Kitchen Countertops
Selecting a countertop for your new kitchen can be a hard choice. Here we will walk you through the various options and discuss the pro's and con's.
Granite Countertops
Granite is the most popular countertop material that we use in our kitchen projects. There are thousands of different selections available, each with it's own unique style. Most of our customers select granite because they enjoy the movement found in natural stone. Every square inch of natural stone is unique and varied. This level of variation changes from slab to slab, but it certainly does bring an interesting look into your new kitchen or bath.
Granite is a primordial stone with naturally occurring variations in color and pattern,the word comes from the Italian "granito", meaning grained. Aside from the traditional sources, such as Italy, USA, and Canada, popular producing areas now include India, China, many African nations, much of mountainous South America, and the northern European countries.
Granite is drilled and blasted from the quarry in large blocks, cut into slabs by a gang saw, and polished to uniform thickness by automatic polishing machines. Due to quarry variances, slabs are sold in random sizes. Supply is the affected by the accessibility of the quarry, the uniformity of the stone within the quarry, and the stone's workability.
Consumers who are less acquainted with the material may expect the slabs ordered to be identical to the sample they were shown. Granite is crystalline in structure, so it always has tiny pits or spaces between the various mineral crystals. These minerals are what give it its various colors. Other minerals imbue the stone with a rainbow of colors, depending on their source, and these varieties are often given unique names.
Granite counters offer great visual appeal and are also very durable. Having been used as a building material since ancient times, natural stone will never be an outdated material choice. Countertop finishes include Honed, Brushed, or Polished. Unlike synthetics, polished stone presents a surface depth that seems almost three-dimensional, however harsh chemicals and abrasive cleaners will dull the surface over time. Regardless of its finish, granite creates an immediate impression of elegance, and is considered a definite plus on any real estate broker's checklist.
We should mention that all natural stone requires a good penetrating sealer to prevent stain penetration. There are several ways to seal your stone tops, from every day cleaner/sealers, to heavy duty impregnating sealers. Not sealing your granite or marble tops, can lead to more frequent staining.
Here is a great video on granite counters:
Quartz Countertops
Quartz has really started taking a foothold in today's kitchen, mainly because of it's durability and that it is maintenance free. Quartz is one of the hardest, most abundant minerals found in nature - only diamond, sapphire and topaz are harder.
There are several companies offering quartz counters. The most common are Silestone and Caeserstone. Both companies are very similar, but Caeserstone now offers a lifetime warranty on all of their materials. Here is a comparison chart compliments of Caeserstone, as well as a promotional video.
Laminate Countertops
Laminate countertops have come a long way. The days of boring, speckled Formica counters are gone. The new laminates on the market are made with style, and come with a great pricepoint. We really like Wilsonart and the way the company is staying progressive.
Wilsonart HD High Definition Laminate is all about drama and surprise -- deep, luxurious looks that intrique the eye and invite the fingertips, delighting you from the first moment, pleasing you every day, and stopping your guests in their tracks.
Drawing on technologies first developed for laminate flooring, Wilsonart HD delivers three times the wear-resistance of the industry standard. It’s the performance you’ve come to expect from laminate, dramatically multiplied.
Solid Surface Countertops
Although not as frequently used these days, solid surface counters such as Corian are a great choice for those wanting a maintenance free countertop.
Corian® is easy to clean and is NSF/ANSI 51 Certified for food contact. Because Corian is nonporous, stains do not penetrate the surface. With proper cleaning, Corian also resists the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria. Corian is also heat and scratch resistant.
Corians new Private Collection is really impressive. The colors have a very natural look to them, and really have improved the overall appeal of Corian.
