How to Choose the Right Material for your Kitchen Counters
It’s important to choose the right material for your kitchen counters. After all, we’re talking about surfaces that will be exposed to almost constant use, as well as chopping, knocks and high temperatures. The wrong choice will mean that your counters will quickly look worn out, broken and dirty.
To help you avoid this, we’ll tell you all about the most common kitchen counter materials on the market today. We’ll also tell you about the pros and cons of each one, as well as talk about their different styles. Keep reading, and you’ll be able to choose the perfect material for your kitchen counters.
Which factors will influence your choice of material?
As you’ll see, there’s not just one material when it comes to kitchen counters. Whether you choose one or the other will depend on various different factors, which we’ll explain next. These factors will determine which material you choose.
- Frequency of use: The first thing you need to consider is what you’ll be using your kitchen for. And by that we mean, how often you’ll be using it. According to your answer, you’ll need a more or less durable material. For example, an industrial style kitchen made of predominantly stainless steel furniture is one of the most hard-wearing and durable options available. However, there’s no point in spending an extortionate amount of money on an industrial style kitchen if you’ll only be using it a couple of times a week.
- Kitchen aesthetics: don’t forget that the material you choose will have to match the decoration in your kitchen. Remember to choose colors that match the colors you have already used to decorate the rest of your kitchen so that they don’t spoil the sense of harmony.
Granite
Granite counters are one of the most popular styles in households all around the world. This isn’t just a coincidence; it’s mostly thanks to their high quality and great durability.
Without any maintenance whatsoever, granite counters will be perfectly intact even years from now. Plus, it’s perfectly safe to put both hot and wet items on them.
Perhaps their greatest disadvantage is that there isn’t a huge range of colors like there are with most other materials. Plus, you’ll need to be aware that you can’t clean them with cleaning products, as they can damage the surface.
Wood
Wooden kitchens are some of the most visually stunning. They bring a great feeling of warmth and more character than you could ever hope to achieve with another style of kitchen. The biggest advantage of wooden kitchens is their durability. In general, they are made from strong, robust wood which can easily withstand heavy blows and high temperatures.
Every few years, you’ll need to apply a layer of varnish or a similar coating to protect the wood so that you’ll be able to keep using it for many years.
As for the downsides of wooden kitchens, their greatest flaw is that you need to be careful about humidity. If it is exposed to too much humidity, the wood will end up warped and discolored.
Stainless steel
If you’re looking for a hard-wearing kitchen that will look brand new year after year, stainless steel counters are the ones for you.
They aren’t the prettiest of counters, and they can remind us of restaurant, bar, and college kitchens, but if you cook a lot and you have a big family, they are a good option. They are becoming more and more attractive in design and becoming less and less like traditional industrial kitchens.
Porcelain kitchens
Porcelain kitchens are some of the most innovative and original on the market. They first emerged only a few years ago in just a few different colors, but, thanks to their many advantages, they have gradually become more and more popular.
Porcelain counters are both durable and beautiful – characteristics that don’t usually go hand-in-hand. Though they aren’t as thick as other counters, they can withstand high temperatures, humidity, scratches, and knocks.
The main – and perhaps only – downside is the price. You have to remember that porcelain is an expensive material and it also has to be treated to improve its durability and strength. That’s why a meter of these counters can cost around $350.
Now you know all the main kitchen counter materials and the various aspects you’ll have to keep in mind when it comes to choosing. So you’re ready to make a decision and give your kitchen a make-over.