One of many hottest trends in home design today is stone kitchen countertops. These durable, heat-resistant, luxurious counters certainly are a beautiful and practical accessory for any home. But the many various types of natural and engineered stones around, choosing the right one for your home can appear daunting. It time to analyze, but each one of these counter materials do have benefits and drawbacks, so it is important to determine what you are befitting your preferences.
 Granite Countertops
 Granite is a very common kind of igneous (volcanic) rock that forms beautiful crystalline textures. A hard form of rock, granite is suited to use being a counter in kitchens and bathrooms because it's both heat and scratch resistant. Granite is formed by pressure and heat over ages, so no two items of this stone are ever exactly alike. This one-of-a-kind characteristic is especially attractive to homeowners who want a really unique space. Granite countertops can be purchased in an array of naturally sourced colors and patterns, from neutrals to striking blues and greens. Gemstone countertops like granite do typically raise the value of your home a lot more than engineered stones like quartz as buyers tend to gravitate toward natural materials.
 However, despite its prestigious reputation, granite countertops do have several disadvantages. To begin with, granite is a relatively porous stone, meaning it must be chemically sealed to resist stains. The sealing process is straightforward, nevertheless it must occasionally be repeated; many people consider this to be need for routine maintenance a bad. Secondly, granite is commonly a costly material. While granite tiles can be utilized in place of granite slabs to lessen the cost of the countertop, not everybody can afford a granite countertop.
 Marble Countertops
 Many homeowners are drawn to the luxurious appearance of marble countertops. The distinctive appearance of marble can dramatically increase the valuation on the house, as it is often typically considered a prestigious, sophisticated material. Furthermore marble countertops are the preferred surface for serious bakers as the cool stone is great for pie crusts, pastries, and also other baked goods. Marble countertops can be found in an enormous array of colors from delicate blushes to vibrant blacks, each uniquely formed naturally.
 Marble does have some distinct drawbacks as a countertop material. First off, marble is a less harsh stone than granite, so it includes a greater tendency to scratch and mar than granite countertops. Additionally, polished marble is vulnerable to etching when acidic liquids are usually spilled about it. These spots and marks can destroy the conclusion of the countertop; this can be avoided issue by selecting a honed finish as opposed to a polished finish, but most homeowners like the appearance of polished marble. Finally, marble is often a porous, absorbent stone, meaning it is likely to stain. Although some homeowners like the patina their marble countertops develop over time, many do ponder over it a drawback.
 Soapstone Countertops
 
 
 You're likely familiar with soapstone from a high school chemistry lab; those black tables were created from soapstone. Today soapstone has become popular in kitchen countertops due to the extreme stain resistance. It is usually heat resistant and does not etch.
 One drawback to soapstone counters is they are just accessible in a limited variety of dark colors. Soapstone generally is a grayish color as the name indicated, although it is generally oiled to a black finish for residential and commercial use. Soapstone counters may also be vulnerable to scratching. However, soapstone counters can in fact be sanded to get rid of nicks and mars, this susceptibility to scratching is not always seen as a huge shortcoming.
 Limestone Countertops
 Limestone can be a sedimentary rock with qualities much like marble. Accessible in a variety of neutrals and whites, limestone countertops have a very smooth appearance, unlike granite. Formed from sand as well as the shells of aquatic life, limestone frequently includes small fossils and shells; some homeowners particularly value this excellent element of limestone countertops.
 However, like marble, limestone is a soft rock: it will stain and scratch easily and it is susceptible to etching. Your limestone counter might be sealed to help you prevent staining and etching, but limestone is not suited to high use areas like kitchens.
 Quartz Countertops
 Quartz countertops are created from an engineered stone produced from 93% quartz, pigment, and resin. This stone counter material has lots of of the identical qualities of granite, but with no upkeep issues. Quartz countertops are heat and scratch resistant and won't stain. And, unlike granite, quartz never must be sealed. Being a man-made material, quartz counters use a uniform color and pattern. Some homeowners do prefer this consistent look for the areas of gemstone. Additionally, it implies that if the segment of your respective quartz countertop is damaged, the identical replacement section can be purchased from the manufacturer without concerns about matching.
 Although it might appear that quartz countertops are inherently superior, they do have numerous drawbacks. The primary problem is that despite an identical cost, engineered quartz counters don't increase the valuation on your property up to granite countertops do. Homeowners choose the natural material over the man-made counter, so you need to keep this in mind should you be remodeling your kitchen area as an investment. Additionally, although quartz counters are made to mimic natural appearance of granite, some individuals feel that quartz lacks the depth and sweetness of granite. To make certain which look you want, be sure you see examples of both natural and engineered stone. Finally, with quartz your color and pattern options are more limited than with stone. You can find a large numbers of colors available, but in particular when you're trying to exactly satisfy your existing color scheme you might choose the limitless rainbow of stone.
 Corian Countertops
 Corian is another sort of engineered stone just like quartz. This type of solid surface stone countertop offers almost all of the aspects of granite and quartz and also several unique benefits. Like granite and quartz countertops, Corian countertops are heat, stain, and scratch resistant. It's also nonporous, so that it won't ever need to be sealed. Moreover, Corian has got the added benefit to be certified kosher. Unlike granite, Corian countertops can also be totally integrated with Corian backsplashes and sinks to generate a visually seamless surface.
 Nonetheless, Corian also does have disadvantages. It's heat resistant, only to 212?F. Higher temperatures will damage your counter, so you'll more often than not need to protect your Corian countertop from hot objects. Also, as with quartz, many people prefer the natural appearance of granite towards the uniform and consistent appearance of Corian. Corian countertops will also be purely available in limited colors and patterns, which many people dislike.
 With these advantages and disadvantages at heart, now you are furnished with the info you have to pick the perfect kitchen countertop material for your house. See your local stone countertop showroom or installer to find out samples and learn more about making the ideal of gorgeous stone countertops a real possibility.
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