Not everyone who buys a new kitchen worktop in a natural stone such as marble, granite or quartz fully appreciates the importance of getting the thickness of the countertop right.
What are my options?
Essentially, if you’re going for quartz countertops, there are three choices of thickness, 1cm, 2cm and 3cm. However, usually 1cm is for those on an extremely tight budget who want to achieve the look of, say, quartz at the lowest possible price.
Because granite is too fragile to sustain a 1cm thickness, only 2cm or 3cm options are usually available.
Prefab isn’t always fab!
Sometimes we use a 1cm natural stone countertop such as quartz in prefabricated (prefab) models. These have a laminated edge, with a small strip of the same material glued to the bottom of the slab. So that it’s thickness appears doubled.
So prefab granite countertops have a 2cm body but a 4cm laminated edge.
While these options may well save you some money in the short term, these models are fragile and their quality may not be as good. This is a common choice in new-build homes where developers are going for a high-end look at minimal cost.
2cm Quartz worktops
One popular look among homeowners wanting a modern, contemporary look is 2cm quartz with no laminated edge. Quartz stone is stronger, needing less support than granite. As a result, you can achieve a clean, minimalist look with this thinner profile.
If a granite countertop is 2cm, it needs a plywood support on top of the cabinets, and a laminated edge to hide the plywood, which quartz versions don’t need. However, they will need support for larger overhangs.
3cm Countertops
In most cases, 3cm countertops will probably be your best bet. With durability, flexibility of design, and the chance to choose from a variety of colours and sizes.
Materials in this thickness do not need any plywood support, and laminated edges are almost unheard of.
At Royal Stone Care, we specialise in marble countertop repair as well as granite and quartz care in London. Make us your first and only port of call for natural stone cleaning and maintenance.
