25

Dec

10 Kitchen Countertop Materials That Are Not Recommended

You might have heard of different countertops being raved up and down. But there are also some materials that you need to keep at bay because of their qualities that don’t make them a good choice for kitchen countertops. Some mentioned here have a few great qualities but also have one or more flaws that make them a bad choice. For example, marble is one of the most beautiful stones but it’s a fragile one. This means it chips, scratches, and cracks easily. So, a better choice in place of marble would be granite countertops. Let’s know more!

Kitchen Countertop Materials You Should Avoid

Glass Countertops

When it comes to countertop materials, you want to choose something that won’t break, at least not at the slightest of impact. Well, this is where glass will disappoint you. Even though it is an amazing material, made out of recycled glass and is very sustainable for the environment, glass is still very much a fragile material that doesn’t do well in the kitchen.

Glass is not entirely heat resistant. It doesn’t prevent scratches and dropping anything heavy from a reasonable height will shatter or crack the glass before you know it. So, if you want to go for a material that will last long, then natural stones or even other man-made options are better.

Something like glass will be treated with kid’s gloves in the kitchen and that is the last thing you want to do when it comes to working in the kitchen to get things done.

Marble Countertops

Marble is a beautiful, elegant, and exceptional natural stone when it comes to kitchen countertops and it is also used in bathrooms, vanities and even making sculptures. Well, marble is also really heavy on the maintenance side of things.

When it comes to maintaining marble, the steps are just too many to keep count. First of all, marble is a non-porous material, so it needs to be sealed. Not only this, the material has to be sealed every now and then to ensure that it doesn’t get damaged by water.

Next comes the actual cleaning, which is very tedious. Marble, being a fragile stone, had to be cleaned gently, otherwise you can turn a cleaning session into something terrifying. Also, you can’t use sharp knives on the surface of marble, otherwise, it will leave deep scratches on the surface and that is not what you want.

Stainless Steel Countertops

Stainless steel is an amazing material when it comes to getting something really easy to clean and manage in the kitchen. If you love industrial looks, then stainless steel should be the option to go for. So, what makes it so bad that you have to avoid it? Well, stainless steel can show fingerprints on the surface like it’s getting paid to highlight them.

There is just no way that you can properly clean a stainless steel countertop without leaving fingerprint smudges all over the surface. This is very frustrating about it and cleaning a stainless steel countertop will seem like going in circles and that is not what you want to do.

Travertine Countertops

Travertine is a beautiful stone that is derived from limestone itself. It is a wonderful material that has patterns similar to a cross between limestone and marble itself. However, it can also stain over time and it doesn’t lead to the best of results.

Similar to patina on marble, travertine can turn yellow as the years go by, but it won’t be pleasant. It will make the stone look old and that is not what you want. This is why you need to choose something else that won’t lose its original color as time passes by.

Wood Countertops

Wood is a beautiful and classic option and even though it is highly expensive, it is still something that people rave about. The higher cost is not the only concern for many people because you need to spend even more money to maintain wood countertops.

You need to seal it, tint it, polish it, and do countless other things to ensure that it stays in amazing condition. Well, that can be impossible at times and not everyone has time on their hands to do things like these, regularly.

Concrete Countertops

Concrete countertops are amazing. They’re heat resistant and they have a very rustic look to them. But what makes concrete a thumbs-down? Well, it’s the fact that it stains like there’s no tomorrow.

If you know anything about concrete, then you would know that it absorbs moisture and water like a sponge. So, you better believe that concrete will suck in all of the water available on the surface and then it will lead to stains. This is why it’s recommended that you go for something else.

Tiles

When it comes to tile, the look is sleek and effortless, but the main concerning factor is are grout lines. Even though you can hire the best of the best contractors for the job, you will still feel like making the grout look clean is harder than you can imagine.

This is why you need to skip tiles, because not only is grout a problem, but it can also get very dirty and the once-white grout can turn murky and black in no time, which sounds disgusting.

Laminate Countertops

Laminate is a material that is everyone’s dream. It is a reasonably priced material that can mimic almost all looks of stones, materials, and man-made things on Earth. So, why is laminate such a bad choice? Well, because it’s not the best quality. See, laminate is prone to discolor and fade over time and that is something that bothers a lot of people.

Also, it’s not the most durable when it comes to heat and it will lead to heat stains, which is very unfortunate because removing them is almost impossible. So, laminate might be easy on the wallet, but not so much on the eyes.

Limestone Countertops

Limestone is also a very good material for the kitchen, but there are a handful of things that don’t sit well with a lot of people. First of all, it is very high maintenance. It needs almost as much maintenance as any other natural stone.

