10 tips for choosing countertops for the kitchen

A countertop in the kitchen is the place where all the processes of cooking, cutting vegetables and meat, kneading dough and others take place. In some kitchens, the worktop may have functions and dining tablefollowed by guests. Based on all this, the requirements for the countertop are put forward serious: not only should it be strong, reliable and durable, withstand all negative influences, so also fit into the interior of the kitchen and decorate the room. These requirements are met today a lot of materials, but which one to choose, and what you need to consider when choosing countertops in your kitchen?

No. 1. What should be a countertop?

The countertop is a stove, which is covered with floor kitchen cabinets. This is often a monolithic slab, because the many joints on the countertop will not give it either an attractive appearance or better functionality. The thickness of the countertops depends on the material chosen, and the width is often equal to the depth of the kitchen tables, although tabletops that protrude behind the furniture facade are often used. Today, traditional kitchen elements such as car wash and hob.

It is clear that it is on the countertop that the hostess will constantly cut, cut and knead something, sometimes they will put hot dishes and put wet vegetables on it, and this is not a complete list of all kinds of influences that the working area will have to withstand. Necessary choose a material that meets these requirements:

• absolute moisture resistance;
• resistance to mechanical stress;
• resistance to thermal influences;
• easy care and resistance to various aggressive substances;
• attractive appearance and compliance with the style of the kitchen.

To one degree or another, these requirements are met by such materials:

• natural and artificial stone;
• metal;
• glass;
• tree;
• ceramic tile;
• laminated surface.

We will stop on these materials to determine which one is best suited in each particular case.

No. 2. Wooden tabletops: naturalness and environmental friendliness

A solid wood worktop is one of the most environmentally friendly, chic and expensive options, but due to its performance and high price this option is not used very often. Basically, for the manufacture of such countertops, pine, birch, oak, and some coniferous wood are used.

Among main advantages you can note:

• attractive appearance. This countertop brings cosiness to the room, perfectly suits the classic style of the kitchen, complements the wooden facades of kitchen cabinetsas well as a wooden table. Moreover, there are many different shades of wood and textures with which your kitchen will become original and unique;
• environmental friendliness and safety, because a natural tree does not emit any dangerous substances.

In production the tree is covered with special oilsto make the material more resistant to environmental influences. Such processing makes the tree more resistant to mechanical stress, avoids warping in the event of moisture. But even such processing does not make it possible to completely get rid of some characteristics of the tree, which in terms of its use for the kitchen countertops disadvantages:

• the need to regularly treat the surface with varnish or oil in order to maintain moisture resistance;
• from various kinds of contaminants that fell on the surface of the countertop, and were not wiped off in a timely manner, noticeable spots can remain that spoil the appearance;
• low resistance to detergents, therefore, it will be possible to wipe the countertop only with a slightly damp soft cloth or sponge, at most, soaked in soapy water;
• low resistance to mechanical stress;
• low resistance to high temperatures, so hot items should only be placed on special stands;
• pores and small cuts of the countertop, which can occur even with the most careful handling, are a hotbed for the development of microbes;
• high price.

No. 3. Laminated countertops: cheap and decorative

Countertops made of moisture-resistant chipboard and coated with a laminated film or plastic, - one of the most popular in modern kitchens. The upper part of the material consists of several layers of kraft paper, which is impregnated with resins, as well as decorative paper, on which some kind of pattern is applied. Top, it is covered with a protective coating of acrylic or melamine resins.

Laminated countertops are widespread in view of such merits:

• affordable price;
• the appearance of such a countertop can be absolutely anything, because on paper you can print any picture. You can imitate the surface of wood or stone, fabric or leather, you can apply any photo, picture, abstraction, texture or a favorite image to paper;
• excellent strength, because the upper protective layer makes the material immune to scratches, shock, high temperature, aggressive detergents and sunlight;
• ease of installation and maintenance.

