low maintenance. Yet, it can mimic the appearance of marble, granite, and other natural stone materials. In addition, its material is homogeneous, which means it is solid throughout, unlike a laminate or ceramic countertop material. Hence, the end product is a sturdy, non-porous surface that can hold up better after impact than other multilayered countertop materials.
Source: Oppein
While once considered as a premium countertop, the solid surface material is now regarded as a mid-tier. Still, it is an excellent option for mid-range kitchens. It can also be good material in high-end kitchens with plenty of countertop space that would be pretty expensive to cover with quartz, marble, and granite.
Advantages:
Seams are virtually invisible
Affordable
Low Maintenance
Durable
Impervious to staining and fading
Any possible damage can be sanded out
Lots of color and pattern selections
Integrated countertops and sink units are widely available
Conclusion
And that concludes our list! Choosing the ideal countertop material for your kitchen might require more research on your end to make sure that you will be getting your money’s worth. For a wide range of countertop selections, you can check Oppein's countertops. Oppein is a known manufacturer of whole-house solutions in China and the rest of the world. Visit our website today.
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