Kitchen countertop plays a critical role in your kitchen. It’s where most of the action takes place. It is a very essential part of the kitchen that should be well-thought of. When it comes to the design and the kind of countertop to use, it is very important to look into a reliable countertop comparison chart. There are a lot of countertops made of different materials in the market. Among the most common are laminate, solid surface, quartz, and granite.
In the recent countertop comparison chart, these four common countertop materials were rated in seven different categories.
These categories are the Design and Appearance, Repairability, Resistance to Molds, Resistance to Stain, Resistance to Scratch, Resistance to Heat and Burn, and Nonporous. Now, let’s talk about the performance of each material under each category.
Design and Appearance
In the chart, the solid surface tops it. Solid surface countertops are very stunning and well-designed. The designs are very appealing and are captivating. Each time you’ll enter your kitchen, you’ll feel so refreshed and eager to work and stay in the kitchen. This is because your solid surface countertops are just awesome and give you good vibes.
The three – laminate, granite and quartz – seem to be equal in terms of the design and appearance.
Repairability
If you need a countertop, an important thing you need to consider is the repairability of the material. Fortunately, there is one countertop material that ensures you 100% repairability and renewability. That is the solid surface. It’s repairable and reusable. But, you’ll less likely to repair it because it’s very durable. Most household only re-purposed their solid surface countertops if they need to have a new design in their kitchen countertop.
Quartz followed the solid surface. Both granite and laminate are poor when it comes to repairability.
Resistivity
The countertop should be not susceptible to a lot of things before it’s considered “resistant.” Below are some of the things your countertop material should be resistant to:
Resistance to Molds
Manufacturers should ensure that their products are not prone to host and grow fungi like molds and mildew. When it comes to mold and mildew resistance, quartz is the best material. Solid surface, laminate, and granite are slightly resistant to molds. But, they are still coated to prevent the growth of these fungi.
Resistance to Stain
Since the countertop is where most of the action takes place, it needs to be stain resistant. Almost every countertop is created to resist all kinds of stain. It’s perfectly finished in order to keep the stains away. Unfortunately, granite is only slightly resistant to stain.
Resistance to Scratch
Aside from stain, another thing that manufacturers are focusing on is scratch resistivity. The leading scratch resistant material is quartz. It’s excellent in protecting your countertop from all sorts of scratches. Granite, laminate, and solid surface slightly resist scratches. But, they are still good at preventing visible scratches on the surface. The solid surface, on the other hand, still got luster beneath the surface. So, scratches still seem invisible.
Resistance to Heat and Burn
Since you are dealing with fire and heat in the kitchen, your kitchen countertop should be very heat and burn resistant. Of course, this should be true to all countertops. However, from the top four countertop materials, only quartz and granite are highly resistant to heat and burn. Laminate and solid surface are both slightly resistant to heat. But, quartz surface and laminate can scorch. Unfortunately, solid surface will melt when exposed to very high temperature and heat.
Nonporous
In order to minimize dirt and the possible population of bacteria in the kitchen, countertops should be non-porous. When it comes to this capacity, solid surface and quartz are excellent in preventing liquids to penetrate beyond the surface. Laminate and granite, on the other hand, are slightly porous. The latter two are still reliable when it comes to preventing the liquid and dirt from seeping in. However, they are not as excellent as quartz and solid surface.
From the countertop comparison chart, quartz and solid surface countertops are far better than laminate and granite.
However, sometimes, households prefer graphite or laminate for some reasons. So, it’s very important to really know what you need and what are the major activities you’ll be doing in your kitchen.
The countertop that is best for your neighbor or your friend may not be the best for you. So, it’s really very important to assess your needs and the activities you’ll have in the kitchen. Furthermore, it’s also critical to know the characteristics of each of these materials in order to have the best countertop. Know your own needs or talk to experts regarding your problem, so you’ll be able to get the right answer and can pick the right countertop that’s fit for your style, your budget, and your needs.
We, at Fidelity & Designs, pride ourselves on being professional, reliable, and affordable. We can help remodel your kitchen or any part of your home. We are fully licensed and fully insured. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation at 1-877-405-0409