Countertop is a horizontal work surface areas used in kitchens, bathrooms, other food preparation areas and workrooms in houses. It is also referred as counter top, counter topping or worktop. In most cases it is installed above and is supported by cabinets. Countertops used in kitchens are called kitchen countertops and the one used in bathrooms are called bathroom countertops.
Kitchen countertops are usually of the lengths of 650 mm (25 ½ inches) from front to back and it slightly overhang from standard base kitchen cabinets. It allows the easy access of the items placed on counter top. It is usually made of materials that make it easy to clean when liquids and other items are spilled on it. Counter top may be made in plains and variety of designs. It is usually cut in variety of ways to accommodate sinks,
Cooking tops, cooking range, drain board, cutting boards etc. When making or remodeling your kitchens, I suggest that Kitchen countertops should be on top of your list, because it is used most frequently in your kitchen. You can choose counter tops in so many colors, materials and styles.
Counter top can be made from the variety of materials and cost and durability depends upon the material and style you choose. The durability and ease of use depends upon the cost but not necessarily because sometimes the most expensive materials are not durable enough or not easy to use. The materials that can be used are as fallows:
1. Granite
2. Limestone
3. Marble
4. Soapstone
5. Gabbro
6. Wood and Butcher block
7. Stainless Steel
8. Wood
9. Ceramic
10. Quartz
11. Glass
Quartz Countertops are new worry free materials that come in place of high maintenance Granite Countertops. It is stronger then granite, highly restraint to scratches and stains and come in huge variety of colors. Quartz is a material that is found in huge numbers in earth. Quartz counters are really rock solid as compare to the granite counters, because almost 100 % of quartz are used in it as compared to granite which is 50 %. It comes in many colors and you can choose from the variety of almost 48 colors. Quartz Countertops weighs more then granite countertops so it requires professionals to install it. It is easy to cut, handle and fabricate as compared to granite countertops.
A wood countertop or often referred as butcher block countertops is not one solid piece of wood, but often various pieces of wood glued together and planned smooth. Different types of wood are used in making of these kinds of tops. Hard Maple is always a favorite type of wood used and also Oak is also used for this purpose. Wood countertops should be cleaned with soap and water. Spills should not be a problem if the finish is good enough. Some people liked their butcher block countertops glued; other liked them to be screwed so that it can be moved.
Tile Countertops or ceramic tile countertops is inexpensive, easy to clean and easy to install. It has wide range of colors to choose from and also a variety of designs available to choose. Tile Countertops have several disadvantages as well, the surface is uneven, tiles can easily be cracked and the custom designs are very expensive as compared to machine designs.
Glass countertops are in trend. They look very luxurious; beside luxury they are very practical indeed. The nature of glass makes sit easy to clean and the texture helps to hide the fingerprints, scratches and dust. The glass is very hard to break and it’s easy to clean. Counters can be produced up to 1.5” thick and size up to 86” x 130”. Glass countertops are available in variety of colors and shapes.
Soapstone countertops are usually dark grey in color and have a soft feel. It is used in old historic homes but nowadays modern home owners are also using it. Its advantages mainly are that these are in deep colors and it’s some what stain resistant. Besides its advantages, its disadvantages are that it requires regular maintenance and it can get cracked or darken over time.
Granite is all time choice favorite choice for countertops. It looks elegant in the kitchen and its use wide spread, the prices also came down. The beauty of stones in kitchen increases the beauty of the kitchen. It can hold heats of the kitchen, there are different granite colors and shapes. It’s quite permanent and sustainable and adds value to the house. Granite Countertops are most expensive but is becoming affordable as the time goes by and by people buying it. It requires considerable maintenance and it may crack over a period of time if stressed.
Corian Countertops are the most popular solid surface tops. There are a number of color choices available. Corian counter tops are easy to clean. You can even use abrasive cleaners, unlike with quartz counter tops, granite or marble. Corian Countertops don’t stain that easy, and its soft surface can prevent the breakage of dishes but makes it easy to scratch or dent.
