How to Choose the Best Kitchen Countertops

05 Mar How to Choose the Best Kitchen Countertops

There’s a lot that goes into a good countertop. They have to be durable: impact-resistant, scratch-resistant, and stain-resistant. They’ve got to suit your home’s aesthetics and often are the most important visual element in your kitchen. Price is an important consideration, too; you might want countertops made of diamonds, but they’d probably be a bit too expensive…

In this guide, we’re going to go over the three facets of what makes a countertop the best: usability, aesthetics, and price. Based on that information, you’ll be able to figure out which countertop suits your unique situation. We’ll look at a few different popular countertop materials: granite, quartz, marble, solid surface, laminate, and wood (or butcher’s block). 

Usability

Usability is made up of two different elements: how resistant the countertops are and how easy they are to maintain. 

Granite is incredibly durable. We’re talking about very hard stone, so it’s quite resistant to scratches and impact. As long as you’re not going out of your way to damage your countertop, it shouldn’t chip. Granite is pretty stain-resistant, but it’s somewhat porous (quite porous if unsealed), so you should wipe up any spills. Most countertops aren’t heat-resistant, but granite is an important exception; it’s made out of stone, so it takes temperatures much higher than those available in most kitchens to damage it. Cleaning granite is a breeze – soap and water is pretty much all it takes. Avoid using very strong cleaners. You’ll need to reseal your granite occasionally – about once every 1-5 years.

Quartz is pretty high up on the usability scale, too. It shares many of granite’s resistances, except for heat. That’s because quartz is a type of “engineered” stone countertop – manufacturers use resin to bind the quartz together. That resin can be damaged by heat so avoid putting hot pots or pans directly on your quartz countertops. Quartz doesn’t need to be sealed. Soap and water is about all the maintenance you need.

Solid surface countertops are a pretty steep usability drop from quartz. They’re made up of more resins than quartz countertops are, so they’re even less heat-resistant. They’re also less scratch-resistant. Fortunately, they’re easy to clean.

Laminate countertops have their own set of usability problems. They aren’t heat or scratch-proof, and what’s worse, when you burn or scratch them, you can see the underlayment. In all the other countertops we’ve discussed, the underlayment and the countertop material are the same, so problems can be repaired relatively easily. No so with laminate. Again, soap and water are the way to clean it.

Wood countertops are in a category all their own. The big advantage of butcher block is that your entire kitchen becomes a giant cutting board. This will leave scratch marks, but some people like that aesthetic. Wood countertops do, however, require a lot of maintenance, so much, in fact, it would take a whole other article to explain it all. In short, you need to wash them carefully and frequently, you need to oil them, and you need to make sure they never get too wet or too dry. 

Aesthetics

You can read articles about interior design trends and you can look at style guides and blogs with decorating tips to transform your home. These things can help you create a wonderful kitchen. In the end, though, what kind of kitchen you want is a matter of your tastes and preferences (unless, of course, you’re remodeling with intentions to sell).

That’s why we can’t make any judgements on which countertop has the best aesthetics. Some people love the look of granite because each piece of stone has its own unique patterns. Others love the look of quartz because of its uniformity. There are solid surfaces and laminates that come in all kinds of colors and patterns, and wood countertops might be essential to your Farmhouse Style kitchen.

What we can do, however, is give you a bit of guidance when it comes to how aesthetics tie in with safety concerns. You can have your countertop edges finished in a wide variety of styles. Bullnose edges are rounded, so they’re great for families with young kids who might play around the countertops. Beveled edges, on the other hand, have relatively pointed corners and a 45 degree angled edge. There are a variety of other edges, and they can make countertops look anywhere from traditional to hyper-modern.

You should also note that the materials listed can be incredibly diverse – even granite can come in a variety of different looks, while your wood countertops can be made from several different types of wood.

Price

Prices are simple. Granite is the most expensive, quartz is a close second. Butcher blocks can vary pretty dramatically, but on average, they’re near the price of solid surfaces countertops. Laminate is the least expensive. Note that the low end of some of these materials might be the same as the high end of others. You should also note that installation will factor into your price, and that most countertops are priced per square foot.

Some Final Notes

New countertops are often part of a full kitchen remodel. When that’s the case, you should use plumbing services to ensure that there’s no damage to your kitchen in terms of leaks or other plumbing problems. You should also consider how your kitchen will look before getting the countertops; you’ll want to coordinate the paint you plan on using with the countertops you plan on getting. You might also consider taking the opportunity to change your appliances during a remodel so they match the kitchen’s new style. 

When you’re ready to get your countertops installed, trust the San Antonio kitchen remodeling pros at New Generation. We’d love to help you create your dream kitchen in your San Antonio home, and offer the best prices and service in town. Call us today for a free quote!