Your kitchen countertops must be beautiful, functional, and durable. Now, if you are willing to match the cabinet and countertops, there are six most popular countertops you should consider for your kitchen or bathroom remodeling process.
Homeowners vastly prefer countertops that are both stylish in appearance and resistant to heat, scratches, and stains. If they are cost-effective, then that is another highly appreciated virtue.
Your requirements dictate the countertop you buy for your kitchen or bathroom at the end of the day. Today’s most popular countertops come in various types – from the most formal to highly casual, from practical to luxurious.
1. Granite
Granite countertops are among the most popular countertops among customers for a long time now. There is a good reason for their popularity as well. They are aesthetically beautiful, highly functional, and possess several desirable characteristics like resistance to scratches and heat.
Consequently, they are considered to be especially great options for kitchen countertops. Durable and heavy granite slabs are considered to be excellent countertop material in particular. Granite countertops are prepared using natural forming stone composites containing at least 20% quartz, alongside feldspar and mica. This makes them extremely hard – 7 on a scale of 1 to 10.
Granite is available in a wide range of patterns and colors and can be an exquisite blend of tradition and modernity, depending on the design you select. It is highly resistant to scratching and staining, as well as heat. It is very durable and can withstand the heavy stress of everyday use in your bathroom or kitchen.
However, granite is a porous material and can be damaged if water penetrates it. Thus, you need to maintain it and reseal your granite countertops periodically to last for a long time.
2. Marble
Marble is an absolute and one of the most popular countertops among homeowners for a long time. You often associate it with royalty and luxury through the ages and has been used in countless buildings and historical and archaeological significance structures.
Further, there aren’t many other natural countertop materials that can rival the sheer elegance and natural beauty of marble. It is stylish, waterproof, and highly resistant to heat. It is an excellent choice for both kitchen and bathroom countertops.
However, marble’s beauty does tend to clash with its somewhat softer and relatively less durable structure. It is even more porous than granite and is thus vulnerable to staining.
You will have to clean up liquid spills like coffee or tea immediately, to avoid damaging your marble countertop. You will also have to reseal your marble countertop every year, as in the case of granite. That said, if you value the unmatched look of marble, then it simply has no replacement.
3. Quartz
Quartz happens to be a man-made material, unlike granite or marble, which occurs naturally in the earth’s crust. It is an engineered stone and has a different process from natural stone countertops.
You manufacture quartz by combining about 90% of ground quartz with 8-10% polymers, pigments, and resins. The result is a rugged, extremely durable, and visually appealing synthetic countertop material composed mainly of natural stone components.
Quartz countertop is available in a much more comprehensive range of color combinations than other countertop materials. It is also non-porous and thus resists staining much more efficiently than other materials like marble, granite, and concrete.
You can place vessels containing coffee, tea, or juice upon your quartz countertop without worrying about them spilling over. Thus, buying quartz has become one of the most popular options in today’s market as well.
4. Tile
Due to its huge variety of style and color options, tile is one of today’s most popular countertops. It is versatile, cost-effective, and durable. There are many excellent options for you to choose from, such as porcelain tile, ceramic tile, and even glass tile.
Most of these tile countertop materials tend to be much less costly than engineered or natural stone. Tile is also among the most affordable countertop options. Today, you can see tile countertops growing in popularity for these reasons.
5. Solid Surface
Solid surface countertops are synthetic in nature as well. These are created from a combination of various natural and man-made materials and are highly durable in nature. They are resistant to stains, heat, and microbial growth and you can use it efficiently in both kitchens and bathrooms.
Solid surface is available in a wide range of colors and styles, including ones that closely resemble natural stone in appearance. Compared to engineered and natural stone, though, they are quite economically priced. They are also eco-friendly materials and provide an excellent surface for preparing food and carrying out other activities in the kitchen.
6. Soapstone
Soapstone another natural stone that is usually dark gray in color with a silky smooth feel. Interestingly, soapstone has seen a recent resurgence as an alternative to granite.
Soapstone is common in old homes but you can also see it in modern homes as both countertop and sink material. With aging, soapstone takes on an antique patina that seems to be very attractive in some specific kitchen styles.
In contrast to expectations, the architectural soapstone used for countertops is quite solid and resistant to stain. Nevertheless, it will scratch over time, but this can add to the stone’s aged patina.
Cost of Popular Countertops
Granite countertops are relatively expensive (between $80 to $200 per square foot), and so are marble countertops (between $125 to $250 per square foot).
On the other hand, countertop materials like quartz (between $60 to $100 per square foot), tile (between $30 to $50 per square foot), solid surface (between $30 to $80 per square foot), and soapstone (between $50 to $100 per square foot) are much more economically priced.
You should choose a material which is in accordance with your budget and preferences. Make sure you consider their properties and prices carefully and then make an informed decision.
