If you’re among the huge number of people who are doing some home renovations this year, your kitchen (or bathroom) a countertop may be on your mind. If you have never renovated a kitchen before, the range of choices may seem overwhelming. But have no fear! The At Home Daily team is here to give you a quick guide to help you choose the best surface for your countertops. Let’s run through the most popular options, with a bit of info about each.
Laminate
Created by bonding a thin layer of plastic laminate material to a core of particleboard or MDF.
Pros: Affordable, easy to install, huge variety of colors and patterns.
Cons: Some homeowners think they look cheap, susceptible to peeling and chipping, general feeling of being insubstantial.
Ceramic Tile
Not unlike putting tile on a floor, ceramic tile countertops use tiles and grout to create a hard surface for a countertop.
Pros: Second only to laminate in affordability, relatively easy to install, tons of color and design options.
Cons: Grout lines can become stained and are hard to clean, tiles are more brittle than other surfaces and are prone to cracking, repairs are difficult.
Granite Tile
This is the same as ceramic tile, but uses granite tiles instead.
Pros: Relatively easy to install, much more affordable than granite slab, still offers the prestige of granite.
Cons: Still not as desirable to homeowners as full slab granite, tiles are always more susceptible to breaking than slabs, grout lines can creating cleaning headaches.
Granite Slab
Full slabs of granite have been a go-to surface for countertops for decades. They are quite literally just huge slices of granite, polished to various finishes.
Pros: Substantial and durable counters, every piece is unique, a no-seam counter is possible in most installations, considered high-end by many homeowners.
Cons: Can be an expensive material, generally requires professional installation, needs to be sealed periodically.
Concrete
This is a newer surface option, but it has gained popularity in recent years. These countertops are exactly what they sound like, they are made of concrete, which is then stained and polished.
Pros: While becoming more popular they are still unique and a conversation piece, sizing is easy as they are formed to fit exactly the space you need, they are also sturdy and resistant to scratching.
Cons: They are extremely heavy and aren’t always the perfect option for every kitchen or set ot cabinets, for best results you need an experienced professional.
Marble
Another natural stone option, but with some challenges not seen in granite.
Pros: Beautiful natural veining and overall look, every countertop is unique.
Cons: Marble is porous and can stain easily, the stone is relatively soft and can be scratched, it is definitely expensive like most natural stone options.
Soapstone
Not as well-known as granite or marble, soapstone has been used for countertops for many decades. It falls between marble and granite on hardness.
Pros: A unique warm and milky look to the stone, easy to clean, can be a real conversation piece in your kitchen.
Cons: Can be gouged or scratched, pricier than many hard surface options, limited color options, ongoing maintenance.
Slate
Not as popular as granite, marble, or even soapstone, this is another natural stone surface.
Pros: Fairly stain resistant, hard and durable and hard to scratch or gouge, typically less expensive than other natural stone surfaces.
Cons: The texture is grittier than the other stone options, relatively few color options.
Solid Surface
These counters are a synthetic material created as an alternative to stone. They often resemble granite or another natural stone.
Pros: Typically fairly affordable compared to natural surfaces, minor scratches can be sanded out with fine sandpaper, a huge variety of colors and designs.
Cons: They are prone to scratching or gouging, no longer regarded as a high-end material in the market.
Quartz
One of the newer trends in countertops over the last decade or two, these counters are composed of pulverized waste rock, combine with resins for binding and hardness.
Pros: Quartz crystal in the material gives them a very high-end look, extremely popular right now with homeowners, a large variety of colors and styles, very durable and scratch-resistant.
Cons: Extremely heavy and an absolute must for professional installation, typically fairly expensive compared to other options.
Wood/Butcherblock
While not as hard as some of the surfaces on this list, wood is a classic countertop option.
Pros: Very green and eco-friendly, they can be quite unique, provides a sense of traditional quality to a kitchen.
Cons: Very easy to scratch, gouge or otherwise damage, requires a fair amount of ongoing maintenance and sealing to stay in good condition, should be built by a quality woodworking company and installed by experienced installers.
But, that’s not even the full list. Here are just a few less common options.
- Recycled Glass
- Glad Tile
- Non-Recycled Glass
- Stainless Steel
Good luck picking your new countertops!
