Kitchen Countertops
Your choice of countertops will depend on price, function and design. Granite or stainless-steel countertops combined with the woods of the cabinets make your kitchen or bathroom your own. Granite is expensive, but it is highly resistant to kitchen use and extremely beautiful. Stainless steel is functional and withstands the heat of the kitchen, but it shows the slightest of fingerprints. Quartz composite counters can be beautiful, but do not wear as well as granite or stainless steel. Laminates are a highly functional, less-expensive choice if budgets are a concern, and come in an array of colors.
Countertop Materials
There are many kitchen countertop surface options available to you. They are basically divided into two categories: Natural and man-made surfaces. Among your options you will find the following:
Countertops Materials Comparison
Review this page for a quick overview of counter options below:
|
Should I cut on it?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Should I roll dough on it?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
|
Should I place a hot pot on it?
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Is it virtually stain-proof?
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
|
|
Main advantage?
|
Durable |
Durable
|
Durable and can form integral sink
|
Low cost
|
|
Main disadvantage?
|
Expensive and requires sealing |
Expensive
|
Not good for hot pots and pans
|
Layers make it harder to repair when chipped
|
|
Expect to pay per sq. ft.
|
$70-$100 |
$45-$125
|
$40-$90 |
$10-$45 |
|
Should I cut on it?
|
Yes
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
|
Should I roll dough on it?
|
No
|
No
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Should I place a hot pot on it?
|
No
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Is it virtually stain-proof?
|
No
|
No
|
Yes, but grout is not
|
Yes
|
|
Main advantage?
|
Good for cutting and chopping |
Textured look, easily shaped, custom colors
|
Artistic look |
Clean look and can form integral sink
|
|
Main disadvantage?
|
Requires sealing and shouldn’t be near sink
|
Requires sealing
|
Not a smooth surface; grout can discolor
|
Shows scratches and fingerprints |
|
Expect to pay per sq. ft.
|
$40-$150 |
$80-$150 |
$10-$100 |
$85-$200
|
|
Should I cut on it?
|
Yes
|
No
|
Yes
|
|
Should I roll
dough on it? |
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Should I place a hot pot on it?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Is it virtually stain-proof?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
Main advantage?
|
Available
in many (and custom) colors |
Hygenic; available |
Durable and sustainable
|
|
Main disadvantage?
|
Expensive and is harder to repair because
of single slab |
Will crack
if heavy objects drop on it; hard to repair |
More common in commercial kitchens
|
|
Expect to pay per
sq. ft. |
$210 & up
|
$60-$300 |
$65-$75
|
Brands:
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Countertop Edge Options:
Kitchen countertops come in a variety of edge options. Below is a listing of some edge profile options you may find when searching for your next countertop:
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Prestige Kitchen & Bath – Kitchen Design Boston
