8 Kitchen Countertop Materials

The kitchen is one of the rooms in the house where we invest the most both economically and in desire and effort to make it look good. Probably because, once we have finished it, we will know that it will be a long-term investment.

And there are many of us who live in the kitchen, from breakfast, meals, homework with our children, visits from friends over a coffee... The fact is that day by day our kitchens have to be ready to give us the service we need.

Especially the countertop is one of the parts of the kitchen that we pay the most attention to when choosing its design and style. The countertop will really be decisive for the decorative style of the kitchen, as well as the drawers, since together they will create the practical and cozy room we are looking for. But we don't just have to look at the style we like the most, in addition to the aesthetic component, functional and maintenance factors are essential to choose the perfect countertop.

There are different materials, each of them has its pros and cons, some are more expensive than others  or more resistant and some will go better with the style of our home than others, so we must know the details of each of them before opting for what will be our ideal countertop.

Wooden countertops

If you go crazy with rustic details and have always dreamed of a family kitchen, one of those we see in the 'love and luxury' movies that we all like so much, then choosing oak wood will be the key. Wood provides a rustic, modern and organic look, it fits with any decorative style, but above all it is very common in the Scandinavian style and its maintenance is simple, however, in wood with humidity and with the passage of time imperfections appear, but these are the charm of this type of countertops.

Pack of Box boxes, aged

There are special varnishes to reduce the porosity of the wood and increase its resistance to rubbing and cuts, although we will always have to treat it with special care, since wood does not get along particularly well with water and its maintenance is delicate.

Wooden cutting board

Within the range of wooden countertops we can opt for plywood, this material brings style and sophistication to the kitchen.

Stainless steel

If we think of a stainless steel kitchen, we go directly to the professional kitchens of the best restaurants, it is logical since it is highly resistant and easy to clean and maintain.

If you want a kitchen of industrial, contemporary and minimalist inspiration you will get them with this material, but it also has some cons, since a professional kitchen is not the same as the one in our home and for example, the finger marks are especially noticeable on stainless steel, scratches over time make the surface not as intact as the first day and it is also a somewhat cold material, especially if you are looking for a homely and warm kitchen.

The Corian Revolutionary

This material began to be used in bathrooms and is currently the protagonist of avant-garde and stylish kitchens.

It is a seamless material, it is easily cleaned and its ductility allows the design of overlays with curved lines and more complex shapes. We can even build molded sinks with corian.

But we must know that it is a really expensive material and we must be careful with heat so that we do not leave deformations on the surface, for example with hot pots.

With the corian we will have a minimalist, modern and avant-garde kitchen.

Artificial stone countertops

Surely with this name you have no idea what these countertops look like, but it is because their commercial names are the best known, such as Silestone or Compac. They are the best-known brands and manufacture upper chambers with mixtures of natural materials (mainly quartz and saliese) and plastics, pigments and additives that achieve a material of great hardness, resistance to stains and bacteria and easy maintenance due to its non-porous finish.

The best thing about this material is the diversity of finishes and colors, we can choose completely smooth and uniform finishes or marbled, neutral or natural and even fantasy.  Synthetic stones allow you to embed the tap or sink in the countertop, and make the crest in the same material, as if it were going up the wall, which gives a cleaner look to the kitchen.

As for the price, it is more expensive than with other materials, but it is not as expensive as Corian and the result it gives us makes up for it.

Marble countertops

If we are looking for a natural and clean finish, marble is a material of great beauty and residence that, in addition, also adapts to any style. Marble is stylish, clean and delicate, although over time it loses its shine and its care is more complicated.

This material is one of the strongest trends today, especially the white finish.

Lisa marble shelf

Marble cutting board

Granite

It is another highly resistant natural material that has been used since time immemorial in kitchen design. Granite is very hard and resistant so it is very difficult to scratch, it resists heat and is very easy to clean, without a doubt, one of the most suffered materials.

But like all the materials we are analyzing, granite also has some drawbacks, it is porous so stains, especially oil, can penetrate and leave a mark. So if it gets stained we have to be cautious and clean it as soon as possible. 

It is not a cheap material, but it is more affordable than others. And in terms of style, it will bring a very sophisticated and classic air to our kitchen.

Laminates, fornica and synthetic materials

They consist of a wood chipboard with a top plastic layer that gives it the aesthetic finish. They are very common materials to see in homes because they are among the cheapest on the market and the diversity of ranges of textures and colors, both plain and with drawings or imitations of "nobler" materials such as wood, for example. In addition, they are easy to maintain and resist shocks and scratches.

As disadvantages, as the material is composed of wood derivatives, it suffers from contact with water and swells, so it does not allow placing sinks under the countertop or taps directly on it. In addition, to achieve a straight finish they have to be edged, which makes the joints on the sides and ends noticeable (hence we often see them with a rounded edge), as well as when two or more L-shaped pieces have to be joined (in which case we will often see them with unsightly metal plates covering the joint).

Acacia cutting board

Materials that never go out of style such as tile

Tiles are making a comeback in kitchens lately and their finish is original and gives a feeling of home. With tiles, we achieve a comfortable, warm  atmosphere in the style we like the most, because we can even choose mosaics for a more daring style or plain tones and neutral colors for a more industrial atmosphere.

Glass countertops

This type of countertops are very easy to clean, they are resistant and if you are looking for a touch of color to bring joy and life to your kitchen, with glass there is a very wide range to choose the color we like the most.

But even so, it is too risky and daring a material, they give that architectural style to kitchens that not everyone likes because it is a bit cold.

They are somewhat expensive and we have to always have them spotless because the stains are very visible.