Glass Kitchen Worktops

Glass Kitchen Worktops

Consider Concrete Kitchen Countertops For Your Kitchen

Consider Concrete Kitchen Countertops

For Your Kitchen

by Samantha Kay

When it comes to maximizing the visual appeal of a kitchen, nothing achieves this at a more affordable price than kitchen countertops. Because they cover so much space in the kitchen, countertops can visually transform the tone of the room; so choosing the countertop material that will make the most of your renovation dollars can be something of a challenge.

While granite and ceramic tile countertops are among the more popular choices for countertop materials, concrete kitchen countertops are increasingly becoming a countertop material that homeowners seek.

Concrete kitchen countertops have achieved this level of popularity as much for their unrivalled durability as their cost. Many commercial kitchens have made the choice of concrete simply because of how well they hold up under a myriad of conditions typical in the kitchen environment.

For consumer kitchens, concrete holds just as much appeal; as its durability is appealing to serious cooks and its low maintenance is equally appealing for busy families.

When choosing concrete kitchen countertops you have the ability to choose between two distinct options. There are pre-made countertops that are purchased in one piece and then installed into your kitchen. This is an affordable way to install this material into your home and installation can either by handled by a professional contractor or a skilled do-it-yourselfer.

There is also the other option, however, to have a contractor actually build, pour, and form your countertop onsite. Keep in mind, however, that this is the more expensive option and requires a professional with enormous skill and precision to achieve the outcome you desire.

The advantages of concrete kitchen countertops are all about their durability. While there are many countertop materials that can be considered durable - such as granite, ceramic, and engineered stone - concrete particularly has a level of resilience not inherent to other materials. In addition to its resistance to heat and humidity, concrete is also unaffected by all corrosive materials as well as any impact to which it may be subject.

The best thing about concrete kitchen countertops is that they can be stained with any color of your choice. Also, the top layer can be finished as beautifully as you want; with any type of stone and design you desire.

There are problems associated with concrete, however, and anyone who chooses to install such countertops into their home are advised to pay heed to these issues. If you live in a climate that experiences rapid changes in temperature, you need to take extra precautions when it comes to using concrete. This is because the concrete can crack if it should contract, in response to the weather. Most common concrete kitchen countertops come with sealant so that the material is kept protected at all times.

Ultimately, choosing concrete kitchen countertops depends solely on your need for a high-end durability and low maintenance material. Think outside the box when it comes to shopping for kitchen countertops and you will be assured to find the perfect material to suit your needs.

Choosing Kitchen Countertops

Tips For Choosing Kitchen Countertops

by Liz Wood

Kitchen countertops have two main functions. The first function includes providing a work surface for preparing food and handling other kitchen activities. The countertops second function is to provide an attractive appearance which will enhance the look of your kitchen. It's important to know how to select a kitchen countertop that satisfies your criteria for both.

Countertops are one of the first things you notice when you walk into a kitchen. Before you know it you are placing items on the countertop, preparing food on the countertop and resting your elbows on it as well. But not only do your countertops need to be functional; they also need to be attractive and easy to clean up. Great countertops bring beauty and style into your kitchen, as well as practicality.

Picking out the countertop that will work best in your kitchen involves your personal preference, as well as a deep look into the unique features that each countertop material has to offer. Important features include durability, ease of cleaning, safety and style. The idea is to find a countertop that will add beauty and practicality to your kitchen for many years to come and also be easy to work with. But keep in mind; countertops are a very large investment so it's critical that you get the right ones.

Durability is one of the first features you need to pay attention to when shopping for countertops. A resilient surface is important because countertops take a great deal of beatings over their life span. Certain materials will crack, burn and stain when exposed to the elements within the kitchen, such as sharp knifes, hot pans and standing water. Durable countertops may cost more, but they are well worth the money spent because they will provide longer lasting beauty and functionality.

In addition to durability, countertops must also be easy to clean up because getting dirty is one of Mr. Countertop's favorite things to do. You will appreciate a countertop that cleans up easily because it is so common for drinks to be spilled, food to get splattered all over, water to leak from the sink area, and for dressings and toppings to fall off everywhere. You want to choose a material that makes cleaning these messes up easier on you. Keep in mind, the more porous the material is, the easier it will be to stain.

