Whether remodeling or designing your kitchen for you new
home, one of the most important considerations to make is
about your kitchen counter tops. These surfaces will be
the most visible areas of your kitchen and the most used
as well. Choice of material will play an important part
in both the appearance and ease of cleaning of your kitchen
counter tops. Some of the materials available are ceramic
tiles, stainless steel, stone, stone composites and man-made
materials.
Ceramic tiles can make a beautiful surface for your kitchen
counter tops. The variety available is only limited by your
imagination and pocketbook. There are artists available
that will design your tiles to suit your décor needs. This
may be the easiest way to design a décor suitable to your
hopes for your new or remodeled kitchen. The biggest drawback
is the extra effort required to keep a tile counter surface
hygienic for your food preparation. A sealant coat should
be applied to the grout used to hold the tiles in place
and extra attention will be needed to keep that area of
your kitchen counter tops clean and bacteria free.
Stainless steel kitchen counter tops will bring the appearance
of modern technology to your kitchen. Easy to clean surfaces
of bright shining metal make for a space age appearance
that will suit almost any kitchen décor. This tough material
will take the abuse that an active kitchen can endure from
the use of harsh cleaning chemicals and everyday food preparation.
Stainless steel will resist scratching and dents from normal
use and does not chip. If a sleek modern look is what you
want to achieve in your kitchen décor, this material should
be on the top of your list for consideration.
Another metal not often considered for kitchen counter
tops is pure copper. This softer metal, when in its pure
state has a “lining finish” and is extremely hygienic. Tests
have shown that pure copper will kill many bacteria that
live in kitchen environments. The soft brown finish that
copper achieves over time will give a mellow appearance
to your kitchen décor. The softness of the metal will scratch
more readily than other materials, but the “living finish”
will repair the appearance of your kitchen counter tops
very quickly. Just buff or sand the metal smooth again and
in a few weeks, the warm brown color will reappear.
There are a variety of stones used for kitchen counter
tops. The most popular are marble, granite, travertine and
slate. These stones come in a variety of colors with travertine
having the most variety. The drawback of travertine is the
natural pits and grooves this stone has. Filler is needed
to give the smooth surface desired in kitchen counter tops.
Marble is smooth and comes in several shades, but the porous
nature of this stone requires a sealant to resist stains
and liquids. Granite also needs to be sealed against liquids
and has limited shades available. Natural slate is highly
water and stain resistant and very easy to keep clean and
hygienic. Slate resists scratches well due to its very dense
nature as well. These properties make this material highly
sought after for laboratory counter tops.
Stone composites have all the natural toughness of stone,
are already sealed against moisture and come in a variety
of shades that extend all through the composite. These are
readily available in both granite composite and quartz composite
materials. Granite composite is a bit tougher than quartz
composite due to the higher density of stone in the composite
material. Quartz composite comes in more shades than granite
and the colors extend throughout the material. Both of these
composites will give you strong long-lasting kitchen counter
tops that can fit into your kitchen décor easily. There
are aggregate composites available that use natural material
mixed with durable resin filler that is almost as tough
as the fore-mentioned stone composites. This aggregate composite
can be found in more shades than other stone composites,
giving you flexibility in your choices for décor.
Man-made materials will offer you the most choices for
your kitchen décor. From the older Formica kitchen counter
tops to the solid surface choices available today, the variety
of patterns and colors available from man-made materials
gives you more leeway in designing your kitchen décor than
other materials. Solid surface is a solid one-piece kitchen
counter top that has the basins for your kitchen sink included
in the counter top. This makes for easier cleaning of the
surface and has a space age appearance as well. The color
of this style of surface extends all the way through the
material and is easy to take care for. It is available in
a veneer like Formica to save on expenses and maintain the
beauty of these materials. Man-made materials should be
given consideration for your kitchen counter tops in your
new or remodeled kitchen.
This should give you some more ideas of how you want to
design your new or remodeled kitchen. There are a wide variety
of materials available for your kitchen counter tops to
be made from. All of these materials have their advantages
and disadvantages, but the possibilities presented here
will help you to make your choices for your new or remodeled
kitchen. Your choice need only be limited by your budget.
You can allow your imagination to soar when picking out
your new kitchen counter tops.
Compare Kitchen Countertops
Your kitchen décor is as important as every other room in your home and your countertops are an integral part of setting the mood. What will it be? The classic elegance of wood? The sophistication of granite? The trendy of stainless? Why not compare kitchen countertops and see what the market h...
Which Kitchen Counter Cleaner Is Best?
Like the rest of your home your countertops need cleaning to so which kitchen counter cleaner is best? Check out these top 10 multipurpose cleaners.
1. Life Tree All Purpose Spray
The fresh lavender scent of this cleaner will leave your countertops clean and smelling fresh. Life Tree cleaner ...
Kitchen Counter Top Adhesive -
Know Your Options
If you’ve decided that you are going to install your new kitchen countertop all by yourself you’ll need to attach it with a kitchen counter top adhesive. You need to know your options.
Tilebond
This is a standard cement based adhesive that is off white in color. It’s used on ceramic, mosaic ti...
Kitchen Counter Tops
Whether remodeling or designing your kitchen for you new home, one of the most important considerations to make is about your kitchen counter tops. These surfaces will be the most visible areas of your kitchen and the most used as well. Choice of material will play an important part in both the ap...
New Trends in Kitchen Counters
Kitchen remodeling is quickly becoming the most common home remodeling project and a great deal of time and energy, and of course money is committed to transforming a kitchen from drab and dreary to elegant and functional. That’s why you need to know the new trends in kitchen counters.
The days ...
Kitchen Countertop Comparison
Whether you are building a brand new kitchen or remodeling your existing kitchen your countertops are an important part of your overall kitchen décor. And with so many choices it can be a bit overwhelming so now is a good time to do some kitchen countertop comparison!
Transforming you kitchen fr...
How To Choose Your Kitchen Countertops
There’s more to your countertops that beauty, all though of course that plays an important role in your choices too. When choosing your kitchen countertops you need to consider both what you need and what you can affords. And of course functionality is very important!
Your countertop needs to b...
Design Your Dream Home With Silestone Kitchen Countertops
Your dream home will become a reality based on your home décor choices. And your kitchen is one of the most important rooms you will create so why not design your dream home with Silestone kitchen countertops?
Silestone countertops can deliver. In fact they have a world wide reputation for doin...
10 Top Kitchen Countertops
Whether you are remodeling your kitchen or building a new home when it comes to choosing your kitchen countertops you have plenty of choices. Here are our top 10 picks.
1. Manufactured Stone
Manufactured stone is made from quartz particles and it’s available in many different colors. In fact ...
Types of Kitchen Countertops
You’ve decided it’s time to give your kitchen a facelift and your countertop is an essential part of that renovation project. So what type of kitchen countertops do you have to choose from?
There is no question that countertops are essential to your kitchen both for tasks and for décor. Differe...
