Kitchen Counters

When renovating your kitchen, updating the walls and floors will make the biggest difference. But then, there are also the countertops. Even though choosing countertops may seem pretty straightforward, you need to consider the durability and the cost of the materials.

In fact, the material you choose to use for your countertops will express the style of your kitchen and add visual interest to it. So, you should take your time when making this decision and do your research.

As it happens, trends change, and what is popular this year won’t be popular next year. Then again, you could go for classic materials and a timeless style that will guarantee that your kitchen looks amazing for years to come.

Naturally, choosing between lots of different materials may be a bit overwhelming, so to make this process easier for you, we’ll cover all the essentials regarding kitchen counters. We’ll also include tips and tricks about cleaning kitchen countertops, so without further ado, let’s see your options.

Kitchen Countertops

Picking out the countertops for your new kitchen is always a fun experience since they’re the most used parts of your kitchen and make your kitchen more visually appealing.

Overall, the materials used for kitchen counters include traditional ones such as granite, wood, concrete, and so on. However, materials such as engineered quartz, corian, and others have recently gained in popularity. The type of material and its appearance are why people favor one material instead of another, yet we believe that other factors should also be considered.

Each material is priced differently, and that will often be the deciding factor for a lot of homeowners who want to remodel, but there’s also durability, which is also quite important, along with a few other factors. Let’s see what they are.

Purpose

The first factor you should consider when choosing kitchen counters should be the use of the countertops. Kitchen countertops get much more wear and tear compared to show kitchen tops, for example. For this reason, you need to ensure that the new kitchen counters are resistant to spills, chemicals, sharp objects, etc.

Cost

Evidently, the material should match the purpose, but what about costs? Well, apart from the material itself, the cost will also depend on the countertop size. If you go for high-end materials, they’ll be more expensive, so make sure to budget accordingly.

Style

Last but not least, you’ll need to think about whether the material you’re considering for your countertops will go well with the overall design and style of your new kitchen. Think about how this material will look if you have an island countertop. Will you want a different material for it to make it pop and stand out from the rest of the kitchen?

The options are endless, you can mix and match different materials until you get the ideal one that fits both your budget and preference, and satisfies your durability criteria.

Countertop Edges

Before you think about the materials you want to use for your countertops, it’s also important to think about the different types of countertop edges that are out there. Below, we’ll talk about the five most popular ones.

• Straight edge. This type of countertop edge has a 90-degree angle on the bottom and the top. It’s very easy to clean, it’s more affordable, looks minimalistic, and is less likely to sustain damage. However, if you have small children, this isn’t an edge that would work best for you since sharp corners can be dangerous for young kids.
• Beveled edge. Another classic type of countertop edge is the beveled edge which also looks pretty minimalistic and is easy to clean. From the side, it looks as if a 45-degree “slice” was taken off along the edge of the countertop. What’s more, a beveled edge makes your countertops look a bit more eye-catching without being too over the top. You can choose between a flat beveled edge or a rounded beveled edge, depending on your preferences.
• Half bullnose (chamfered) edge. Chamfered edges essentially have a rounded edge that turns to a vertical line that goes down towards the floor, so it’s squared off at the bottom. It looks simple and minimalistic, but also sophisticated.
• Ogee edge. This design is great if you want your countertops to look a bit more sophisticated and elevate the overall appearance of the room. It almost looks like an S-shaped design and there are no round edges, which makes it perfect if you have small children.
• Bullnose (round) edge. The last type of countertop edge is the full bullnose edge which is the most common countertop you can find. This countertop edge is fully curved, really easy to clean, and very practical. It can work with both traditional kitchens and more modern kitchens, and it’s also perfect if you have kids. The only downside to it is that liquids and crumbs can easily go inside your cabinets as a result of the curved surface of the edges.

With all that said, let’s take a look at which materials fit certain parts of your kitchen better.

Types of Kitchens and Countertops

The type of kitchen you have will determine the type of countertop you choose and the material it’s made of. For this purpose, we’ll divide the kitchen into two groups: the wet kitchen and the dry kitchen.

While this layout is unique to each homeowner, these kitchens are generally located to one another. But what exactly are wet and dry kitchens and are there other variations?

Dry Kitchen

The “dry kitchen,” or “show kitchen,” is generally designed as an extension of the living room or dining area and matches the style of these areas. This type of kitchen is typically open, meaning that you can actually see the person who’s preparing the food at the counter. It’s used as a place for prepping breakfast or snacks, making sandwiches, prepping fruits, as a bar area, and so on, and has a more of a community feel compared to the standard kitchen.

Generally, these types of kitchens have a shallow sink and smaller devices, such as toaster ovens, blenders, microwaves, or small cooktops, but no ovens or exhaust fans. As a result, dry kitchens have more space for bar stools and places to eat food.

Most importantly, dry kitchens usually have more attractive and less durable countertops. The floors in the dry kitchen can be carpeted or hardwood floors, which isn’t the case in wet kitchens.

