The range of materials that can be used for kitchen countertops is amazingly diverse, and some materials on the list may be surprising to you. Each material has its advantages and disadvantages, all of which need to be weighed when choosing. The more esoteric materials, such as bamboo, zinc, and stainless steel, may prove to be too expensive and hard to maintain for most people. For most homeowners, they will include materials such as slab granite, engineered stone (quartz), solid surface material, as well as traditional laminates and ceramic tile. But it’s best to rule nothing out until you learn a little more about each option.
Pros
Laminate countertops are one of the most affordable options.Installation is an easy DIY project when you install pre-fabricated (post-form) countertop sections.Great variety is possible if you build a countertop from scratch using designer laminates. Thousands of colors and patterns are available.
Cons
Laminates are considered inferior by some home buyers; they may be a drawback when you try to sell your home. Laminates can peel up, chip, and scorch easily.Laminate countertops can feel hollow and lightweight compared to other materials.
Bottom Line
Although once considered the black sheep of the countertop industry, laminates are now available in such diversity that they are making a big comeback. Don’t overlook laminates until you see what is available.
Pros
Tile is second only to laminate as an inexpensive countertop material.Ceramic tile is relatively easy for a DIYer to install. Modern porcelain types offer diverse design options—porcelain tiles can look like natural wood, real stone, and many other materials.
Cons
Grout seams are easily stained and are hard to clean. Ceramic tile is brittle and prone to cracking. Repair is difficult, requiring full replacement of damaged tiles.
Bottom Line
Ceramic tile countertops are a good option for DIYers seeking to save money, and newer porcelain and glass tiles give a much wider range of design options than ever before. But tile in any form requires a lot of maintenance, and the many grout seams can be a headache to keep clean.
Pros
Solid granite slabs make very heavy and durable countertops.No two pieces of granite are alike, making each countertop entirely unique.Considered a premium building material, granite countertops tend to improve home real estate values. No-seam countertops are usually possible.
Cons
Granite is a fairly expensive material. Like many other types of natural stone, granite requires periodic sealing in order to protect it from stains. Granite is not a DIY-friendly material—it must be installed by pros.
Bottom Line
Of the natural stone options, granite slabs are the most popular, and for good reason. Solid granite slabs make very heavy and durable countertops and improve home values. Slabs are a better choice than the other granite options—modular granite and granite tile.
Pros
Possible to install by a homeowner. The hardest part is hefting the slabs around.Inexpensive by granite countertop standards.
Cons
These countertops will still have some seams and will not look like solid slabs. Modular slabs are considerably thinner than solid slabs, and they can be cracked or broken. Like solid granite, periodic sealing is necessary to protect against stains.
Bottom Line
While modular granite offers DIYers an opportunity to install granite countertops, they are somewhat inferior in look and performance to solid slabs. Further, DIY installation is harder than it first appears.
Pros
Granite tiles offer some degree of prestige, though not the same as solid stone slabs.Can be installed by a homeowner in a weekend or two. Granite tile is the cheapest and easiest of the granite options.
Cons
Will be easily recognized as a DIY countertop by prospective home buyers.Tiles are thinner than slabs or modular granite, and hence more susceptible to breaking and cracking.The many grout seams can be easily stained and are difficult to clean.Like all natural stone, granite tiles must be periodically sealed to protect them against stains.
Bottom Line
Granite tile countertops are generally less admired than solid granite or even modular granite countertops, but they are an option for homeowners seeking to save money by installing the countertop themselves. The many grout seams make upkeep and maintenance difficult.
Pros
Marble has a natural veining that makes it the most beautiful of all natural stone.Because each slab has slightly different veining, each marble countertop will be entirely unique.
Cons
Marble is porous and can be easily stained unless it is regularly sealed with a top-quality sealing product. A relatively soft stone, marble is easily scratched by knives and other kitchen utensils. Like most natural stone, marble is a rather expensive material for large expanses.
Bottom Line
Although a uniquely beautiful choice, marble is a relatively soft and porous stone that has drawbacks when used in kitchens. A better choice might be granite, an engineered stone, or solid-surface material that resembles marble.
Pros
Soapstone has a warm feeling and milky look, due to the high amount of talc in the stone.These countertops give kitchens an antique look.Because soapstone is rarely used for kitchen counters anymore, they create a conversation pieceLess porous than other stone, soapstone resists stains and is fairly easy to clean.
Cons
While harder than you might think, soapstone can be gouged and scratched. Soapstone is rather expensive, sometimes costing more than granite. These countertops should be oiled periodically to maintain their patina. Colors are limited to mostly shades of white and gray.
Bottom Line
Soapstone is a somewhat rare material for countertops, making it a pricey option but one that some homeowners may enjoy for its uniqueness.
Pros
Slate is non-porous and resists stains well. Slate resists bacteria very well.A hard, durable stone, slate countertops hold up very well. Slate is usually less costly than granite, marble, or soapstone.
Cons
Slate does have a gritty, matte texture that may not be well-suited for many kitchen preparation applications.There are fewer color options than with other materials.
Bottom Line
Slate countertops warrant consideration for homeowners looking for something unusual but subtle. There are surprisingly few downsides to slate countertops.
Pros
Solid-surface countertops are more affordable than natural stone and engineered quartz.The appearance gives a good simulation of granite or quartz. Minor scratches can be sanded or buffed out with fine sandpaper.Hundreds of colors and patterns are available, making this a very versatile material for kitchen design.
Cons
Solid surface materials are prone to scorching, cracking, and scratches. Once regarded as an upper-end material, solid-surface is now often seen as a cheaper alternative to engineered stone products such as quartz.
