The kitchen countertop is the workhorse of any kitchen. Not only does it need to look the part, it also has to be robust and practical enough to withstand the rigours of daily use. Your final choice will have a huge impact on the overall look of the heart of your home. The selection of materials on offer has changed dramatically in recent years. Emerging technology has created creating more choice in terms of tough new materials which are all but indestructible. Equally, open-plan layouts have seen more luxury materials introduced.
Considerations
Budget
Clearly, this is likely to be a key factor for most people. However, a cheaper option may not last as long. If money is tight, you could consider mixing and matching, and fitting costlier stone sections in high-traffic areas such as by the sink or cooker. Then place laminate or wood in other places (It’s actually quite fashionable just now to combine worktops in this way).
Don’t forget to factor in any hidden costs, such as the extra charge for taking a countertop around an awkward area like a hob.
Layout
If you have a lot of straight lines, this can make fitting a worktop easier. If instead you have many corners, you may want to go for a composite model.
Depth
Worktop depth can affect a kitchen’s appearance more than you realised. While thinner profiles of 10mm or 20mm are still available and popular, thicker edges of up to 50mm, fashioned by adding a strip of the composite or stone to the countertop, are having something of a moment.
Material considerations
Whatever material you choose, from granite to composite to another form of stone, all have different benefits, so take a holistic view before deciding.
If you go for a made-to-measure product in something like marble, this could be prohibitively expensive. But something in a pre-cut laminate may still offer great durability and a nice surface design, without putting undue pressure on your budget.
Whatever you decide, a new worktop is a big investment, so it’s worth taking your time thinking about all possible options before committing.
Worktop maintenance and cleaning
Whatever countertop you end up choosing, you’ll want to keep it looking its best. And while you can do most regular cleaning tasks yourself, for a deep clean or maintenance jobs, you’ll want to call the professionals.
At Royal Stone Care, we can help, with everything from marble polishing to quartz restoration and stone chip repair. Whatever your situation, we’ll have seen it before. So whether you want granite worktop repair or anything else, make us your first port of call. All our work is free from harmful chemicals, and we offer quality assurance and have comprehensive public liability insurance.
In short, our staff have the experience and skills to do a first-class job on repairing, cleaning or restoring your natural stone surfaces. Get a free, no obligation quote today.
