Kitchen countertops are essential yet challenging to choose from as the kitchen is the room in the home that is used the most. Hence, choosing the best and most durable countertops is important for increased functionality and durability. Kitchens are used harshly or carefully. It all depends on the person who uses it the most, and according to that, the kitchen countertops need to be selected. Various kitchen countertops are now available for people, each with its own unique quality and look, but only some of them are the perfect choice for your kitchens. And you cannot fit well with all kitchen countertops because many people have various preferences for their kitchens. The most commonly used kitchen countertop is made out of stone; as such, stone countertops can be seen in nearly every home that you go to. Or who knows, even you have been using stone countertops your whole life or seen your mother use them. Stones have been used for centuries or way before kitchens were even adequately designed. And because of its history, there is a wide range of stone types and qualities that you can decide from. It all depends on what you want. And this can be tricky, which is why you need to do your homework beforehand, and the points that I will mention below will help you figure out your perfect kitchen countertop that fits your choice perfectly.
1. Get to know the types of Stones
Because of the long history of stones being used by people for kitchen countertops, there are many different types of stones that one can select from, six of them being the most common: granite, Marble, Slate quartz, soapstone, and limestone. As nothing is perfect, all of these six possess their very own advantages as well as disadvantages. Thus, you can choose the six best stones, depending on the qualities and characteristics you want for your own kitchen. Nobody knows your kitchen more than yourself, which is why you can be the best judge for such decisions.
We are moving on to the types of stones to help make you decide better and quicker. Granite, Marble, limestone, slate, and soapstone are all considered unprocessed, whereas Quartz is synthetic and made by man. Because natural stones are untouched, the drawback this brings about is that they are difficult to color and design. The veiny patterns or the different colors cannot be found in unprocessed or natural stones. Moreover, they can be costly as well, the most expensive ones being Granite and Marble.
But on the other hand, the Exquisite Kitchen Quartz Countertops can be found in various bright or dark colors according to your choice, along with many different veiny patterns on them. It helps give it a look of granite and marbles as well. And lastly, they are not overpriced.
2. Heat resistance is of utmost importance
Moving onto one of the most critical parts of the thing that you need to consider before selecting your stone countertop is if they are heat resistant or not. Although stones are known to be heat resistant naturally, all the natural stones like granite, Limestone, Marble, and Slate, etc., are the stones that you need not worry about regarding them being heat resistant. But on the other hand, Quartz has different qualities. They are not typically very heat resistant, which is why when buying one, you need to be careful about not placing your hot pots onto your kitchen countertop directly. But it is preferred to never put your hot utensils directly over your kitchen countertop despite it being made of natural or synthetic stones. Always be careful with such surfaces.
3. See for pores in your surfaces
Talking about your kitchen countertops being porous or not, Quartz is nonporous, which is why it does not require sealing as well as is resistant to stains. In addition to that, another very significant advantage of Quartz, and it is being nonporous, is that it cannot absorb the harmful bacteria, mildew, virus, or molds that grow in your kitchen when uncleaned over time. Moving onto Slate and Soapstone, the two are known to be nonporous as well, and they do not need sealing as there is no risk of stains, just like Quartz. But talking about the rest, Limestone, Granite, and Marble are all porous stones, and because of them being porous, they can be very easily stained, which is why it is essential for them to be sealed. Sealing them will help preserve the look they possess; if not, the stains can cause your kitchen countertops to look not as pleasing as when you first brought them.
Upon buying the porous stones for your kitchen countertops, there are certain precautions that you will need to take for them to be long-lasting and pleasing to the eye. The precautions are that you need to keep all the acidic liquids, foods, etc., away from them, as the acid can cause the breakdown of the seals over these stones exposing it to the threat of stains all over the countertop. At the same time, all the nonporous stones can easily be cleaned with a mild detergent or even just soap and water.
4. Nicks and Scratches are not to be compromised upon
We all know how bad scratches and nicks look on your kitchen countertops; that is precisely why you need to be careful about it before selecting the right option for your kitchen. We all know that Marble is a soft stone. Although it is a great surface to work on, it is generally more exposed to getting nicks or scratches. This is why it is advised to use a cutting board when working on Marble, along with limestone and soapstone. On the other hand, Quartz and Granite are the two types of stones that are the toughest, making them more resistant to nicks and scratches, unlike Marble, limestone, and soapstone. And lastly, slate is known to be a strong stone, but its edges are brittle. And because of that, before getting slate as your kitchen countertop, you need to make sure you round the edges of it in order to avoid chipping or specific injuries from the sharp edges.
5. Know that you are no professional
When selecting things for your home, it is expected that we all want what is best, and we all think that we know the best for our kitchens. But that is not the cause in most of the scenarios. This is why you need to be careful about your countertops and seek all sorts of help that you possibly can. You still need some professional help, some advice from those who know the best, and help in handling your countertops as they can be challenging to handle and cut.
Final note
For most people, a kitchen is a place that is very close to their hearts. And the fact that most of these people cannot compromise over their kitchen is valid and highly respected. It shows how the person has invested time and thought over their homes and wants them to be perfect. Selecting your ideal kitchen stone countertop can be a difficult task, but it is not impossible. Although you cannot find everything in one type, you can always find the one that fits your style perfectly. From the natural, unprocessed stones like Marble, granite, limestone, soapstone, and slate to the synthetic and artificial stones like Quartz, there is a massive variety of choices you can select from. It all depends on what you think suits your kitchen perfectly.
I hope that the five points stated above in helping you select your preferred stone countertop helped you clear your vision better and make your choice more accessible, as it is not every day that you get to choose your kitchen countertop when designing your kitchen. This is why the perfect stone needs to be used for your kitchens, and it’s countertops. I tried my best to help you guide your way through it all, but then again, never forget how vital professional help is. I wish you a stroke of very good luck in selecting your kitchen’s stone countertop, and I hope you get what you want for your kitchens.
