Choosing Your Countertop
Whether you use them for storage or for prepping food, countertops are a key element in any kitchen. Choosing the right countertop for your needs can be challenging, as you weigh the pros and cons of popular kitchen countertop materials.
If you work with one of our designers, we’ll advise you on the perfect countertop for your needs. Each countertop has unique properties, so it’s essential to prioritize what matters most to you.
When you choose a countertop, you should focus on how you use your countertop. Are you concerned about spills? Certain natural stone countertops will stain with a red wine spill. Do you have time to have your countertops stained every year? If not, you might want to skip marble and granite and focus on quartz countertops, which are durable and stain-resistant.
Next, what do you like? The veining in some of the natural stone countertops may be a unique aspect that attracts you, or you may find it chaotic. If you don’t like seeing countertop seams, you should inquire about which vein patterns can be matched and which can’t. If you’re looking for something unique like bright-colored countertops, you’ll want to use Corean or another solid surface countertop manufacturer.
Here are some of the pros and cons of popular countertops so you can help choose what’s best for you.
Marble Countertops – Pros and Cons
Marble countertops are definitely a statement piece in your kitchen. They’re a beautiful, natural material that can be used in a wide variety of kitchen styles from traditional to modern. It has a classic veining pattern and will develop a patina from use. It’s naturally heat resistant, but it must be professionally sealed. It is susceptible to red wine stains and, despite it’s hardness it can scratch easily.
Granite Countertops – Pros and Cons
Granite is durable and heat resistant but must be sealed periodically or the stone can become porous. It’s known for it’s beautiful veining, which can add a visual pop in your kitchen. It’s also resistant to chemicals.
Solid Surface Countertops – Pros and Cons
Solid surface countertops include both pieces of mineral dust and resin. You can order these in a wide variety of colors, although there’s no veining or patterning. Solid surface countertops can be high-end components such as marble and acrylics that can handle heat, although there are lesser quality solid surface countertops on the market. It’s important to talk to your designer to understand the pros and cons of individual solid surface countertops. Corean is a popular brand of solid surface countertops.
Quartz Countertops – Pros and Cons
Quartz countertops are engineered and have added resin, which means that they can be easily matched from piece to piece. For those who love marble but are on a lower budget, quartz is available in styles that mimic the look of marble without the higher price ticket.
Butcher Block – Pros and Cons
Butcher block is a wood countertop that’s sustainable and can add warmth to a farmhouse kitchen or even offset a cool, modern European-style kitchen. Butcher block has some lovely design elements, but it can be difficult to manage. Butcher block will scorch if you sit a hot pan on it. It also can be prone to rot if it’s exposed to water regularly. For that reason, butcher block is often used on an island in contrast to a natural stone or solid surface countertop around the perimeter. If you’re looking for a sustainable countertop, though, there are butcher block countertops made of bamboo.
Choosing the Right Countertop
Durability, maintenance, aesthetics, budget, and functionality are all considerations when choosing the best countertop. There is no one best countertop, but each of the top countertops styles can work with many different designs, giving you many options to choose from.
When you work with Volpe Enterprises on your kitchen, we guide you through the decision of countertops with one of our designers so that you can be assured that you’re getting the best countertop for your kitchen renovation.
