subject: The Most Common Kitchen Worktops Reviewed [print this page] The Most Common Kitchen Worktops Reviewed
When selling your house, there are lots of little techniques you can employ to increase the sale value of your house. These include installing a new heating system, putting in a new bathroom suite, and in particular, doing up the kitchen. This last option can be a full-on re-vamp of the kitchen, including new appliances, but a fresh effect can still be achieved with a new lick of paint and some new worktops (that is, all the items that are first noticed by visitors).
New worktops are probably the hardest part of the kitchen to get right, as there is simply so much choice. Not only do you have to worry about what they're made out of, you also have to consider their color, their height and what kind of protection to cover them with. This article aims to consider the various materials available, leaving the color and height up to you.
The most common kind of kitchen worktop is laminate on top of woodchip. It's popular because it's cheap, and easy to install. They are also very easy to clean, and simple to protect, as the laminate provides automatic protection. The laminate coating also allows for the widest variety of patterns and designs, and many people choose to go for a wood or granite effect. The main drawback of woodchip worktops is that they are less durable than their counterparts, and are more easily chipped and scratched.
The next most popular countertops are those made from wood, which tend to be a little more expensive than laminate based ones, but are more durable and look very stylish. With the correct protective spray, the wooden worktop can be used as a chopping board directly, but can become damaged if overused and under-protected. Most types of wood can be used, allowing for the whole range of color from pine to mahogany, which fits in with the hardwood floors found in most American kitchens.
The last of the big sellers is granite. Obviously, people choose this kind of worktop because of its durability, and imperviousness to knife cuts and hot pans. The stone is so hard that you don't need to worry about protecting it, and granite technology has evolved so that you can get colored stone of just about any design you chose. The main drawbacks are that it is very expensive in comparison to other worktops, and it's very hard to install, as you have to drill through solid granite to attach it to the rest of the kitchen.