Materials for Dry Kitchen Countertops

In this kitchen, you can use both natural and artificial materials for the countertops, as this isn’t a place where you’re going to do heavy-duty cooking. You can opt for more expensive cabinet finishes and materials that will integrate with the other part of the room, the living room, or dining room.

You can go for more expensive and more durable materials such as granite, marble, quartz, and others, but you can also use materials such as wood, laminate, and other materials that aren’t as resilient to water.

Wet Kitchen

The wet kitchen is a utilitarian and highly functional kitchen that’s intended for cooking and a place where you can expect the release of heat and smoke. It’s isolated from other rooms to prevent smells from spreading to the rest of the house.

The wet kitchen has all the appliances, such as an oven, a cooktop, exhaust fan, dishwasher, sink, as well as natural ventilation. This exact room is where all the cooking magic happens, so the countertops should be made from materials that are extremely durable.

Since this is a room that’s moisture-laden (a good breeding ground for mold and mildew) and greasy (due to the grime that sticks to the cabinets, tiles, and counters as a result of cooking), these surfaces need to be sturdy.

Materials for Wet Kitchen Countertops

For your wet kitchen, choose materials such as quartz, granite, porcelain, corian, soapstone, and similar materials since they’re extremely long-lasting. The above-mentioned materials are also very durable, resistant to heat, and antibacterial.

Depending on your budget, you could go for higher-end materials, such as exotic granite like Azul Bahia that comes from South America, or a lower-priced Black Absolute Granite that comes from India. Make sure that you look at different options and compare prices and quality.

It would be counterproductive to use materials such as wood or laminate in a wet kitchen since they can easily be damaged by water and are harder to clean if covered with dirt, grime, or grease.

Kitchen Countertops Alternatives

If quartz, granite, corian, and other materials are a bit too expensive for you, there are less expensive alternatives that you can try, such as:

• Wood - a material that’s natural and brings a warm touch to your kitchen. You can choose a color you like as well as sand the material if you scratch it unintentionally. The only downside is that you need to be careful with liquid spills, but if you take good care of it, its lifespan can go over 100 years.
• Stainless steel - often used in professional kitchens as it’s easy to clean and adds a modern look to your kitchen. The only downside is that it can be easily scratched or dented, but if you clean it properly it can last more than 200 years.
• Concrete - an affordable and durable material that makes your kitchen feel futuristic and modern. You just need to reinforce the countertop since concrete is a heavy material. The only downside is that you need to apply sealants regularly to prevent stains from forming and preserve the strength of the material. If you take good care of it and apply sealants regularly, it can last for over 50 years.
• Laminate - one of the most affordable materials that mimic the designs of natural materials. The only downside is that it has a shorter lifespan than other materials, like concrete or stainless steel.

Taking Care of Your Kitchen Countertops

If you want to have countertops that will last for a long time, you need to take good care of them by cleaning them regularly, or adding protective sealants. We’ve covered the most commonly used materials for kitchen countertops:

• Granite and marble - use a solution of mild soap and water with a soft cloth, and then wipe it dry. You’ll also need to seal it periodically to keep it non-porous.
• Quartz - clean with a solution of mild soap and water with a non-abrasive cloth, and wipe it dry. You don’t need to seal it as it’s non-porous.
• Soapstone - Clean with a soft cloth, all-around cleaner, and mineral oil. You can use fine-grit sandpaper to get rid of small scratches. Apply mineral oil periodically.
• Wood - clean with lemon, mild cleaner, white vinegar, warm water, salt, and a soft cloth. Seal your wooden surfaces with wax or wood sealants to prevent mold and mildew from forming.
• Stainless steel - clean with a microfiber cleaning cloth and a few drops of dish soap. You don’t need to seal stainless steel countertops.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the materials for your kitchen can seem like an easy task before you start thinking about all the different factors you need to keep in mind while designing it, but if you follow our advice, we guarantee that this process will go smoothly.

Depending on how often you plan to use your kitchen and what you use it for, you could opt for one type of kitchen or the other. For those of you who only prepare light meals at home that don’t involve frying, broiling, and so on, and typically cook breakfasts, salads, or sandwiches, you could go for a dry kitchen. Choose between the materials we’ve mentioned above that also fit your budget.

For people who eat a lot of their meals at home and enjoy having a well-equipped kitchen, a wet kitchen will be the perfect option. You could bake your favorite cookies, cook elaborate breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, and use this space according to your needs.

Finally, if you’re a person who enjoys cooking and also hosting dinners, having both a wet and a dry kitchen will be ideal since you can cook your main meal in the wet kitchen, and then use your dry kitchen as an additional area when serving food to guests, refilling drinks, etc.

Whatever you decide, make sure that the kitchen you end up ordering fits your specific needs, budget, and is specifically designed by taking into consideration how you plan on using it. We wish you good luck while you’re designing the kitchen of your dreams. And as we always recommend throughout our articles, if you want to learn more about what budget you’ll need to renovate your kitchen, don’t forget to check our budget estimator.