But the material has some disadvantages:

• low moisture resistance. Despite the fact that in the manufacture of such countertops, moisture-resistant chipboards are used, which are carefully protected by an additional coating, it can swell when water enters the joints. That is why all the places where such a table top adjoins the wall, to the sink, hob, etc. it is very, very thoroughly treated with sealants, and it is better to immediately wipe the moisture entering the material;
• several countertop plates cannot be joined seamlessly;
• complexity of repair in case of damage.

All these shortcomings are more than compensated by the low price and ease of installation, and the normal care of such a countertop will allow it to last for many years. True, you should pay attention to formaldehyde emission: for kitchen suitable material that belongs to the class E0 or E1.

Number 4. MDF worktops: eco-friendly and beautiful

MDF boards can be called absolutely safe material, since here not formaldehyde resins are used for joining small wood shavings, but paraffin and lignin, so there can be no harmful fumes at all. MDF worktops are much more expensive, although in appearance and in terms of operation they are almost the same as chipboard worktops.

The clear benefits of MDF Compared to particle board, in addition to environmental friendliness, there are wider possibilities for processing the material, because it is softer, which means that it will be possible to create a variety of conceivable and unimaginable forms of countertops if someone wants to realize an exclusive interior in their kitchen. True, in this case, do not get too carried away, because you can lose the proper functionality of the countertop.

No. 5.Natural stone worktop: luxury and durability

Natural stone is an excellent material for a kitchen worktop. Its undoubted advantages include:

• appearance that impresses with its luxury, beauty and unique texture;
• moisture resistance;
• resistance to high temperatures.

Countertops made of natural stone very expensive, are very heavy, and some are also quite difficult to maintain. However, it is worth considering the characteristics of such countertops separately for each type of stone:

• granite and basalt most often used for the manufacture of kitchen worktops. Plates of 2-3 cm thickness are used, which undergo polishing, shaping, cutting holes for the sink, etc., but all these operations make the finished product even more expensive. Granite is a fairly dense material that is less hygroscopic than other rocks, and its pattern is unique;
• marble possesses the highest decorative qualities and will become an adornment of any kitchen. This stone is not afraid of moisture at all, but it cannot boast of high mechanical strength, and lemon, coffee or wine can leave noticeable spots on it.

No. 6. Artificial stone is a great alternative to natural

Fake diamond It has all the properties necessary to use it as a kitchen worktop. Artificial stone is made today by different technologies., and as a result, materials with slightly different properties are formed:

• agglomerates made on the basis of granite or marble chips, quartz sand, dyes and polyester resins. The material can imitate the surface of any stone, great for the production of countertops. Agglomerate is of two types: quartz and acrylic stone. Quartz Artificial Stone very strong, solid, heat-resistant, easy to handle. Acrylic stone easy to clean, does not absorb moisture, easy to process, light, but does not withstand the effects of high temperatures, so it’s better not to put hot pans on it;
• porcelain tile It is made on the basis of clay, feldspar, mineral additives and coloring pigments, which are fired to form a monolithic plate. The characteristics of this material are amazing, but it is extremely rarely used for the manufacture of countertops, because it is very difficult to process;
• concrete stone, which is based on sand, cement, coloring pigments, fillers and plasticizers, is also rarely used in the manufacture of kitchen worktops, but has excellent performance.

Today, natural stone is very rarely used in kitchens, and it is replaced with artificial stone, which in appearance and basic properties is not worse, and in some respects even better, and it is completely devoid of many drawbacks. The quartz and acrylic agglomerate are characterized by such common advantages:

• excellent moisture resistance;
• possibility of seamless joining of panels;
• resistance to aggressive detergents;
• the ability to create countertops of various shapes;
• high maintainability of acrylic agglomerate;
• simplicity in leaving;
• high heat resistance of quartz stone;
• variety of possible shades and textures.

The price of artificial stone countertops is average: they are cheaper than similar products from natural stone, but many times more expensive than laminated countertops. Disadvantages such countertops are few, except that acrylics are not able to withstand the effects of high temperatures, and quartz ones are less resistant to restoration than acrylic ones.

