subject: Kitchen Countertops For Today's Homes [print this page] Your kitchen counter plays an important role in setting the design style of your home. It makes a strong visual and tactile impression. The material you use should be durable enough to resist cooking greases and stains as well as attractive and up to date. If you are thinking of re-doing your countertop, select a style that compliments your kitchen cabinetry and the overall style of your home. Here are some choices that are popular today:
Granite
Today's housing trend toward modern styling, cleaner lines, and simple patterns has led to less busy patterns in all countertop materials. However, granite is still a very popular surface for countertops. It is resistant to scratching by knives or etching by cooking acids. Granite is a dense stone formed by crystallized minerals extremely high temperatures. Here are several choices in granite finishes:
Polished - Fine polishing brings out the depth, color, and pattern in granite. This is the least porous and most reflective and of the granite surfaces. Each piece has it own natural movement of pattern and color.
Honed Finish - To create a honed surface, the polishing process is not taken to its full potential. Rather than a 3,000 grit polished surface, it stops at a soft sheen 600-grit surface. The result is a less formal, satin finish. The honed surface is more absorptive, so it will show stains easier than a closed-pore polished surface.
Leather Finish - A leather finish begins with a honed surface. Then it is swept with diamond tipped brushes. The brushing closes pores on the surface and brings back the color. The result is a surface between polished and honed. It has more sheen than a honed finish and is less porous.
Flame Finish - To create this surface, blowtorch-strength heat is applied to the granite surface. This causes some of the granite crystals to explode and shatter, leaving a highly textured surface. This surface is used more suited for exterior paving, rather than for countertops.
River Washed - To create the river-washed texture, granite is first flamed; then it is swept with diamond tipped brushed to smooth out the sharpness of the surface. The result is a rustic texture with an aged, irregular finish.
Tile
Used on kitchen counters for many years, tile is scratch and heat resistant. They offer a wide range of colors and patterns that are a good fit for today's modern look. Tiles can be made from fired clay or cut from stone. Stone tiles, and some clay tiles, are rectified. This means that they are cut in precise sizes, so that they can be set very close together, keeping the grout joints to a minimum.
Stone and clay tiles come in a variety of sizes, up to 28 x 28. The large pieces with precise sizing results in a countertop that has a smooth look with less exposed grout. Tiles are not as expensive as slab material, and can be installed by tile setters, for lower labor cost.
Marble
Sediment from shells and plant matter forms into marble stone after millions of years under pressure. Marbles include limestone, travertine, marble, and onyx. Because its main component is calcium, these stones will react to acids such as vinegar and citrus. Marble can be used on kitchen counters as long as there is some tolerance for stains and scratches. The honed finish is better for kitchen countertops, rather than polished. This is because the softer, less formal appearance will accept wear and tear more naturally.
Limestone
Limestone is an organic stone similar to marble, but not as hard. It can be sealed and used for kitchen countertops. However, there is likely to be some mottling and variations in color over time, as the calcium in the limestone is exposed to acids used in cooking.
Jerusalem Stone is a dense limestone found in Europe and the Middle East that is used for countertops. It offers a warm, soft look in creams and earth tone colors. Since limestone is absorptive, it should be sealed regularly. Some staining and variations in color is a part of its organic, rustic look.
Engineered Stones
The trend toward greener finishes has led to more use of composite stones. Engineered stones are about 93% quartz, 7% epoxy, plus resin and color. The use of crushed quartz results in less waste, so it is a greener choice. However, cutting and shaping of the material is done by fabricators. So the cost is about the same as many granites or stone slabs.
Some familiar names are:
Caesarstone - evokes the look of limestone
Cambria - mock granite look
Silestone - very dense, polished surface
Okite - adds some veining for a marbled look
Slate & Soapstone
Most slates are too rough for countertop use, however, there are some exceptions. Pietra de Cardosa is a grey slate from northern Italy, that could be a granite alternative. It does not have a lot of pattern movement.
Soapstone is also a granite alternative. Since soapstone is impenetrable, it will not stain. It has been used for years as a work surface in chemistry labs. The colors are mostly grays and blacks.
Icestone
IceStone is a slab product made from recycled glass in a cement base. It offers a clean, modern look with the sparkle of glass. Because it makes use of recycled glass, it is considered a green choice. Because of fabrication labor, the cost is similar to natural stone slabs.
Concrete
A good fabricator can build a beautiful, soft colored, concrete countertop. Although it is sealed, the homeowner should expect some mottling and staining over time. That is a part of the organic look of concrete. There is a lot of art and craft to making a concrete counter. A professional fabricator must be able to pour and finish the counter in place. Although concrete is inexpensive, the labor brings the cost up to that of some stone slabs.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel has been used for years in professional kitchens. It is a good fit with today's chic, contemporary look. Steel is stain resistant and durable, but does scratch, and it can be loud. There are brushed or textured finishes that help camouflage scratches. And, when attached to a wood under-layer, it is more sound resistant.
