Which Kitchen Countertops are the Most Durable?
Durability and longevity of your next kitchen countertop should be of top priority. Here are the most durable countertop materials, each with their own pros and cons.
Whether you are building a new home or remodeling an existing one, you must consider investing in the most durable kitchen countertops to meet all of your functional and aesthetic requirements.
One of the most expensive home improvement projects you can undertake is a kitchen renovation. To avoid frequent remodels, the choice of countertop material must be carefully considered. Here is a list of the best kitchen countertop material options, discussed in order of their strongest qualities:
Quartz
Quartz tops the list of the most durable kitchen countertop materials. They last a lifetime.
Longevity
Quartz countertops are made up of 95% natural mined quartz stone and 5% polymer resins. The stone is strong on its own, but the polymers help to bind it, giving it high chemical and physical resistance. The binding strengthens the quartz stone to give it a majority of the most desirable kitchen countertop properties.
Stain Resistance
Binding the stone eliminates airspaces in the stone, causing it to become solid. The countertop is impervious to chemicals or liquids. As a result, you won’t have to worry about stains and shadows caused by liquid spills and smudges.
Maintenance
Unlike other stone countertops, the only maintenance required for quartz is cleaning with a sponge and a mixture of warm water and dish soap. The countertops do not stain so they do not require sealing.
Flexibility
Quartz countertops are manufactured. This means they can be produced in different colors. It can be easily customized to match your color scheme while still retaining the appearance of natural stone.
Ease of installation
Quartz stone is easy to install as it does not break easily. It is likely to cause minimal wastage.
Disadvantages of quartz
Quartz will discolor if exposed to direct sunlight or heat for an extended period of time. As a result, it is unsuitable for outdoor kitchen countertops and areas near stoves. Indoors, pan pads, and coasters can be used to keep the stone’s original color from fading due to excessive heat.
The superior qualities of quartz make it the most expensive countertop material in the market.
Granite
Granite countertops, unlike quartz, are made entirely of natural granite stone, which is quarried, cut to size, and polished to perfection.
Appearance
Granite is composed of three minerals. It can appear in a variety of colors and grain patterns depending on the concentration of these minerals. Red, brown, grey, white, black, and salmon pink are popular colors for granite kitchen countertops. Each granite stone is distinct from the others, and there are an infinite number of options to suit your needs.
Maintenance
Wiping up spills as soon as they happen is a precaution that is required to ensure that no stains form on the countertop because you may not always notice when the seal begins to wear out. Depending on how busy the kitchen is, the seal should be redone every 1-5 years.
Granite is more expensive than other countertop materials, but it is less expensive than quartz.
Marble
Perhaps it’s the lovely continuous vein pattern or the luxurious feel it adds to a room that makes marble the most desired and preferred natural stone for countertops.
Appearance
Marble is extremely beautiful, with veins that are unique to each stone. It is typically light in hues of white, grey, yellow, blue, and black. White and grey, however, are the most popular colors among homeowners.
Resistance
Marble has a moderately long-life span. However, it is more susceptible to chips and scratches. It has good heat resistance, but it can be damaged if exposed to heat on a regular basis. It is very porous and therefore very susceptible to stains from acid.
Maintenance
It requires sealing twice a year; this is time-consuming and costly, but if you don’t mind, it’s not a problem.
Porcelain
Porcelain is made from clay and the mineral kaolin. Kaolin is responsible for all of the porcelain’s properties, including its longevity, resistance to UV, heat, and scratch.
Porcelain slabs and porcelain tiles can both be used for kitchen countertops, but slabs are more visually appealing and hygienic than tiles. Grout lines trap moisture, dust, and dirt, allowing bacteria to grow if not cleaned on a regular basis. After a while, the lines become discolored, making the tile countertops look even uglier.
Appearance
Colorants are mixed into the clay to change the original color and create a variety of shades, hues, and patterns. It can also be made to look like marble, granite, butcher wood, and a variety of other materials.
Maintenance
Porcelain surfaces are very easy to clean, do not stain, and most definitely do not need sealing every now and then.
Durability
Porcelain, if properly cared for, can last a lifetime. It is, however, extremely fragile. If something heavy falls on the surface and cracks it, the entire porcelain slab or the broken tiles may need to be replaced. If not handled properly, it has the potential to break and cause significant damage during installation.
Solid Surfaces
Natural stones such as quartz, marble, and granite are combined with resins and acrylics to create solid surface countertops. The end result is a solid surface similar to Corian that has characteristics similar to natural stone but outperforms most countertop materials.
Appearance
Solid surfaces are adaptable, with a wide range of colors and patterns on the market.
Resistance
Solid surfaces are easily scratched and do not hold up well to heat and chemicals because they are softer and plastic-like.
Conclusion
There are numerous countertop materials to choose from, each with advantages and disadvantages. When choosing the most durable kitchen countertop, look for one that is resistant to impact, scratching, and staining; can be used for an extended period of time, and requires little maintenance. It should also look fantastic!
Plan Your Kitchen Remodeling with us!
Are you looking for the best kitchen remodeling contractor? Contact Caviar Kitchen today to have your countertop updated with the most durable material. After decades of experience in the natural stone industry, Caviar Kitchen and Stone has obtained high-quality services and products. We have a deep understanding of what happens with kitchen remodeling. Determining the ideal combination of look, shape, function, durability, and cost for your home requires a considerable investment of time.
Whether you need to set up a new kitchen or refurbish your existing kitchen, get the best of Caviar Kitchen and Stone. We are a customer-oriented business. Therefore, we work closely with you to understand your requirements and guide you with our experience and knowledge to make your kitchen the most lovely place!
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