Stone Kitchen Countertop Resources - Pros and Cons of Typical Stone Countertops


One of several hottest trends in home based design today is stone kitchen countertops. These durable, heat-resistant, luxurious counters are a beautiful and practical accessory for any home. However with all of the different varieties of natural and engineered stones on the market, choosing the proper one for your household can seem to be daunting. It might take some time to analyze, but each of these counter materials have pluses and minuses, so it is crucial that you evaluate what one is befitting for the needs you have.

Granite Countertops

Granite is a very common form of igneous (volcanic) rock that forms beautiful crystalline textures. A difficult form of rock, granite is well suited for use as a counter in kitchens and bathrooms because it's both heat and scratch resistant. Granite is formed by pressure and heat over ages, so no two items of this stone are ever exactly alike. This one-of-a-kind characteristic is especially appealing to homeowners who wish a truly unique space. Granite countertops can be purchased in a variety of natural colors and patterns, from neutrals to striking blues and greens. Natural stone countertops like granite do typically raise the valuation on your home more than engineered stones like quartz as buyers tend to gravitate toward natural materials.

However, despite its prestigious reputation, granite countertops do have several disadvantages. To start with, granite is a relatively porous stone, meaning it has to be chemically sealed to withstand stains. The sealing process is not hard, nevertheless it must occasionally be repeated; some people consider this to be requirement of routine maintenance a poor. Secondly, granite is commonly a high priced material. While granite tiles works extremely well in place of granite slabs to cut back the price of the countertop, few people can afford a granite countertop.

Marble Countertops

Homeowners are drawn to the luxurious appearance of marble countertops. The distinctive appearance of marble can dramatically boost the worth of the house, because it is typically considered a prestigious, sophisticated material. Furthermore marble countertops are the preferred surface for serious bakers as the cool stone is fantastic for pie crusts, pastries, and also other baked goods. Marble countertops are also available in a huge range of colors from delicate blushes to vibrant blacks, each uniquely formed by nature.



Marble is equipped with some distinct drawbacks as a countertop material. To begin with, marble is a smoother stone than granite, so that it includes a greater tendency to scratch and mar than granite countertops. Additionally, polished marble is susceptible to etching when acidic liquids are invariably spilled into it. These spots and marks can destroy the finish of the countertop; this can be avoided issue by selecting a honed finish in place of a polished finish, but many homeowners choose to appearance of polished marble. Finally, marble can be a porous, absorbent stone, meaning it tends to stain. Although some homeowners just like the patina their marble countertops develop over the years, many do ponder over it a drawback.

Soapstone Countertops

You're likely knowledgeable about soapstone from a high school graduation chemistry lab; those black tables were created from soapstone. Today soapstone is now popular in kitchen countertops because of its extreme stain resistance. It's also heat resistant and won't etch.

One issue with soapstone counters is because are just obtainable in a restricted number of dark colors. Soapstone is generally a grayish color as the name indicated, though it is normally oiled with a black finish for commercial and residential use. Soapstone counters are also susceptible to scratching. However, soapstone counters can be sanded to get rid of nicks and mars, and this inclination towards scratching might not be viewed as a huge shortcoming.

Limestone Countertops

Limestone is a sedimentary rock with qualities comparable to marble. Available in a variety of neutrals and whites, limestone countertops possess a smooth appearance, unlike granite. Formed from sand along with the shells of aquatic life, limestone frequently includes small fossils and shells; some homeowners particularly value this excellent facet of limestone countertops.

However, like marble, limestone is a soft rock: it is likely to stain and scratch easily which is vunerable to etching. Your limestone counter can be sealed to help you prevent staining and etching, but limestone is not appropriate for high use areas such as kitchens.

Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops are constructed from an engineered stone made from 93% quartz, pigment, and resin. This stone counter material has numerous of the qualities of granite, but devoid of the upkeep issues. Quartz countertops are heat and scratch resistant and does not stain. And, unlike granite, quartz never needs to be sealed. As a man-made material, quartz counters have a very uniform color and pattern. Some homeowners do prefer this consistent look to the facets of stone. What's more, it implies that if your segment of your respective quartz countertop is damaged, an identical replacement section can be acquired from your manufacturer without concerns about matching.

Even though it might seem that quartz countertops are inherently superior, they are doing have many drawbacks. The key issue is that despite a similar cost, engineered quartz counters don't raise the valuation on your own home up to granite countertops do. House buyers choose the natural material in the man-made counter, so you will want to bear this in mind if you are remodeling your kitchen area as an investment. Additionally, although quartz counters are built to mimic the natural appearance of granite, many people believe that quartz lacks the depth and wonder of granite. To be certain which look that suits you, be sure to see samples of both natural and engineered stone. Finally, with quartz your color and pattern options are more limited than by using gemstone. You can find a large numbers of colors available, but especially if you're attempting to exactly fit existing colors you could possibly like the limitless rainbow of piece of rock.

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