A lot of people buy homes that were previously owned. This means inheriting a kitchen with someone else’s design choices. There are a lot of things you can live with, but the countertop often runs the perimeter of the kitchen. Because it takes up so large of a space, it is the focal point of the entire room.
An unattractive countertop is the bane of every kitchen, no matter if you live in the Nation’s Capital, in the Midwest, or somewhere along the Pacific Coastline. Nobody wants to prepare meals on a countertop that is stained, is scorched, is cracked, or is just downright unattractive in some other way.
When replacing your countertop, you could choose cheap materials but then you might end up replacing them in just a few years when they do not hold up to the demands of your family’s culinary needs. You might choose an expensive material, but then find out that it lacks all the benefits of something more durable, like granite.
Comparing Countertop Materials to Granite
Countertop tests show that materials perform in a wide range of ways, but when it comes to the Pros and Cons, granite is the clear winner. Here is a list of alternate countertop materials. You can see how they stack up to granite counters and why other materials may not be the best choice for the kitchen area within your family’s home.
- QUARTZ – Some retailers will tell you that quartz offers the same benefits of granite. What they do not tell you is that the corners and edges of a quartz countertop can chip. Repairs can be costly, as you can only get them done by a countertop professional. Rounded edges can help prevent this, but there is no guarantee.
- SOAPSTONE – This material is less common than granite. Although it resists heat, it is more easily scratched than other forms of stone countertop material. It is also harder to remove stains from spilled liquids from soapstone countertops.
- LIMESTONE – While limestone has a natural stone appearance, if you want a piece of limestone with marbled veins or similar grain style designs, then you are just out of luck. Limestone does resist heat, but like soapstone the surface gets nicked and scratched much easier than granite countertops.
- MARBLE – Contrary to some reports, marble is not heat resistant. Hot pans can leave surface scarring on the exterior of the countertop. It stains easier than other materials in the stone countertop category, and also more easily receives nicks and scratches.
- LAMINATE – A laminate countertop is probably one of the most budget-friendly counters you could buy. However you do get what you pay for and it will not hold up to the harsh demands of a kitchen like granite. For example, if you cut directly onto the laminate then it leaves permanent scarring.
- GLASS – Glass counters are perfect for modern kitchens in a home that displays a contemporary style. While some glass counters claim to resist scratches and staining, some tests revealed that applying heat, such as a hot pan from the stove, directly onto a glass countertop can cause hairline cracks in the surface.
- WOOD – On the surface, a butcher block counter sounds like a fine idea. After all, it would be like having a huge cutting board to use anywhere around the perimeter of your kitchen. Have you ever seen a dinged up, chopped up, stained up surface of a cutting board? Do you want your countertop to look that unattractive? You can sand out the scratches but this can create an uneven surface over time.
Why Granite Is the Best Countertop Choice
Every piece of granite countertop is created deep below the surface of the earth, where it comes into contact with molten hot lava. That is why granite counters are able to withstand the heat of coming into contact with a pan that comes directly from your stovetop or out of a heated oven.
Granite can also hold up to the demands of being used as a cutting board. If you need to quickly chop something, then you can do so right on the surface of the stone. If you have undermounted sinks, then you can easily sweep the refuse of whatever you just chopped into the sink where you can wash it down the garbage disposal.
As you can see, granite countertop not only matches the Pros of any other countertop material, but it also surpasses it. Whether you are building a new home from scratch or renovating the kitchen of a previously owned home, granite is the right material for your countertops.