So, you have make the decision to
add a new countertop in the kitchen. In retrospect, the decision was
not that difficult of a decision to make. After all, you will
increase the value of your home by installing a kitchen countertop.
In addition, the brand new kitchen countertop will increase the
amount of space you have for cooking delicious meals, as well as add
more seats for entertaining guests.

The real question is not whether you
should install a new kitchen countertop, but what type of material
you should select to maximize the benefits of adding a countertop in
the kitchen.

Let’s take a look at why choosing
the right countertop material is so important. Then, we will provide
a summary of three popular kitchen countertop materials.

The Importance of
Selecting the Right Countertop Material

Although it appears wise to place
more emphasis on one or two factors for determining the right
material for a kitchen countertop, it is more prudent to factor in
every possible reason for choosing the right material. For example,
you should avoid opting for a kitchen countertop material solely
because of the price per square foot of the countertop material.

We recommend considering the
following six factors to help you learn why choosing the right
countertop material is so important.

Functionality

When you consider installing a
kitchen countertop, you are making a decision to add a kitchen area
that should last for decades. This means choosing a countertop
material must be partially about how you plan to use the new kitchen
countertop. Will the new countertop act as a secondary area for
preparing and cooking delicious meals? Will it be used mostly as a
storage area for all of your kitchen gadgets? Do you want to make the
new countertop the center of attention for entertaining guests?
Knowing how you will use the new countertop goes a long way towards
helping you decide on the right material.

Long Lasting
Durability

This kind of goes hand in hand with
functionality. If you plan to do a lot of dicing, slicing, and
chopping, then choosing the right countertop material based on
durability is important. You will want a countertop material that
resists the damage caused by dents and scratches. Strong impacts
should be absorbed and the countertop material should be able to
withstand prolonged exposure to high heat and damp conditions.

Looks Matter

Let’s face it. You are not adding
a kitchen countertop just to enhance the functionality of the
kitchen. You also want to build a kitchen countertop that enhances
the aesthetic appeal of the kitchen. Although it is relatively easy
to place a value on how improve functionality increases the value of
your home, it is much more difficult to assign a dollar amount to
enhanced kitchen aesthetics. Nonetheless, building a beautiful new
kitchen countertop is an important part of any home improvement
project.

Budget

Choosing the right countertop
material is so important because it determines whether you remain
within the kitchen remodel budget. Every home improvement project
requires prioritizing different tasks, from installing insulation in
the attic to repairing a gaping hole in the garage. Prioritizing a
home improvement project involves deciding which tasks are the most
critical, as well as listing each task by cost. You have to choose a
kitchen countertop material that fits within your home improvement
budget.

Increase in Home
Value

The ultimate goal of installing a
kitchen countertop should be to enjoy an increase in the value of
your home. As we mentioned, a new kitchen countertop adds value to
your home by improving the appearance of the kitchen, as well as
making your kitchen a much more functional place to cook and
entertain guests. However, if you select the wrong kitchen countertop
material, you might sacrifice home value by diminishing the visual
appeal of the kitchen and/or decreasing the functionality of the
highest traffic area of your home.

3 Popular Countertop
Materials

You have two broad categories
to when it comes to choosing the right kitchen countertop
material: Natural stone and engineered stone. We present two popular
countertop materials from the natural stone category and one
countertop material option from the engineered stone category.

Marble

Considered by many home décor
experts to be the most elegant appearing natural stone, marble can
turn an ordinary kitchen into a sleek room that impresses guests with
its aesthetic appeal. Soft and mostly porous, the natural stone
quickly absorbs liquids, such as red wine and vinegar oil. Stunningly
beautiful patterns allow you to change how your kitchen looks. As a
softer stone, marble can be susceptible to the damage caused by
extremely strong impacts.

Marble ranks
at the higher end of countertop materials in terms of cost. A square
foot of a marble slab averages around $60. However, the natural stone
can sell for as low as $40
per square foot and as high as a little more than $100 a square
foot.

Quartz

Constructed with 93% quartz
particles and seven percent binding polymer resins, quartz is the
right kitchen countertop material for absorbing strong impacts. If
you plan to use the new countertop as the primary food prep area,
then you cannot go wrong with making quartz the right material.
Quartz is a difficult countertop material to chip, as well as dent
and scratch. Since it is engineered, quartz is easy to customize to
ensure it blends in seamlessly with the rest of the kitchen décor.
Price per square foot for quartz tends to be a bit higher than most
other types of countertop materials.

Granite

Highly durable granite withstands
virtually every type of kitchen activity, from cooking food on high
heat to pounding chicken breasts into thinner pieces. Although
granite possesses a specific appearance in terms of its exterior
shape, the natural stone offers a wide variety and patterns to
deliver the ultimate in kitchen décor flexibility. Granite’s high
PSI rating means it is impervious to the damage caused by water. You
do not need to seal granite, as its surface is not porous enough
warrant adhering to a regular sealing schedule.