Number 7. Metal countertops: shine and durability

Countertops can be made of stainless steel - this fairly uncommon solution, but from this no less interesting and practical.Similar countertops came to ordinary apartments from professional kitchens, because cooks know very well that they cannot find more durable and durable material. Today, for such countertops, they use mirror stainless steel or brushed steel with a thickness of about 0.8 mm. As a rule, sheets are laid on a base made of chipboard, which is tightly supported by metal.

Benefits such solutions are obvious:

• absolute moisture resistance;
• maximum durability;
• resistance to mechanical damage;
• heat resistance;
• simplicity in leaving;
• resistance to aggressive substances;
• seamless connection;
• beautiful appearance that will complement the high-tech kitchen.

But disadvantages of such countertops also have:

• over time, the material may begin to fade;
• such countertops can only be rectangular;
• fingerprints remain visible on the surface, so to simplify care, it is better to choose a matte countertop;
• relatively high price.

By the way except matte and shiny surface, manufacturers are ready to offer some other ways of processing the material, but so far the demand for them is low.

Number 8. Glass worktop - the embodiment of style

This is one of the most unique options for organizing countertops in the kitchen. It looks great, but at the same time it has excellent performance. Such tabletops are made of tempered glass, which tolerates strong blows, but in which case it is not able to injure a person, because if damaged, large fragments with blunt edges form. Among the main advantages of glass countertops:

• high heat resistance;
• strength;
• moisture resistance;
• ease of care, but with abrasive substances you need to be careful;
• a variety of appearance, because the image can be any: plain color, abstraction, any ornaments, paintings and photos.

Among the disadvantages it can be noted a fairly high price, not very high wear resistance and the fact that over time chips will begin to appear on the surface. But with all this, the glass top looks very impressive and can become the highlight and decoration of the kitchen.

No. 9. Ceramic tabletop coating

It’s infrequent, but still possible to meet countertops, faced with ceramic tiles. As a basis, chipboard or MDF boards, plywood or moisture-resistant drywall are selected. For cladding use, as a rule, tile size 10 * 10 or 10 * 15 cm, as well as a mosaic. A similar solution fits perfectly into country-style kitchens.

The main advantages of such countertops:

• moisture resistance;
• durability;
• resistance to aggressive detergents and ease of care;
• heat resistance;
• the ability to create an original unique design.

Among the main disadvantages are:

• many seams between the tiles, which can cause certain difficulties in care;
• the need to regularly repeat the procedure for grouting;
• the complexity of the cladding process.

No. 10. What are the optimal sizes of countertops?

When you have clearly decided on the material and color of the countertop, you need to think about its parameters: height and width. The countertop should be comfortable in the first place, so it is necessary that It corresponded to the kitchen in size, provided comfort and ergonomics.

The main parameter is height. You need to build on the growth of the one who often uses the worktop for cooking. So, there is a rule that from the elbows to the countertops should be 10-15 cm, so for people who are 150-160 cm tall, the countertop should be located at a height of 82 cm, 160-170 cm - 88 cm, 170-180 cm - 91 cm But in each case, additional analysis is needed.

As for worktop width, then the optimal figure is 60-65 cm: this ensures maximum convenience in performing all work processes. The distance to the hinged kitchen cabinets in this case can be 47-50 cm. If the kitchen is small, and the project provides for a smaller width of the tabletop, it is necessary to create sufficient visibility of the tabletop: arrange hanging cabinets a little higher or make them already. Anyway, without lighting in this area can not do.

In conclusion

The kitchen worktop takes all the blow and is the most loaded element in the whole kitchen. That is why the material should be as resistant as possible to all types of exposure, but at the same time have an attractive appearance, because often the countertop smoothly flows into the dining area. In order to choose the right material for the countertop and its size, it is better to draw up a kitchen design project in advance, and our tips should help you figure out the full variety of materials.