It is hard to pick up your choice from large number of kitchen counter tops available in the market. Choosing the counter top is crucial as its impact can be seen on other areas of the kitchen. You should choose something that appeals to you and it should bear the traffic of your household. And the budget is also an important aspect to consider.
Interior Designs Studio want to share some popular counter tops that are affordable and durable to make your selection easy.
Soapstone Kitchen Counters
Though it is an expensive choice it can be a life time investment as it is a durable and natural choice for a kitchen counter top. It has a higher ability of stain resistance; bacteria and chemical effects. Because of its higher tendency to fight against the chemicals and germs it is suitable for laboratories also. It is available in medium gray to greenish hues and they can change to darker to a deep black as the time goes.
Granite Kitchen Counters
Granite is the king of kitchen counter tops and is popular for its unique textures, colors and customizability. This is a natural stone and Mother Nature created some common hues which are unique for each different slabs. Being a natural stone and having limitations in mining this precious stone is very expensive and prices can go up rapidly.
Copper Kitchen Counters
It is one more to make you think of your choices. The copper is rare as kitchen counter tops but is gaining popularity among its countertop cousins. It is easy to maintain. Yes you heard it right, a pinch of salt and lemon juice is sufficient to clean it up. But don’t forget to dry the surface and oil it properly to keep it in good shape. This has high tendency to react with different materials in the kitchen, so you may not expect the same color all the time.
Engineered Quartz Kitchen Counters
This is a man made stone and is available in numerous shades and hues. This is manufactured by mixing the ground quartz, resins and pigments for a solid and non-porous material. It is environmental friendly and is a good choice for green homes and is expensive. It is durable and easy to maintain and can pass through hard tests of time but excess heat can damage the surface.
Tile Kitchen Counters
Tile kitchen counters are the most budget friendly counter tops. Tiles are available in Ceramic tiles and stone tiles. Both are durable and they can stand up to heat and knives. Cleaning the grout lines may cause little difficulty. But daily cleaning with luke-warm water and gentle soap can make it easy to maintain.
Eco-friendly Kitchen Counters
In this range of eco friendly kitchen counters you have salvaged wood, bio-glass and bamboo etc. The salvaged wood can give a rich look, whereas the recycled paper can give the monolithic appearance. There are plenty of options to choose from like Bio-glass, resins and stainless steel so on.
Zinc Kitchen Counters
You might have heard it for the first time or heard of it very rarely but zinc has an ability to compete with its other counter top materials. It can be selected as kitchen countertops for its antimicrobial tendency. Zinc has a stain resistant quality and is available in faded gray and it develops a slight blue to green cast as the time goes on. It is easy to maintain.
Recycled Paper-Based Kitchen Counters
Recycled paper for kitchen countertops might sound a bit surprising but it is true and this eco friendly material has higher durability and when mixed with resins it can transform itself to resemble like soapstone. It is lighter than any other natural stone countertops and can be applied in larger portions without additional support.
Plastic Laminate Kitchen Counters
Many stone lovers might have turned down these counter tops but the plastic laminate still maintain a larger patronage. It is customizable and can blend with any décor easily. This is a most economical though not suitable for heavy cooks.
Recycled Glass and Cement Kitchen Counters
Though recycled it is expensive and as the name sounds it is a combination of glass and cement. This is durable and customizable; and you can expect its life for 50+ years. It can stand up for both heat and scratches. Use a gentle soap and water to clean this counter tops. You need to seal and wax twice in a year to avoid staining and etching.
Marble Kitchen Counters
Marble is a natural stone and it belongs to the family of limestone and travertine. This is durable and can serve you for long years and can develop its tone with the time. It can scratch and stain easily if not maintained properly. You can use soft cloth and warm water to clean this marble counter tops. You need to reseal the surface twice in a year to avoid stains and scratches.
Concrete Kitchen Counters
Concrete offers customization in both color and design. You don’t need to worry about concrete’s durability as it is nearly indestructible if maintained properly. It is usual for concrete to develop hairline cracks when used cast in place concrete. These cracks can be sealed with the sealers. Maintenance is easy, you can use soap and water to clean the surface but avoid concentrated cleaners.
Stainless Steel Kitchen Counters
These are best fit for heavy duty cooking. These are non-staining, heat resistant and easy to clean and maintain. But these have high tendency to get the finger prints, dents and scratches easily. Still these are the best choices for heavy loaded kitchens when appearance is not the main concern.
Solid-Surface Kitchen Counters
Solid surface kitchen counters are made of acrylic or polyester resins and are durable and nonporous hence it is a stain resistant. Solid surface’s matchless composition makes the scratches varnished out easily. These surfaces can also be applied to backsplashes. These are not heat tolerant so don’t keep the hot pans and utensils straightly on these surfaces.
Wood Kitchen Counters
Some of us cannot imagine wood as a countertop. However, if a high quality wood is sealed properly with a sealer then it can make a beautiful and traditional; durable countertop. You can choose from the wide range of woods available in the market.
We have every countertop available in store for our customers. We can sell the products at the factory price as we have vast resources of raw materials and we are the manufacturers and suppliers of different furniture products.