Choosing Your Countertops for your next Home Makeover Project

Redesign + More has great resources in Charlotte NC - Lake Norman - Hickory 

and Statesville NC

Countertops must be useful and meet your needs and fit your décor.

It is appropriate to mix materials – stone for an island where guests gather and laminate at the kid’s snack and homework zone. When comparing prices, consider durability and maintenance. In addition note whether each material is priced by the linear or square foot.

Countertop Materials

Bamboo – This replacement grass can be assembled using food-safe adhesives.

Butcher Block – Made from laminated wood, this is most excellent for baking areas and island tops. Seal with oil to increase moisture resistance. Allow knife marks to create a patina, or sand the surface for a smooth appearance.

Concrete – Cast in place or installed as preformed slabs, sealed concrete resists burns, stains, and scratches but is labor-intensive to install. Customize by adding in tints, texture, or inset shells, glass or other items.

Glass – Sleek and dramatic. Tempered glass comes in clear or translucent forms with a smooth or textured surface. Recycled composites glass is also an option. Glass is waterproof and heat-tolerant: use a cutting board to avoid scratches.

Granite – Today’s most popular choice offers a variety of colors and patterns. Shopping at a stone yard costs more than ordering from a sample but lets you buy the exact piece you want. You may reduce the cost by using granite tiles or remnants instead of a single slab. Granite is durable and impervious to heat but requires professional installation and periodic sealing to repel stains.

Laminate – Laminate is affordable and comes preformed as a one-piece counter and backsplash in limited color choices. Custom ordering from a home center or kitchen dealer, and you will find hundreds of colors and patterns, some that even mimic stone, metal, or wood. Shaped edges or textured finishes are available as well. This material is easy to install but it has visible seams.

Marble / Limestone – These stones are classic and luxurious, they’re softer and more porous than granite, and they are most likely to scratch or stain.

Quartz-Surfacing – Also called engineered stone. This blend of ground quartz, resins and pigments produced consistent stone like patterns. It is nonporous, heat and scratch- resistant.

Soapstone – Soft and silky, soapstone chips more easily than granite. Like other stones it resists heat. Treat with mineral oil to repel moisture.

Solid –Surfacing – Shop for panels and veneers made of plastic resins in many colors and patterns. The nonporous material resists stains and scratches can be sanded out. Solid – surfacing sinks create a seamless installation.

Stainless Steel – Sanitary and stain proof. This surface complements a stainless steel sink and perfects a pro-style kitchen. Steel is heatproof, waterproof, with a shiny finish that shows scratches and fingerprints. Ready- made sections fit standard counter sizes and custom installations fit others.

Tile – Glazed ceramic or porcelain tiles come in many shapes, sizes, colors and are water – heat resistant. If they chip they are easy to replace. Every few years you may need to regrout.