Countertops and You: A Quick Guide to Your Kitchen Workspace

Planning on renovating the kitchen soon? The biggest thing you’ll probably be worrying about is the material for your countertop. The countertop is the home cook’s battleground, you’ll be dealing with spills, splashes, plates and ingredients for each and every meal you prepare. Should you fork over the extra cash to get that granite countertop? Or will your budget only allow for something less extravagant? Hopefully this quick primer on a few common countertop materials can help you make your decision.

Budget and DIY Countertops

Here are some options for homeowners who like to get their hands dirty. Concrete makes for a good project if you’ve got some DIY experience under your belt, though commercial options are available. It will take a while for the concrete to dry however, and cracks are certainly an issue (though, a fairly simple issue to deal with if you know how).

Tiles are a vintage throwback that’s making a bit of a comeback, a relatively cheap project for the DIYer. Your chosen tiles come in many different shapes and materials. You can let your creativity soar with a nice looking tile pattern on your countertop. Be careful with working on tiles though as the ground between them can be a chore to keep clean.

Laminate is a common budget option that is suitable for smaller homes. Easy to clean and bacterial resistant. It’s the perfect choice if money is tight but you still want a good kitchen. Newer laminate designs even emulate other materials in looks.

Wood Countertops

Butcher block countertops are a good way to add a rustic feel to your kitchen. These are made from panels of wood bonded together. Unsealed, you can even use the countertop for direct cutting. Take note however that spills need to be immediately to prevent any nasty stains that may end up being left behind.

Stone Countertops

Finally, we’ve gotten to the more expensive part of the guide. If you really want to class up your kitchen, there’s no substitute for stone countertops.

Granite is the classic kitchen countertop. It requires very little maintenance and is easy to clean (just avoid any harsh cleansers). You may also need to reseal the surface every once in a while depending on the type of granite used. Granite is also heat resistant so its safe to put your pots directly on them.

Marble is what you choose if you really wanna impress. Beautiful and elegant, a marble countertop makes a great centerpiece for your kitchen. Though this elegance comes at the cost of some durability. Make sure you don’t cut anything directly on the surface or you will leave scratch marks on it. While white marble is expensive, there are more budget friendly alternatives as well.

Lastly, Quartz is perfect if you want something that looks nice and is also durable. Most quartz countertops are made with a mixture of primarily quartz and a resin binder. It comes with the advantages of natural stone but with added durability from being properly engineered.

Hopefully this quick guide gives you some wonderful ideas on how to renovate your kitchen and will lead you to years of great meals and lasting memories.