Kitchen countertops

The kitchen is often called the heart of the home - and for good reason

It’s a place for everything from daily rituals to big celebrations. A place to pour your love and ambition into delicious dinners and tasty treats. 

This makes the choice of kitchen countertops especially important. The countertop area is a focal point of the room, which means you need to consider its texture, look and feel. Do you want the clean, cold look of a quartz top? Or do you prefer the warm homeliness of a wood grain pattern?

The kitchen countertop is also a working area. It’s important to consider practical aspects of the material. Do you need the countertop to be heat resistant, so that it can handle hot pots and pans? Should it be scratch or crack resistant? Are you willing to polish and maintain the top to keep it looking fresh? There’s a lot of questions to consider – but we’re here to help.

Here are a few tips on how to choose the right kitchen countertop or kitchen countertops for your home.  

Stone countertops: Quartz 

Stone such as quartz makes for strong and resilient kitchen countertops. The heavy, durable material will give a sleek, palatial feel to your kitchen. They are also very practical, being highly scratch resistant and easy to clean. Quartz countertops do have some drawbacks to consider as well. They can’t handle too much heat, and they can be difficult to install without professional help.  

Wood countertops: Solid Wood and Thick Veneer 

Choosing wooden countertops is a great way to add natural beauty to your kitchen. And they are highly practical too. Wood is naturally resistant to germs and bacteria, and a solid piece of wood is very resistant to cracking and breaking.  With good care, a solid wood countertop can last a lifetime. It is also likely to become more beautiful with age.

One thing to consider with a solid wood or thick veneer countertop is maintenance. Wooden tops need to have water and stains cleaned immediately to avoid damage. Wood is not very scratch resistant, but scratches can easily be sanded out. The countertop should also be oiled at regular intervals to avoid the wood drying out.

Plastic countertops: Laminate

Countertops made from plastic materials are practical, flexible and affordable. Laminate countertops are completely waterproof and easy to clean. You can get laminate tops that mimic the look and feel of wood or stone without the high price tag. 

These tops are not very durable. They can be scratched or damaged by sharp or heavy objects, and they can’t handle heat from pots or pans.  

Ceramic countertops

Ceramic is an elegant material that makes for a great countertop. It’s a highly durable material, that is heat and moisture resistant. It’s also fairly easy to clean. That is, if you don’t mind scrubbing down the grout between tiles with a brush at regular intervals.

However, ceramic is prone to scratches that cannot easily be buffed out. Ceramic also has a risk of cracking if you drop something heavy on the countertop. Additionally, ceramic cannot be repaired, so you need to replace the tile to get rid of any scratches or cracks.