A kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your house. With 3 meals a day, plus some snacks it is where you will be spending most of your time. Before deciding what counter top to get, you should decide what is important to you? Cost? Durability? Heat resistant? Scratches? Easy to clean? No staining? All factors you might want to think about before deciding which one to choose.
In this blog, we’ll talk about all the countertops made from quartz stone. Quartz is a natural stone, however, there many man-made stones which add other elements. Other examples include Caeserstone, Dekton, Silestone, and Sapienstone.
Quartzite
Quartzite is the name of the natural stone. There are many advantages to using natural stone, rather than something man-made.
Advantages:
- Low maintenance
- Durability.
- Quartzite may be more expensive than other materials but you will be saving more in the long run.
- Comes in various colors, to make your kitchen look fabulous!
Disadvantages:
- It is more expensive than other materials.
- Less resistant to stains, in fact, it needs to be sealed to be protected against stains.
Caesarstone
What is Caesarstone? Well, it is 93% Caesarstone quartz stone and 7% Polyresin. It is a beautiful stone but is it something you want to use in your kitchen?
Advantages:
- Just because the stone is not a natural stone does not mean it does not look good. Caesarstone is beautiful looking.
- Easy to maintain, just clean with soap and water.
- It is non-porous, which means they are resistant to scratches, cracks and chips in the material.
- If you don’t like one color, don;t worry there are many colors and patterns to choose from.
Disadvantges:
- It is not heat resistant, so don’t put your hot pots and pans straight on it.
- It is a heavy material, so make sure the frame around it can hold it up.
Dekton
Dekton countertops are sneaking onto the radar as the latest craze in kitchen countertop materials. Dekton is made from a proprietary blend of natural quartz stone, porcelain, and glass. The process involves mixing the raw materials, under extreme pressure and heat. We’re talking compressors that squash at 5900 psi (pounds per square inch) and ovens that reach 2191ºF (1200ºC). The idea behind Dekton is to improve upon the performance of quartz countertops, which are an extremely popular and excellent surface.
Advantages:
- You can set down pans of boiling water or hot skillets right onto the counter without fear of damage due to thermal shock.
- Dekton is so dense that it is non-porous and is virtually impervious to liquids.
- Thanks to its exceptional density, Dekton is very hard to scratch.
- Dekton also works outdoors, for those that might want to have a surface outside for all those summer Barbeques.
Disadvantages:
- It can chip around the edges.
- It is on the more expensive side.
- Dekton is not something that can be installed by you, it needs a professional.
Silestone
Silestone is comprised of natural quartz crystals, with the remainder of raw ingredients being polyester resin, color agents, and antimicrobial protection, among other items. The polyester resin is what binds and holds the quartz crystals together, creating the Silestone surface.
Advantages:
- Scratch-resistant, it is one of the most durable materials found in nature.
- It is easy to clean and with all the spillages young children make it is a great option.
- The options of colors and patterns are endless.
- The Silestone countertop surface is non-porous. This means that they are resistant to stains, bacteria, and viruses on their surface.
Disadvantages:
- One of the more noticeable disadvantages is that it can come at a high price.
- Not tolerant to high levels of heat, so don’t put your hot pots and pans on it.
- It is not a DIY project.
Sapienstone
SapienStone slabs are crafted from ceramic clays and mineral colorings and, thanks to the unique manufacturing process, these slabs will not be altered by heat, light, or chemical cleaners and disinfectant products.
Advantages:
- Durable to heat, allowing you to put your hot pots and pans on the surface directly.
- Scratch-resistant.
- Easy to maintain
- Comes in many colors
- It’s a 100% natural product made of raw and clay-based materials
Disadvantages:
- It will crack under blunt force. It’s strong but not that strong. As long as you don’t take a hammer or a meat cleaver to it, it’ll be fine.
- It comes at a high price
Right, well I think that covers all the counter tops you can possibly find. If you are still unsure of which counter top will be the best for your kitchen then be in touch for a consultation!
