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Kitchen Countertops
Feeling good about a kitchen countertop replacement involves learning all that you can about the material you’re interested in. It also involves knowing what you’re looking for regarding style, maintenance level, and price range.
In order to help you get familiar with the natural and engineered stones that we stock, we wrote this article detailing the ins and outs of all that’s in our showroom.
Granite
Granite is one of the most popular countertop options for a kitchen, and it’s held that popularity for many years. It is known for its interesting patterns, and no two stones are exactly alike. Your granite slab will be entirely unique.
One thing about granite is that it can be difficult to find a plain stone. So if you’re looking for something that matches the crisp and bright aesthetics that are trendy for kitchens nowadays, granite might not be your best bet—or, at the very least, it might take some hunting.
Beyond its patterns, there are plenty more traits about granite that make it stand out from the rest. First of all, it’s extremely heat resistant because it’s an igneous stone that is formed under intense pressure and heat beneath the earth’s surface. If you set a hot pan down on this countertop, it’s not likely to sustain any damage.
Along with being heat resistant, granite is scratch resistant too. You don’t have to worry about accidentally damaging your stone with a blade; it is more likely to dull your knife than get scratched by it.
As long as you seal your granite slab, it will remain resistant to bacteria and germs too, which makes it a top choice for kitchens.
Marble
We mentioned that granite may not be the best option for the crisp and bright aesthetic, but marble kitchen countertops fulfill that vibe perfectly. Marble is known for its brightness, and it can lighten up almost any kitchen with how it utilizes natural light. It is capable of creating a truly beautiful space.
Marble is a timeless stone that is known for its luxury and sophistication. But while its good looks set it apart from the rest, it does involve some maintenance to keep up those good looks. Much like granite, marble needs to be sealed and resealed because it is a porous stone. Even with sealant, it is possible for marble to be stained if spills aren’t cleaned up right away.
In our showroom, we stock a variety of marble slabs with all sorts of veining patterns and designs. If you don’t mind dedicating a bit more time to your countertop, this material could work wonderfully in your kitchen.
Quartz
Quartz is by far the most popular engineered stone that you’ll find. It comes in a wide array of colorations, patterns, and designs because it’s a man-made stone—you can even find slabs that are made to mimic the look of natural stone.
But while quartz slabs can look like natural stone, they don’t involve the same level of maintenance. Since they are made of a nonporous material, they don’t ever need to be sealed.
The materials that qualify quartz as nonporous are called polymers and resins, and they seal the pores of the natural quartz base. The resins make quartz slabs especially flexible, which means they are very unlikely to crack.
But one thing quartz countertops cannot resist is heat. The resins will melt under extreme heat, so it’s integral to always use a hot pad when working with hot kitchen tools.
Your Perfect Countertop
At Affordable Quality Marble & Granite, we are experts in natural and engineered stone countertops. Give us a call at (803) 642-5416 to schedule a consultation and learn more.