Bottom Line
Solid surface countertops are very versatile and give a reasonable and much more affordable alternative to granite and engineered quartz. Solid surface countertops aren’t difficult to clean, either.
Pros
These are very beautiful countertops due to the inclusion of quartz crystals and other natural minerals.Quartz countertops are highly sought after, creating high resale value in a home.Many different colors and styles are available.These countertops are more durable and less susceptible to scratching than a solid surface.
Cons
Quartz countertops are exceedingly heavy.Quartz countertops are quite expensive—on a par with natural granite. Must be installed only be experienced installers. There is no DIY option.
Bottom Line
Quartz countertops offer the best of all worlds—a countertop with the beauty of natural stone and the flexibility of solid-surface material.
Pros
Concrete countertops are a great conversation piece: everyone who visits your home will comment on them.Concrete can be shaped to fit any size.
Cons
Concrete countertops are very heavy, requiring special bracing.These are very expensive countertops, requiring the work of custom craftsmen.
Bottom Line
Concrete countertops are not for everyone, but they may be appropriate for high-end homes for a truly unique, modern look.
Pros
Featuring recycled glass, these are very green products. Vetrazzo, a major glass slab maker, uses 85 percent glass by volume in their slabs, of which 100 percent is recycled. These are hard and non-absorbent countertops that are resistant to stains and easy to clean. Many unique colors and patterns are available.
Cons
Recycled glass slab countertops are a specialized material, often hard to obtain.Few companies know how to fabricate glass slab counters; they must be certified.These are very costly countertops.
Bottom Line
For most people, the high expense of recycled glass slab countertops is justified only for the novelty factor, since the same look and performance can usually be achieved in engineered quartz. However, there are some recycled glass slabs that offer a true one-of-a-kind look.
Pros
This is an Inexpensive way to get recycled glass on your kitchen countertops.Unlike recycled glass slabs, laying tile is a good DIY project.Materials are readily available.
Cons
Seams between tiles are subject to staining. Glass is a brittle material, prone to breaking, chipping, cracking.
Bottom Line
Glass tiles are not durable enough for kitchen countertop use and should be used instead for backsplashes.
Pros
Glass is one of the very best materials for resisting bacteria (and easy to clean). A high-tensile glass is heat-, scratch-, mold-, and stain-resistant. These countertops have an unusual and captivating look that cannot be duplicated by any other countertop material.
Cons
While glass countertops do have high tensile strength, they are still glass—and can crack.Few countertop fabricators are equipped to install this special material.
Bottom Line
Unless you live in a major metro area, it’s difficult to find fabricators who will deal with glass counters. This is probably not a great choice unless you are determined to have unique countertops and can find an installer interested in working with them.
Pros
Stainless steel is germ-resistant and very sanitary.In the right kitchen design, these can be very beautiful countertops.
Cons
Stainless steel is a very expensive countertop option.Difficult to fabricate, stainless steel requires specialty workmanship that may be difficult to find.
Bottom Line
Prohibitively expensive for most people, stainless steel is really suitable only for upper-end homes where the look of a commercial kitchen is desired.
Pros
This can be considered a green kitchen countertop alternative to that other, more common composite countertop—laminate. Even the resins in these products are green—plant-based rather than petroleum-based.
Cons
Not readily available at your local kitchen design center, these will require a special order.Fabricators and installers are unfamiliar with the product and may be reluctant to work with it.
Bottom Line
The time may not yet be right for paper countertops. Because this is a special order item, prices are high and supplies are limited. This option is for the adventurous homeowner who wants to try a truly unique, and somewhat unproven, countertop material.
Pros
These countertops consist of up to 97 percent recycled content. They create a sleek, contemporary style. The product is truly eco-friendly, using no VOCs.
Cons
Recycled aluminum countertops are expensive and still rare in residential applications.
Bottom Line
Although an interesting new material, recycled aluminum countertops are somewhat unproven for now. Only time will tell if this will be the next engineered quartz.
Pros
Wood countertops are the epitome of green and eco-friendly.These are highly unique countertops for a kitchen—a conversation piece.Imparts a classic look in your kitchen.
Cons
Requires some research and legwork to find the right materials. Wood requires significant sealing with tung oil. Craft Art recommends that a certified service provider does this. If not carefully maintained and sealed, wood countertops can harbor germs.
Bottom Line
This is a questionable choice for kitchen countertops. With wood being an organic material that does not mix well with water, most homeowners envision rotting, moldy wood that needs to be replaced after a few years of use. That vision is partly true: if you don’t keep up on the constant maintenance, wood will rot quickly. Are you willing to take on the upkeep?
Pros
Zinc makes an absolutely unique countertop—yours will be one-of-a-kind.Scratches can be sanded out. The metal achieves a beautiful patina through age and wear.
Cons
Zinc is softer than stainless steel.Zinc countertops are a specialty item requiring custom (and expensive) fabrication.
Bottom Line
Zinc countertops may be found frequently in Ernest Hemingway novels set in Paris bars, but the high cost makes them impractical for most residential kitchens.
Pros
Bamboo is an eco-friendly material and completely renewable resource. Countertops have an attractive wood-like appearance.Bamboo countertops are harder than natural wood.
Cons
The product relies on a significant volume of synthetic adhesives to create a solid surface.There is often a long lead time for delivery and fabrication, as bamboo countertops are still a rare item.
Bottom Line
Bamboo gives your countertops an eco-friendly, but this material is difficult to find.
