Different Materials for Kitchen and Bathroom Countertops

Choosing the appropriate material for your bathroom or kitchen countertops is an integral step in any home building or renovation. The materials for the vanity or benchtop are going to be permanent fixtures that will have a significant influence on the look and value of your home.

Depending on your vision and overall budget, bath and kitchen surfaces can have economic or luxurious components. The following are common countertop materials installed in homes today:

Quartz Countertops

Resin and natural stone are usually the ingredients in making the quartz used in kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Depending on the manufacturer, the whole slabs can have different levels of real quartz mixed with a polymer binder. The process of engineering the material produces a highly customizable compound stone. Because of this, manufacturers can create quartz countertops with various colors and patterns.

Quartz countertops are also durable compared to granite, marble, and cement. They’re non-absorbent, so they don’t need regular sealant maintenance. Plus, they resist stains and any harmful bacteria.

Granite Countertops

Granite is a light-colored rock formed through the slow crystallization of magma under the earth’s surface. It has more than 20 shades and is one of the most common magma-formed rocks utilized for kitchen and bathroom surfaces and construction. Granite slabs that are shaped, polished, and properly sealed for vanities and countertops are enduring and resistant to scratch, heat, and stain.

Marble Countertops

Marble is a metamorphic rock with a natural lightness and veining that synthetic materials cannot fully replicate. It starts as more malleable than granite or quartz but receives high-quality sealants before getting installed in kitchens and bathrooms. Homeowners can choose a glossy, honed, or matte finish for the marble slabs.

Concrete Countertops

Concrete is a sturdy yet highly customizable material that is now more commonly used for industrial and minimalist concept homes. It can be shaped and formed to fit any specifications. Concrete countertops can also have embedded shells, glass, and more as design features. Like other porous stones, such as granite and marble, concrete requires a substantial amount of epoxy sealer to resist weathering.

Laminate Countertops

Laminate sheets imitate the look of luxurious materials like hardwood and marble. They use medium-density (MDF) or high-density (HDF) fiberboards with veneer or plastic sheets to create any design or pattern for a faster, economical, and sustainable surface installation. Laminate countertops are less durable than those made of traditional stone but are easier to repair and replace.

The Countertop Experts

Hannapel partners with innovative manufacturers like Cambria, Cosmos, Formica, and LG Viatera to provide the best kitchen and bath countertops. Visit our showrooms in Dowagiac, Kalamazoo, Niles, Portage, St. Joseph, South Haven, and Sturgis Michigan to choose from world-class granite, marble, laminate, and quartz countertops.