Most consumers will look at the colors & patterns to determine which countertop they choose for their kitchen. This article intends to dig a bit deeper to determine the correct material makeup as well.
Countertops are the work surface of your kitchen. You cut, clean, slice & dice your food, preferably on a cutting board, as it sits on the countertop. Most foods need to be washed, inspected and prepared, spiced to cook or combine with others before they’re served. These foods are then plated and served from the countertop to the dining table. As your work surface, the countertop in supporting all these activities will get wet, cluttered, and dirty. Easy cleanup is therefore a must. Most commercially available surfaces will do the job, so which do you choose?
Laminates: Traditional laminated surfaces are waterproof & inexpensive. Preformed laminates usually have a 4” built-in backsplash and a raised bump at the front so that water will not run off in either direction. Generally, the subsurface is press board, which can be damaged by water and the sink is commonly surface mounted. The colors offered continually change with the trends of the day.
Granite: Granite is a natural stone hewn from a quarry in many parts of the world. Where the stone comes from, often dictates what color and the price it commands. Granite is categorized in groups from A-H that determines the color movement (patterns swirls etc.) and price the vendor will ask. The stone is cut & polished to fit your kitchen. A surface sealer is applied to ensure it does not absorb water. The sealer should be reapplied every couple of years. Usually an undermount sink is used, so you can easily sweep moisture into it. For years a 4” backsplash of the same material, was set against the back wall & sealed with silicone to keep water from running off the back. Often today the entire backsplash is covered with the same stone or a ceramic tile that comes all the way down to the countertop and sealed at that edge. The front edge can be square, mitered, rounded or couped. No bump is provided to keep moisture from dripping. The overhang of the stone is critical therefore, so water drips on the floor not dribbling down the front of your cabinets.
Quartzite: Quartzite is another natural stone that is like granite but has different color and grain features. However, it does absorb water and must be sealed (and resealed) to keep it waterproof!
Quartz: Quartz is a man-made surface that is poured into flat sheets. It combines of ground up quartz with resin or palmers (plastics) to bind the stone to create a hard fully waterproof surface. As such the colors and designs are added in the factory which do change as the fashions dictate. Installation, use and features mimic granite and has overtaken granite in popularity as the preferred countertop choice.
Porcelain: Porcelain is perhaps the oldest hard surface and yet a newcomer to the countertop industry. The Ming Dynasty invented porcelain hundreds of years ago. Porcelain is a ceramic (clay) material made by firing the raw materials to very high temperatures and then pouring it onto a flat substrate. The colors and designs are inserted by the manufacture. Porcelain countertops are significantly thinner and brittle so they may need a supporting underlayment to ensure they don’t crack. As a result, adding a wider edge strip is common to cover the underlayment and gives it a more massive look. Mitering the edges is recommended to make the edge seamless and preventing chipping. Porcelain countertops are heat resistant so putting a hot pot down on them will not cause a crack or burn! Their surface is more mate because a shiny version tends to look very glassy. They make for excellent backsplash because they are thin & flat. As the industry usage matures many color & pattern choices have arisen.
Ceramic tile was used as a waterproof countertop extensively in the 1950’s and you may still consider it, in special circumstances. Natural wood and butcherblock when properly sealed can uniquely provide warmth, color, texture and interest to your kitchen. I recently used a 2” thick slice of a tree as an island countertop.
Finally, a word about countertop’s ability to be made kosher for Passover. Natural stone despite their sealer can be “koshered” for Passover. Porcelain, tile & wood countertops cannot be made kosher for Passover. Consult your local Rabbi about quartz & laminate countertops as there are differing opinions on them.
