Counter Top Options and Their Pros and Cons

By: Sonia Smith

Whether you want to build a new home or enlarge your kitchen, the right material for your counter top is a necessary ingredient to make cooking time more enjoyable for you. Counter tops can make a huge difference on the value of your home and the correct material will bring out the chef in you. In choosing your counter top, you should consider durability, beauty, style and the price of the material and the installation ease.

Your counter top may wind up as your office desk, cutting board, food preparation surface, hot food, headquarters for snack bar. You need an attractive and durable surface. Below are several pros and cons of your kitchen counter top choices:

1. Solid counter top is made from a blend of acrylic and polyester. This material gives you numerous options. Solid material is nonporous, thus making them excellent in food preparation and difficult to stain. Solids can be made into any shape and size. Nevertheless, avoid placing hot pans directly on its surface since intense heat can pop seams discolour the surface. You will spend $45 to $75 per square foot.
2. Engineered stone top is a mixture of both natural stone and beauty with the advantage of solid surface materials. It is also nonporous, scratch and stain resistant. Like genuine stone, it has hard surface that could be slippery and cold to the touch. Price is $65 to $85 per square foot.
3. Granite-rock solid and natural counter top is affordable and more common. They are available in different edgings and colors that may be crafted. The seams are lightly more visible in granite and hot grease stains. Nevertheless, it needs very little maintenance and costs from $75 to $125 per square foot.
4. Soapstone and marble tops are softer and require more upkeep and prone to stains and scratches. However, they are reasonable and provide distinctive alternatives.
5. Laminate is the best widely used material in your kitchen improvement. It is also low in maintenance and affordable. The material is grease and stain resistant and has different colors and patterns. However, the dark under layer may be visible and the top is susceptible to hot pans and sharp knives damage. It easily melts at a contact of a cigarette tip and once impaired, it is difficult to fix. The cost is from $15 to $60 per running foot.
6. Ceramic tile brings out the artist in you and you can create the style of your choice. The material is resistant to heat, scratch and can be replaced easily. The grout can stain or collect food particles, therefore paving the way to bacterial penetration. The tiles may chip or crack and dulls your knives when used in cutting. The high-gloss finish may be ruined by scrubbing with abrasives. The cost is from $4 to $8 per tile.
7. Stainless steel is very favorable to the high-technology crowd. It is the choice of many upscale restaurants. It is tough on stains, hot pans and creates a contemporary kitchen look. It shows scratches and nicks easily. Avoid using scouring powders and steel wool for cleaning. It requires solid and firm underlayment or else it will dent and cold to touch.
8. Butcher block uses end-grain hardwood. Its natural and warm, appearance is an attractive choice and perfect for cutting and chopping. It is easy to install and repair and you can easily sand out surface scratches. It should be sealed often, cleaned immediately and treated with mineral oil. Its protective surface sealers are not frequently safe for food and sensitive to humidity and not advisable on very humid places. This also scorches and dents easily and infected and resealed when contaminated with meat juices or dirty vegetables. The price is around $50 a running foot.

The above items are just a few of your many options as a homeowner. Ensure to weight your choices thoroughly before you choose. Consider you and your family’s preferences and needs.