Safety is another concern that you should have with new countertops, especially if you have small children. You want to make sure that the corners of your new countertops are rounded because sharp edges may cause serious injuries. You should also consider buying countertops that are specially treated to lower the amount of bacteria build up on the surface of the countertop. Too much bacteria on the surface may cause food poisoning.

The last thing you want to put thought into is the style of your countertops. You want your kitchen countertops to complement the design of your kitchen. The color and texture of the material you choose will play a major roll in the way the countertop looks. You must also consider how the material fits into your current kitchen design. Kitchen showrooms are a great place to visit to get an idea of how different countertop materials fit into kitchen designs.

Every process begins somewhere. In selecting the right countertops, a great place to start is to think first of how you plan to use your new countertop. Do cook a lot? Steel is very easy to clean and is the perfect choice for serious cooks. Do you like to bake a lot? Granite offers a smooth surface for rolling out dough. Butcher block tops are also great for both of these tasks. Are low maintenance and easy cleanup most important features? If so, consider plastic laminate tops. Is cost a major concern? Tile offers an inexpensive and durable surface.

Countertop Options:

Plastic Laminates
Butcher Block

Recycled Paper

Recycled Glass

Ceramic Tile

Steel

Concrete

Stone

Kitchen Countertops

Kitchen Countertops

It has been argued by kitchen design experts that kitchen countertops take more beatings from users than even the kitchen floor. While the kitchen floor takes abuse from stomping feet, pointy high heels, and occasional food spillovers, kitchen countertop are battered by sizzling hot pots, harsh cleaning solutions, abrasive hard scrubbing, and cold scratching from bottom of kitchen countertop appliances. As one of the largest single areas of kitchen décor, the look and feel of the kitchen countertop material also has a dramatic effect on kitchen aesthetics. Moreover, replacing the kitchen countertop is no easy task, even when compared to replacement of kitchen floors. There are much heavy lifting, in addition to proper cutting, setting, and support. Thus, the best value in kitchen countertop material must consider not only the price, but also durability, aesthetics, and installation/maintenance.

There are many available different countertop materials available:

Granite, marble, and soapstone are all extremely durable and have the beauty of natural stones. They also come in a variety of colors and patterns to match well with most kitchens. However, they tend to be expensive and require proper sealing to prevent discoloration over time.

On the other end of the scale, laminates and ceramic tiles are much more affordable. However, they have a decidedly more modest look and feel, when compared to the upscale granite, marble, and soapstone countertops. Furthermore, while they are fairly easy to clean, they tend to chip, scratch, and stain very easily.

There are also countertop materials for specialized applications, such as stainless steel and concrete countertops. Stainless steel is extremely durable and easy to clean. However, because it has an emphatically industrial look, it is most suitable for contemporary-looking kitchens. Stainless Steel also suffers from susceptibility to inadvertent dents and that occasional irritating metal-scratching noise. High cost is also an issue for stainless steel countertops. Concrete countertops are typically custom cast right in the kitchen, so they are especially good for creating custom-shaped countertops. Concrete are mostly heat- and scratch-resistant, but some cracking is possible. In terms of style, it has a distinctly exotic and unusual look, but the need for custom-casting put it beyond most people’s budget.

And, finally, there is the best value in kitchen countertop material -- the engineered stone. Not only is the engineered stone just as stain-, scratch-, and heat-resistant as the expensive granite and marble counters, it also requires minimal maintenance and comes in a variety of colors, patterns, and textures to match well with virtually any kitchen style. Yet, it is considerably more affordable than either granite or marble.

Kitchen Worktops

Kitchen Worktops

Choosing the right worktop for your kitchen remodel can make a huge difference that is the difference between what can really seem expensive, classy and beautiful as compared with a kitchen with a cheap looking worktop that makes the whole kitchen look cheap and basic. Take your time when choosing your kitchen worktop as the choice these days is almost limitless with the growing number of new materials used to create kitchen worktops. There is alot more than laminate, stone, tiled, granite, marble and wood worktops these days. There are recycled glass, corian, papercreate, concreate and more...