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With so many different materials and styles to choose from, deciding on the perfect countertop for your kitchen can be an arduous task. Add in the large investment that comes with it, and selecting the right countertop becomes even more stressful.
While the appearance of your countertop is of high priority, ensuring that you have the right material to withstand the hustle and bustle of your kitchen lifestyle is an important factor in the kitchen design process.
At Deslaurier Custom Cabinets, we have over 40 years of experience providing custom cabinets and kitchen design services to our customers. While doing so, we partner with a number of Ottawa’s most reputable countertop suppliers, like Urban Quarry, to help our clients select the kitchen countertop material of their dreams.
With that, this article will breakdown the qualities and vulnerabilities of 5 popular kitchen countertop materials to help you decide which one is right for your kitchen surfaces.
Let’s get started!
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When it comes to countertop materials, there are generally 4 different types of durability that are important to look at for a kitchen surface: water, stain, scratch, and impact.
You’ll find some materials resistant to water and some to stains, while others might hold up better against heat or impact damage. You may even find a couple of unicorns that are impervious against all 4!
No material is perfect. Whatever your ideal kitchen surface is, there will be pros and cons regarding its appearance, price, and, of course, its durability.
Marble and luxury are synonymous words in the world of kitchen design. Marble is an all-natural stone and every slab is unique. The style of marble countertops is in a league of its own. Colours and vein patterns exude elegance and make it one of the most sought-after natural stone surfaces in the world.
While marble blows you away with its appearance, it does have a few durability and maintenance concerns you should know about before installing it in your kitchen.
Marble is an extremely soft natural stone, rendering it highly vulnerable to scratches, marks, and impact damage.
Not only that, but marble is also susceptible to something called “etching” — a term for the damaging effect of acid on marble’s finish. Commonplace baking ingredients, like lemon juice and vinegar, will wear down your stone surface with prolonged contact.
Another main issue with marble countertops is that marble is a porous stone.
What does that mean exactly? Well, marble is a natural stone made up of all different kinds of minerals. Those minerals are teeny, tiny grains compressed together into a solid mass. The issue, then, is that there are minuscule pores between those grains that will absorb liquid and oils if spilled.
Thus, being porous requires marble countertops to be regularly sealed in order to prevent moisture and liquid from seeping into the stone. Something along the lines of every 3 months is standard for marble countertop resealing.
In light of these durability concerns and maintenance issues, marble’s saving grace is that it is resistant to heat, being able to withstand up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit.
It should be noted that although it is technically “resistant” up to this temperature, it is of course not recommended to put severely hot objects on marble. This could cause a discoloration of the stone or even result in cracking due to thermal shock.
Granite is an all-natural stone that is made up of many different minerals like feldspar, mica, and, believe it or not, quartz!
Laying claim to kitchen surfaces for decades now, granite is one of the toughest natural stones in the world, noted for its impressive resistance to heat and scratches.
You can cut directly on granite (in fact, granite is so tough that doing so might dull your knives). You can even place a hot fry pan right on the countertop! Avid chefs will love the freedom to chop, cook, and bustle around their kitchen without restraint.
The most impressive quality of granite countertops is that they are capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit!
The main downside of granite is that much like marble it is a porous stone. However, granite is considerably less porous than marble, so you can get away with sealing your countertop less frequently. Once a year should suffice in the average home.
With periodical sealing, granite stain protection will be sky-high.
Technically, quartz is an engineered stone countertop, meaning that while 93% of the surface is pure quartz, the remaining 7% of the stone is manmade using polymers and binders.
The clear advantage of quartz countertops over 100% natural stone countertops, like granite or marble, is that quartz is non-porous, making it both stain and water-resistant. The resins incorporated directly into the manufacturing process function as a strong sealant, closing the small pores between minerals and providing built-in protection.
That means you don’t have to worry about routinely resealing your quartz surface! The non-porous, set-and-forget characteristics of engineered quartz are often a deciding factor for homeowners as the lack of maintenance is a key feature for a kitchen countertop.
Conversely, the biggest durability-related drawback to quartz is that it is not heat-resistant. Quartz countertops can typically only withstand around 175-185 degrees Fahrenheit, a far cry from the impressive numbers of granite.
You can’t put down a hot pan or pot directly onto a quartz surface without running the risk of making permanent scorch marks. However, this shouldn’t be an issue if you routinely use heat protection like kitchen mats or boards.
The new kid on the block, Dekton countertops were released in 2013 to improve the performance of quartz surfaces. Funnily enough, it actually has quartz in it! Dekton is a blend of raw materials used to produce porcelain, glass, and quartz work surfaces.
Dekton countertops are world-renowned for their extreme durability. No other countertop material can compare to Dekton’s heat, scratch, and stain resistance. If you’re not concerned about having a natural stone countertop, there is simply no better choice than Dekton.
Like its quartz compatriot, Dekton is an entirely non-porous surface, impervious to water damage or stains. In fact, it’s so easy to clean and maintain that its manufacturers recommend nothing more than soap and water to clean it.
Dekton also has incredibly high scratch resistance. You won’t have to worry about kitchen utensils scratching your countertop. In fact, Dekton has such high scratch resistance that you can cut right on it and don't even need a cutting board!
Another impressive characteristic of Dekton countertops is their extremely high heat resistance. Dekton won’t be vulnerable to any heat damage and can withstand high temperatures surpassing 550 degrees Fahrenheit!
The only real durability concern is impact damage. If something heavy is dropped from a high enough point, or with enough force, it can dent or crack the Dekton surface. Unfortunately, a cracked Dekton countertop cannot be fixed. The only option is to replace the entire slab.
With that said, it takes a significant amount of force to cause a Dekton surface to crack, and any smaller impact damage like chips can be fixed!
High impact damage aside, Dekton countertops offer a long-lasting surface with strong resistance to heat, scratch, or stain damage. All in all, if your main goal is finding a countertop material with the highest overall durability, Dekton is at the top of the list.
Solid surface countertops are a man-made surface. These countertops aremanufactured using mineral particles, acrylic, and polyester bonding resins, as well as added pigments.
For starters, thanks to their manufacturing process, solid surface countertops are entirely nonporous! Much like quartz, the bonding resin in solid surface countertops seals the surface, effectively rendering it waterproof.
When it comes to heat, solid surface countertops leave much to be desired.
While they are manufactured to withstand boiling water – 212 degrees Fahrenheit – a hot pot or pan can reach or exceed that temperature and, if in contact with the surface, will stain, scorch, or damage the surface. With this, it is crucial to use effective heat protection and avoid putting a hot pot or pan directly on the countertop.
In terms of their strength and impact durability, solid surface countertops are similar to soft stones, like marble.
Acrylic-based and combination will be stronger and more durable than polyester, thanks in large part to the tighter bond and more compact material it creates. Having said that, all solid surface countertops can be susceptible to scratches and other impact damage.
Scratches, in particular, can cause two separate problems for solid surface countertops:
For those reasons, always use a cutting board or protective surface when preparing meals, as those can go a long way in ensuring your solid surface remains pristine.
If you’re looking to pair custom cabinetry with the perfect kitchen countertop surfaces, Deslaurier Custom Cabinets has everything you need.
With over 40 years of experience to our name, we partner with a vast network of premier countertop suppliers, while providing our clients with a fully customized design process with our talented team of designers.
Book a consultation today with a Deslaurier design expert at our Ottawa Showroom or schedule a virtual meeting!
Interested in becoming an authorized Deslaurier dealer? Visit our Become a Dealer page to learn more! Live outside the area? Find a Dealer to connect with a Deslaurier dealer near you!