Overview
Which Countertop Surface Should I Choose? That depends on your needs, your tastes and your budget. The science of decorative surfacing has come a long way in recent years, providing options that are both beautiful and durable. Features to look for when choosing your new countertop material include Appearance, Performance, Price and Personalization.
Appearance The options are almost mind boggling when it comes to the look of your new countertop surface. Whether you prefer the sleek, crisp lines of a solid color, the veined look of marble or figured wood, or the hard and shiny look, there are literally hundreds of options in thousands of colors to choose from.
Performance In a wet environment you might consider solid surface, which can be seamed practically invisibly with a watertight seal. Laminate is inexpensive and beautiful, but can chip and scratch. Natural stone and quartz surfacing are extremely hard surfaces that stand up well to heat producing appliances. Concrete can be formed and shaped to your specifications, both on horizontal and vertical surfaces.
Price Regardless of your budget there is a decorative surface for you. Laminates are typically the least expensive and are available in literally thousands of colors and patterns. Solid surface, natural stone, quartz surfacing, and other composite products like compressed phenolic fall into the medium price category. Concrete, certain sustainable materials like compressed paper and bamboo, and ceramic veneers typically run at the high end of the pricing scale.
Personalization Imagine a countertop in which you can embed items that have personal meaning right into the surface. You can do it with concrete. In the hands of a qualified fabricator logos, family crests and inlays can become part of a solid surface, granite or quartz top. You have the option to mix and match colors, materials and textures all within the same room.
|