Choosing a countertop material shouldn’t be a task taken lightly. It’s going to be a feature of your home that will highlight and enrich a space for years to come. There are hundreds of options when it comes to countertops so it’s important to be prepared.
Style, cost, durability, and so many other factors play a part in making your final decision. Read the following 6 most important facts to know when choosing a countertop so you can be confident with your pick.
1. Have a Plan and Vision
Don’t choose a countertop material before you have a plan and a vision. It’s crucial that you know exactly how you want your room to look with the installed countertop in place. Sure, leave some wiggle room, but make sure you have a clear vision of what you want your end result to be.
If you don’t you will find yourself painstakingly reviewing your options to no end, or you will make a hasty decision that you might regret.
Neither of these avenues is what picking a countertop should entail. Instead, take the time to know your space and ask yourself questions about what you want and how you will get it.
Is your countertop material for a kitchen or a bathroom? This will make a huge difference in the choices that you may want to look at. What is your desired style? Is style more important than functionality, or vice versa?
There are unending options of countertop surfaces and if you don’t have the basic questions answered of what you want, you will find the process to be more difficult and the end result may not be what you had in mind.
2. Know Your Budget
One of the most basic questions and a starting point for any purchase, especially for countertops, is to ask yourself how much you’re able or willing to spend. Know your budget limits so you don’t make a decision that your wallet can’t carry.
The cost for countertop surfaces varies greatly depending on many factors such as quality, durability, and style. Laminate is one of the less expensive varieties and can range from anything as low as $7 per square foot for a basic custom countertop and upwards to $65 for professionally installed laminate.
Higher end countertops like quartz, marble, and expensive natural stones can cost upwards from $75 to $100 and above per square foot.
3. Do Your Research
As previously mentioned, not knowing what you want can really cause some bumps in the road when it comes to choosing a countertop material. It’s essential that you are armed with information on the different countertops that are an option for your home.
There is a significant amount of variety when it comes to countertop surfaces. Many of the go-to’s like marble, granite, quartz, and wood have a lot of variety within their own category.
4. Durability Matters
If you’re looking for a functional and long-lasting countertop material, make sure you consider the durability of your choices. Durability is the countertops ability to withstand wear and tear and keep working for you as it was designed.
The greater durability, the greater functionality. Granite is known to be an extremely durable countertop material. It is resistant to staining, scratching, and heat while something cheaper like laminate does not stand up as well to the test of extended everyday use.
Some countertops are highly durable against extended use. This means that they will not stain easily if wine is spilled or an acidic lemon is left on the countertop too long.
Also with a lot of use comes the risk of accumulating scratches, discoloration, and etching on countertop surfaces. Durable countertops will have a higher resistance against these factors.
5. Maintenance Matters
To get the most out of whatever countertop material you choose, it’s important to learn the ropes of caring for your countertop surface. Maintaining your countertop properly will ensure that you will be able to use and enjoy your countertop for years to come.
Many natural stone countertops must be sealed with special sealants once or twice every one to two years. This will prevent the risks of damaging your countertop with discoloration, staining, and scratches.
The softer a natural stone is, such a metamorphic marble countertop, the more maintenance you will have to keep up with. Many pricier countertop materials may require more maintenance to upkeep the fine quality of the stone.
This will mean sealing your countertop as mentioned, and making sure you clear away spills in time, and wipe down your countertops each night.
Some varieties of countertops do not require extensive maintenance, if any at all. Laminate countertops are not highly durable but do not require detailed care besides a basic cleaning or wiping down after use. Resin is another non-porous material that is cost-effective and because of its non-porous quality, requires less maintenance than other countertop varieties.
6. Sample
As you narrow your choices when choosing a countertop material, one of the last and most important step is to get a sample for your top choice. Many home renovation stores contain small swatches, similar to pain swatches that you can take home.
Similar to this, you can look online at pictures and small sample images. This is all good and well for a start, but it won’t be sufficient in making sure you are satisfied in the end. To combat any disappointment after purchase and installation, get a larger sample size.
Take home a bigger piece of the countertop and see how it fits in with your vision, style, and the space itself. It may be that you want to make a different choice, or it can help seal the deal. For more information, please visit slab market.
More Information:
Before you make your next decision on a countertop material, make sure you’ve done your due diligence in exploring all of your options.
Be prepared with a vision and plan, know your budget and choices, research durability and maintenance, and then grab a sample.
With these simple and important steps, you’ll have the assurance of a well-made decision.