If that wasn’t enough, then limestone also doesn’t do well with heat and it can lead to blisters on the surface that look very hideous. Lastly, limestone is a soft stone, so using sharp knives won’t be the best of decisions, if you don’t want scratches to become a permanent thing.

Bamboo Countertops

Bamboo is an amazing material on the surface, but not so much when it comes to design and creativity. It is a serious bummer for people who love wooden countertops because bamboo isn’t as versatile when it comes to design options.

There are a couple of options that you can choose from and that’s pretty much it. Also, bamboo needs regular sealing and maintenance because at the end of the day, it is a wooden countertop and it needs to be treated like one too. So, bamboo isn’t the greatest of materials.

Conclusion

These countertops are amazing, but there are certain things like fragility, price, maintenance, and other things that need to be considered and they don’t do so well in these departments.

Still, if you love a quality of a certain material like the beauty of marble, the durability of stainless steel/concrete, the cost-effectiveness of laminate, or the sustainability of wood/bamboo/glass, then you can choose that material but beware of the disadvantages as well. If you want an indoor kitchen countertop material with the least downsides, take a look at granite and quartz countertops or consult countertop replacement services Potomac.

21

May

Replacing Kitchen Countertops On A Budget? 7 Countertop Options To Choose From

If your countertops are damaged, worn out, or you want to revamp your kitchen or bathroom, you should contact countertop replacement services providers to replace the countertops.

If you have a large budget for the work, you do not worry as you can use any material you want, but you can only go with cheap materials if you are working on a tight budget.

Thinking about replacing kitchen countertops on a budget? There are several countertop materials you can go with. The most common ones being:

Laminate

Although laminate countertops were popular a few decades ago, you can still install them in your home at an affordable price. The beauty of modern laminates is that you can find countertops that resemble almost anything. Thanks to advances in technology, you can find laminate countertops mimicking stone, wood, and other materials.

The main flaw with laminate is it tends to easily scratch, so you need to be cautious when preparing your meals or cleaning so you don’t cause substantial damage. Thankfully, you can reduce the chances of scratching by sealing the countertops. When doing it, ensure that you use sealant materials specifically designed for laminate countertops.

Cultured marble

This is faux marble that resembles real marble but comes at a much lower price. The countertops are made from a mixture of polyester resin and pigments, marble dust and fillers.

These surfaces replicate the marble appearance, but they are more stain-resistant than the real marble, making them easier to maintain.

Paint

Many people use paint to revamp their walls, but did you know you can also transform your counters using it? The cool thing is you can easily paint the surfaces by yourself without requiring the services or contractor.

All you need to do is to find a color that will give your surfaces a brand new look you are looking for. You can paint any counter surface, so whether you want to transform tile, laminate, solid surface or any other surface, you can definitely use paint.

Bamboo

Bamboo isn’t the most popular countertop material, but it can give your surfaces a unique natural look when properly done.

Bamboo surfaces are known to be stylish, tough, and eco friendly. The only flaw with them is they require significant levels of maintenance. For example, you need to paint them or seal them, so they aren’t damaged by water.

Tiles

Are you looking for durable countertops, but you are operating on a tight budget? These are the countertops to go for. Besides being tough, the countertops are colorful, so they will significantly transform your surfaces with their unique colors.

To make the countertops more appealing, use them in conjunction with plainer, more affordable styles.

Wood

Wood or butcher block counters add warmth to your surfaces and give them a unique natural look. The beauty of wood is it’s cheaper than stone countertops, so you will save a significant amount of money by installing them.

Bamboo and maples are two of the most popular wooden countertop materials, but you can install any other wooden countertops of your choice. When you install them, you should note that the countertops require regular oiling to prevent them from wood-boring insects. You may also have to seal the surfaces to prevent them from water damage.

Stainless steel

Although a good quality stainless steel countertop isn’t cheap, a properly constructed custom made steel countertop can double as a kitchen island, meaning you don’t need to build a kitchen island, and as you can imagine, this saves you a lot of money.

The cool thing is many freestanding stainless steel counters provide plenty of storage space beneath, so you don’t need to construct storage cabinets for your produce.

Recycled glass

This is a new entrant in the market and has quickly risen in popularity. Recycled glass surfaces are made by mixing pieces of recycled glass with cement and other binders. At first look, the countertops are beautiful and easy to maintain, but this isn’t the case.

You need to be ultra-cautious when preparing your meals or placing hard objects on the countertops as they can easily chip or break. So like granite countertops Rockville and other countertop materials, you need to be careful, so you don’t damage them.