Are you confused about which type of kitchen worktop to choose? Read on and decide with confidence on what is arguably the most important decision when replacing your kitchen worktops.
Choosing the right material for your kitchen worktop involves a careful balance of durability, style, and of course your budget. From timeless classics like granite and marble to innovative options such as overlays and compact laminate, each material brings has its own unique set of characteristics. In this guide, we examine the pros and cons of the most common materials and discuss how they affect things like choice of sink.
Overview of Worktop Materials
Learn what worktops are actually made from and the pro's and con's of different materials with our quick guide table:
Material | Description | Pros | Cons | Undermount sink compatible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Granite | Natural stone with unique patterns and colours. Highly durable and heat-resistant. | Durable, heat-resistant, scratch-resistant, adds value to home, each slab will have a unique pattern. | Expensive, can require sealing to prevent stains. | Yes |
Quartz | Engineered stone made from natural quartz crystals mixed with resins and pigments to add colouring. | Non-porous, scratch-resistant, heat-resistant, wide range of colours and patterns, low maintenance, no sealing required. | Expensive not as heat-resistant as granite. It can be damaged by excessive heat such as a very hot pan placed directly on the surface. | Yes |
Marble | Luxurious natural stone with elegant veining and colours. Softer than granite but still durable. | Beautiful aesthetics, heat-resistant (to a degree), adds value to home. | Prone to staining and etching, requires regular sealing, more susceptible to scratches and chips than granite or quartz. | Yes |
Solid Wood | Traditional and warm appearance, often made from hardwoods like oak. | Naturally antibacterial, can be sanded and refinished, provides a soft surface for dishes, can be repaired if damaged. | Requires regular sealing and maintenance, susceptible to water damage, heat damage and staining, can be scratched or dented easily, not suitable for heavy use areas without proper maintenance. | Yes |
Stainless Steel | Industrial and modern appearance, made from stainless steel sheets. | Hygienic and easy to clean, heat-resistant, durable, resistant to stains and water damage. | Prone to scratching and denting, can be noisy, shows fingerprints and watermarks easily, can be expensive. | Yes |
Laminate | Made from layers of paper and resin bonded toa chipboard. Comes in various colours and patterns, often mimicking natural stone or wood. | Affordable, wide range of designs, easy to clean, low maintenance, resistant to stains and water damage, relatively easy to install. | Susceptible to scratching, chipping, and burns, not as heat-resistant as stone or metal. Quality of finish to joins and edges depends on skill of installers. | No |
Compact Laminate | These solid laminate worktops are made from kraft paper which is soaked in resins and compressed and high pressure and heat levels. | Offers a thin profile worktop for a sleek look and is more durable than standard laminate. Coloured core which can be left exposed enabling pairing with undermount sinks. | Fitters need to be familiar with the material and installation methods. Higher cost than normal laminate. | Yes |
Concrete | Customizable and modern appearance, made by pouring concrete into moulds. | Can be customised in terms of colour, texture, and shape, heat-resistant, durable, suitable for contemporary designs. | Prone to cracking if not properly sealed, requires regular sealing and maintenance, heavy and requires professional installation, can be relatively expensive. | Yes |
Glass | Sleek and modern appearance, made from tempered glass. | Non-porous, heat-resistant, hygienic, easy to clean, available in various colours and patterns. | Prone to scratching and chipping, can show fingerprints and water spots easily, not suitable for heavy impact, can be relatively expensive. | Yes |
Corian | Brand of solid surface material made by DuPont, composed of acrylic polymer and natural minerals. | Seamless appearance, non-porous, wide range of colours and patterns, renewable (can be sanded and refinished), resistant to stains and scratches, easy to clean. | Susceptible to heat damage, not as heat-resistant as stone, can be relatively expensive, may show wear over time. | Yes |
Ceramic | Made from clay fired at high temperatures. Available in tile or slab form, often with various finishes and glazes. | Durable, heat-resistant, scratch-resistant, wide range of colours and patterns, easy to clean, relatively affordable. | Can be prone to chipping or cracking if not properly installed, can be heavy and require professional installation, grout lines in tile form can be difficult to clean. | Yes |
Design Considerations
Thickness
The thickness of the worktop can have an impact on the overall kitchen look as well as the cost. Standard profile laminate is 38mm thick and creates a chunky look that conveys quality. They provide a functional and attractive kitchen and are available in a wide range of finishes.
Thin Profile Laminates
Thin profile laminates come in thickness around 20mm which do an exceptional job of providing the look of natural stone for a fraction of the cost. While the worktop surface looks perfect, they still lack the tactility and durability of natural stones and wood. Fitting is more difficult as there is less space to mount the zip bolts that join worktops at corners. Consequently, a thinner low profile zip bolt is needed as well as extra care not to weaken the surface with deep router cuts. The edges of thin laminate are adhered strips which of course breaks the pattern and is the giveaway that the worktop is not the real deal.
Compact Laminates
These worktops take the think look to the extreme and at just 12mm offer a profile that not even natural stone can match. Although the pattern is lost at the surface edges, there is no adhered strip and it is the exposed core that is visible. The core of the worktop is coloured to match the surface and is therefore it is less noticeable than the seams of adhered edges on regular laminate tops. If you are looking to create an ultra-modern kitchen this worktop could be the perfect blend of budget and style.
Worktop and sink compatibility
The table above shows which tops are compatible with undermount sinks, therefore if this is a design feature you desire you can instantly filter most laminates from your shortlist. Undermount sinks require an edge to frame the sink area. This edge must be able to stand up to the volume of water it will come into contact with. Laminate tops with a chipboard core are simply not suitable and should never be paired with an undermount sink.
On the other hand, compact laminates with a core soaked in water proof resins are more than up to the task. That being said the edges that meet the sink and the grooves of the drainer lose the pattern of the surface itself. When the cuts are made the core of the worktop is expose which is something that may bother some people.
Typically, undermount sinks are paired with natural stone tops which provide the durability that is required as well as a pattern than rolls seamlessly around the edge of the sink cut out and into the drainer grooves.
Overlay Worktop Covers
This guide wouldn’t be complete without covering the emerging trend of covering your old worktops with a thin layer of natural stone such as quartz and granite. Although capping your old benchtop is a little cheaper than opting for the proper job it’s not something we offer for a few reasons. Normally premium natural stone tops are paired with an undermount sink. Worktop overlay edges are formed in the factory by bonding thin pieces together. This means the sink hole has a join all around the perimeter. While manufactures talk about how these worktops create the illusion of a single piece of stone, the problem is, it is just an illusion. There is no long-term evidence that these joins will stand up to the daily use and exposure to water and cleaning chemicals.
Another reason is the look, as discussed earlier, one of the reasons we often opt for a stone worktop is the think profile and sleek modern look they can offer. But if your current tops are already 38mm thick then you are going to end up with an edge detail which is almost 50mm. Unless the chunky look is something you aim to achieve, we recommend paying the extra and choosing real natural stone worktops.
What's the best kitchen worktop material?
That fact that there is so many materials to choose from should tell you there is no one best solution. Choosing the best kitchen worktop for you is about balancing what is absolutely essential with what your heart desire and your wallet can afford.
Final Thoughts
The range and capabilities of laminate tops available today makes premium looking kitchens more affordable than ever. Budgets as they say, are meant to budge, and we’ve not had a single customer regret paying a little bit extra for the worksurface they loved.