A Quick Guide to Choosing the Best Material for Kitchen Benchtops

If you need a fresh, updated look to your kitchen, you may not need to remodel or renovate the entire space, as sometimes new benchtops are all you need to make the entire kitchen look new. A lighter shade of material can also brighten the space and even make it seem cleaner. Since there is such a wide variety of materials from which to choose for kitchen benchtops, note a few quick tips to help you find a benchtop surface you'll love for years to come.

Concrete

Concrete may sound very industrial, but rest assured that using poured concrete won't create benchtops that look like a parking lot surface. Concrete can be painted or stained and stamped to look like stone pieces. It can also be buffed to resemble glass. 

Concrete is relatively eco-friendly, as it's made from easily harvested and abundant materials including sand and gravel. You can also recycle old concrete by adding it to a mixture of new materials. However, you do typically need to keep a mixing truck running as you pour concrete, and this does create some fumes and emissions. Your floors may also need added bracing to hold up the weight of concrete benchtops.

Wood

A butcher-block benchtop is a very traditional style that can tone down the look of stainless steel appliances. Bamboo is an eco-friendly choice as this wood is very easy to replenish. Any variety of wood will show the most marks and burns from food prep, and will need to be consistently sealed, so it may be the choice with the most maintenance over time.

Stone

Stone benchtops are very durable, although they too will need regular resealing. Granite is very dense and this density makes it virtually impervious to collecting germs and bacteria, if you have it sealed as needed. In most cases, you can also prep food right on the granite surface without causing chips, cuts, burns, and scratches. One of granite's other advantages is the deep, unique coloring of the stone; rarely are two pieces of granite alike, so for the most unique look for your kitchen, choose granite. 

Marble is also very strong but not quite as dense as granite; because it's more porous, marble needs to be polished and sealed more often than many other stones. Another choice is engineered stone, which is a manmade mixture of quartz and silica that looks like natural stone. One of the biggest advantages of engineered stone is that it's usually much more affordable than natural stone, while still providing a strong and durable benchtop surface.