Choosing the countertop.
Part 2: manmade materials
While, in my opinion, natural materials are almost always better than man-made, but the latter comes with its perks. Here is a brief overview of some of artificial materials commonly used for kitchen countertops
Quartz
Despite a common view, quartz is not the latest material out there, it’s been around for quite some time. Man-made quartz is manufactured from stone dust and polymers (aka plastic) and formed into slabs. The best thing about quartz, as well as all man made materials, is consistency, meaning you will get exactly what you see on a swatch or a sample in a showroom.
Despite a common view, quartz is not the latest material out there, it’s been around for quite some time. Man-made quartz is manufactured from stone dust and polymers (aka plastic) and formed into slabs. The best thing about quartz, as well as all man made materials, is consistency, meaning you will get exactly what you see on a swatch or a sample in a showroom.
Quartz is stain, scratch and heat resistant. It doesn’t etch, it is considered to be resistant to acids and alkali, although I’ve seen quartz etched after harsh chemicals had been used for cleaning. And I wouldn’t advise to clean it with a scorching pad. It’s scratch resistant, but not scratched proof. It’s a good material for high traffic areas in general: it’s tough and does the job. With growing popularity of the material, manufacturers are coming out with new natural stone imitations that look good and even eco-conscious options. Fabrication is also simpler, since there is no grain, it takes cutting a lot better, compared to natural stone.
There are a handful of major manufacturers of quartz, and their prices dominate on the market. Generally, quartz is more expensive than cheapest granite, but much cheaper than exotic granite or marble.
If we consider the aesthetic side of it, it’s inferior to natural stone, in my opinion. Yes, it’s pretty and it kind of replicates the patterns and colors, but it lacks depth and dimension of the natural stone.
The pattern side of it can get tricky also. Some manufacturers have so-called “book matched” slabs. Those are more expensive and are made to match patterns, so if your kitchen requires two or more slabs to be installed next to one another, you will have to get book matched slabs to make sure that the countertop looks cohesive. The other side of it is non-book matched slabs, which are cheaper. And, if only one slab is needed, you can save some money that way.
If your kitchen sees a lot of use and abuse, quartz might be the best choice for you.
Laminate
Laminate countertops come in variety of colors and textures, and some even look good
Just to re-cap, it’s a slab of particle board with laminate glued on top and sides of it, and all cuts silicone and fastened together extra well to make sure that no moisture seeps in. All said, I’ve seen 20 year old laminate countertops that still looked good.
A lot depends on the quality and thickness of laminate used on top. The cheapest one come with hair thin laminate, and that, of course, does not live long. It scratches, scuffs, it might rip (seen it), but the biggest problem with it is that the laminate separates from the core, and that is when the countertop needs to be replaced. If granite or quartz will definitely last you decades, laminate might not.
One of the latest introductions to laminate countertop families are wood laminate countertop. Just as their stone-looking counterparts, they consist of particle board core with wood laminate glued on top. Only difference is, wood-looking textured laminate is never thin. EVER. They do last for quite some time and they do look very nice (it actually shocked me just how nice they look) and you are avoiding a lot of problems you would otherwise face with real wood countertop. No warping, no checking, no maintenance and it is water resistant. I love using those in laundry rooms, mud rooms and basements.
And, finally, the double tier drawer insert. Those are amazing! Combined with a drawer organizer, you double the storage capacity with this simple addition. Just slide it in out of the way when you need to reach the bottom tier.
Porcelain
Yeah, and I am not talking about tile. That is one of the latest materials in countertop field, and one of the most beautiful. It comes in 2 thicknesses: 12 mm and 6 mm, so it’s much thinner than quartz (30mm and 20mm) and natural stones (30mm), making it a lot more suitable for wall installations.
It is rather soft, and rather brittle, so it’s more difficult to fabricate and takes a lot more care to install. But once it’s installed, it is virtually maintenance-free. Porcelain countertops are glazed, so are not porous (think, dinner plate), they are heat proof, and chemical resistant, but you need to be careful with those surfaces, like dinner plates, they break.
Speaking from aesthetic point, those are, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful man made material that is used for countertops. It gives great freedom in design, given that it can be installed almost anywhere, and there are no polymers and glues used in it, which is always good, right?
Whatever countertop material you are considering, make sure that it fits your lifestyle.