To make your kitchen look unique and attractive, you go through a lot of planning, deciding what appliances to buy, what theme should be selected, and the most important thing, what kitchen worktop should be selected to complete your kitchen’s look?
Kitchen worktops are not only for the purpose of enhancing the aesthetics but they have to go through a lot of grinds during their life cycle; heat, oil and water spill, scratches, marks, stains, bumps, all have to be sustained by these worktops. It doesn’t matter if you have so much to spend on your kitchen or you have budget constraints, there are some materials which can fit your needs and add to the look of your kitchen at the same time irrespective of how much you can spend. We are going to tell you which worktop can fit your budget, is durable, and is easy to maintain. So, here is a short guide to tell you what and how to choose and make a rational decision.
Kitchen worktops made of Wood
To give an earthy, humble and retro look to your kitchen, wooden worktops are the best. They are not so expensive as compared to marble and granite but they look lavish and magnificent when fitted into a kitchen. You can add textures as you like and they are available in so many shades that you don’t have to settle for something you don’t want.
However, wood is a bit hard to maintain because humidity, water spills, and hot pans can affect wood in some way or the other. So, wood is high maintenance but it also looks beautiful.
Laminate worktops
Cheap and easy to accolade with the look you want are the laminate worktops. They can be adapted to look like any other worktop. That is the reason why they are easy to buy for those who are running low on budget. They are low maintenance, microbe-free and are not affected by heat and scratches so easily. However, because they are cheap they usually vary in quality and one must be very careful while buying them. The more you pay, the more quality material you get when it comes to laminate worktops. Also, though it imitates the look of other materials, it does not carry the same feel as them.
Quartz or Acrylic Kitchen Worktops
Not occurred naturally, but are man-made and are replicas of granite with even more durability. Minerals and other components are added with resins to make a finished material called Quartz. They look unique, easy and cheap to maintain. However, they are expensive because various companies make it and they brand it according to their standards. Affording them is not easy and if you want to spend less, you can go for cheaper versions of Quartz such as Corian.
Granite Kitchen Worktops
The best kitchen worktops option when you are not short on budget and have enough to spend on granite. They are natural and are easy to maintain and are sleek, microbe-free, high quality and what not. It is resistant to heat, water and oil spills and shock. Cleaning granite does not require much effort and costs.
Natural v. manmade/ laminate worktops
Natural worktops are expensive but they add to the beauty and grace of your kitchen. They may initially cost you much but are cost-efficient in the long run. How? They do not require so much maintenance and there is no need to replace them after one or five years. You do not have to call the company representatives every month to replace or repair them.
However, the Corian, Laminate ones are cheaper initially but they need to be replaced after some years because they are not as damage resistant as the granite or marble. They are available in more color shades than Granite and marbles because you can ask the manufacturers to add any pigment you want.
Maintenance of Worktops
For wooden worktops, they do not require daily cleaning. Just a wipe with a damp piece of dusting cloth and they are good to go. Granite and marble worktops are also like that. However, they need lamination at least once every year to keep them going for ages. Also, if you move out the new renter or those who purchase will be pleased to pay more because they will feel the ambiance you created in your kitchen.
You need to be careful about one thing in all of these worktops. You should never let the spills stay on for so long because it will leave marks which will be difficult to clean. Use quality surface cleaners for cleaning and enjoy a lavish look of your kitchen forever. Also, if you want to know more, Slab and Stones provide you with facts and details which will help you make a smart purchase.
