
Kitchens are the beating heart of the home. It’s where you get to unwind, entertain your friends, make your family’s meals and contemplate the day’s events. That’s why getting the right countertop is crucial.
However, the big challenge is getting the suitable material that fits your budget, personality, decor, and needs. Whether you want to do kitchen countertop installation or replacement, this article serves as a guide to help you explore the best stone countertops in the market.
Kitchen Countertop Granite
Granite is a natural stone that comes in a wide range of colors and patterns. As a plus, they tend to have a unique, classic finish. As a personal preference, many kitchen owners choose granite due to its impressive durability. It also displays remarkable results when it comes to heat resistance, chemicals, and stains.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Although every material displays a specific level of care needed over time, granite tends to require special care as a significant outcome of its structure. It’s also vital to handle spills quickly using hot water and a sponge to maintain the sealant.
PROS
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Granite exhibits impressive durability.
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There are numerous patterns and colors.
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It is resistant to heat, chemicals, and stains.
CONS
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It is hard to get two slabs of the same size.
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It needs special care that the sealant remains intact.
Quartz Kitchen Countertop
Unlike granite, quartz is a material engineered from natural quartz blended with many other material particles, polymer resin, and colorful pigment baked together. This gives you more freedom to select the precise pattern you desire to use in your project.
Apart from countless patterns, quartz also offers a wide selection of colors. It is resistant to acid and heat. One fantastic thing that can spice up your project is blending in granite pieces, shuttered mirror particles, and colored glass. This will give your finished project a classy, shiny artistic finish that looks nothing short of heavenly.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Quartz requires little maintenance as compared to granite. However, to avoid scratch marks, use a chopping board for your veggies.
PROS
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Quartz offers color and pattern freedom.
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It is exceptionally resistant to acids, which makes it less likely to develop stains on your kitchen countertop.
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It is scratch-resistant to some degree.
CONS
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Unlike other stones, quartz is not heat resistant. If you are looking to make an installation in the kitchen intended to hold hot materials, you should consider using granite.
Marble Kitchen Countertops
When it comes to grace, elegance, class, and affluence, marble is essentially the golden standard. Moreover, marble occurs naturally in various colors, including charcoal, rose, white, and green. It also offers a spectacular range of patterns. Marble has been the stone of choice in all of history because of its stylish, magnificent finish.
The deluxe surface is made out of limestone and can offer you the state-of-the-art kitchen countertop finish you desire. And thanks to technological advances, marble has been made more pocket friendly.
However, since it is more porous than granite, quartz, and quartzite and is less resistant to acid stain and heat, it needs more care.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Marble requires much care when it comes to heat. To keep your countertop looking as good as day one, you might need hot pads underneath your pots and pans.
PROS
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It offers the best class and elegance.
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It is resistant to chemical abrasion and scratches.
CONS
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Unfortunately, marble doesn’t do well with heat.
Quartzite Kitchen Countertops
Quartzite primarily consists of natural quartz. It is made out of metamorphic rock. Upon application of pressure and high temperature, sandstone and quartz consolidate. This forms a magnificently beautiful hard stone for your countertop.
It also comes with a unique pattern and beauty that you can only find in nature; thus, in a way, it is better than its engineered counterpart, quartz.
CARE AND MAINTENANCE
Quartzite requires very little maintenance. It may need you to clean wine and coffee stains more quickly, although it is as durable as granite and has resistance to heat and affluence. It would be best if you also used a coaster to prevent the formation of water rings.
PROS
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Quartzite is resistant to heat and scratches.
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It is durable.
CONS
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Quartzite requires some attention when it comes to beverage and acid spills.
Conclusion
Each stone material comes with a unique set of characteristics that make them suitable for use as a stone for kitchen countertops, depending on your project’s needs. Ranging from price, durability, and general finish, certain materials work best for specific kitchen countertop projects.