10 Types of Countertops in Utah
We’re going to talk about the pros and cons of 10 different countertop materials. Which one is right for you and your design?
What Are Natural Stone Countertops?
Natural stone countertops come from the mountains. No two are alike, and that is the beauty of a natural countertop, they are unique. The price on natural stones are generally a little bit higher too, or it can be a lot higher than a manmade material. They are more heat-resistant, but because they are natural stone, they are more porous, meaning that they let things like acid, like from a lemon, or water, things like that, seep into it over time if you leave them on the counter for long periods of time. In order to avoid things like etching from a lemon on a marble countertop, you seal them, so quartzite, granite, marble, all of those things, you’re going to seal. Even concrete countertops you’ll seal as well to keep the water or other liquids from seeping in and staining it.
1. Quartzite Countertops (Natural Stone)
The first one we’ll talk about is quartzite. Quartzite is a natural stone and is heat-resistant, but because it’s sealed, you don’t want to put hot things on it. Quartzite has a really long lifespan, but it generally can chip more than a manmade material, because of the glues and the resins that are going to hold it together so it doesn’t chip, whereas a natural material is probably going to chip a little bit easier. It’s gorgeous, and quartzite is probably what they’re putting in 90% of the higher-end homes right now.
Rule of Thumb for Heat Resistant Countertops
Even though countertops are heat-resistant because of the sealant, you don’t want to put hot things on your countertops. Generally, as a rule of thumb, don’t put any hot items on your countertops because they’re either probably sealed or they are manmade materials and have glues and resins that can melt if you put your hot items on there, or get burn marks, things like that.
2. Quartz Countertops
Close comparison to quartzite is quartz. Quartz is the manmade version of quartzite. The low end is probably half the price or just above half the price of quartzite, so if you’re looking for that same look, but don’t want to pay the price of quartzite, it’s a great option. It’s very hard, resists chips. It has a lot of the veining and things like that that they figured out how to put into it, and it’s really, really beautiful, so look into quartz options.
3. Granite Countertops
Granite is one that I feel like is going a little bit out right now, but has a lot of really great properties. I think when people think of granite, they generally think of a mix of browns or darker colors, which is true. A lot of granites are darker, but not all granites are, there’s some very light granites too. So, if you are in love with granite, it’s very resistant to scratching, very durable. There’s also lots of different colors and options for you. Price point can be cheaper than quartz to more expensive than quartzite, so depending on what you pick is the price you’re going to pay.
4. Soapstone Countertops (Natural Stone)
Soapstone is a natural stone, and unlike the other natural stones, it is naturally non-porous because it’s so dense. It’s a little bit softer, but if you get a stain or anything on it, it easily buffs out. The way you really seal it is you put mineral oil on it, and the mineral oil can change the color on it. Naturally, it’s kind of this grayish, blueish color, or a little lighter, deeper grayish, and as you put mineral oil on it, it becomes darker, and you can pretty much make it whatever color you want within those shades. And it’s not super expensive either, so if you’re going for that look, look into it. It looks similar to concrete countertops, but more natural. I think it has a softer feel to it.
5. Solid Surface Countertops
Solid surface is not a natural material. It’s manmade. It’s pretty much a bunch of rocks that are all glued together with different resins and glues, so it’s not heat-resistant. It will melt if you put stuff on it, but it’s not porous, so you can pour stuff on it. It’s very easily maintained, very easy to buff out, so that’s a really great thing about it.
6. Marble Countertops
Next one is marble, and I don’t know if you’ve seen many marble countertops in kitchens. We’ll see them more in bathrooms. It’s very heat-resistant so we’ll see it around fireplaces sometimes too. But on the kitchen countertop, one of the downsides to it is it’s very porous, and so it will soak in all of the liquids If you have lemon juice on there, it will etch right down in there and you will have a stain forever. One of the ways that we prevent this is by sealing it. If that seal is maintained and kept in good condition, you can have a marble countertop that will last over a hundred years and they are beautiful. The Carrara and the Calacatta are some of my favorite different marbles. They are definitely more expensive, but there are some cheaper options as well.
It’s a very wide range, so if you think, “Oh, I can’t afford marble, but I would love it in my kitchen,” guys, Shea McGee did that. I mean, she knew what she was up against and she knew how it was going to have to be maintained in her first home that she did, but it was worth it to her. She wanted that feel in her kitchen, and so she did it. If you know, hey, I am going to leave stuff left and right all over this counter, then it’s probably not the best option, right? But you know you, and you know what will be the best option for you.
7. Porcelain Countertops
Porcelain is another one that I want to talk about. The price range isn’t super bad. It’s cheaper than quartz, generally, so it can be on the low end of what quartz costs. A few things I really like about it is that it’s very heat-resistant. It’s also non-porous, so it’s super easy to keep clean. It’s stain, scratch, chemical-resistant.
8. Butcher Block Countertops
Porcelain is another one that I want to talk about. The price range isn’t super bad. It’s cheaper than quartz, generally, so it can be on the low end of what quartz costs. A few things I really like about it is that it’s very heat-resistant. It’s also non-porous, so it’s super easy to keep clean. It’s stain, scratch, chemical-resistant.
9. Laminate (Formica) Countertops
Laminate which is also sometimes called Formica, the cheapest option you’re going to find. One really good thing I like about it is that it’s not porous, but it is also not heat-resistant. If you cut on it, it will leave marks and they will stay there forever. So, as long as you use cutting boards on it, it’s a really good option, especially if you’re needing something quickly. But overall, there’s very little maintenance to it, but it does have a lower lifespan.
I went into my parents’ first home that they built probably 20 years ago. The first thing I noticed was the Formica countertops, they were in super good condition. It shocked me, honestly, because I didn’t really believe that they could last that long, because, I mean, it was 20 years ago. That’s a long time, but it was because people had maintained them. While they didn’t cut on them, they had kept them clean, and really, that will keep them lasting for a long time.
10. Concrete Countertops
Another option is concrete. Concrete is not a natural material. It’s a little bit more expensive than I think people would originally think, probably more like the quartz, quartzite price. But some really great things about it is that it is heat-resistant. It’s great to have outdoors, and I’ve seen it done really well indoors as well. There are some concrete countertop specialists that do such an incredible job, and you can put different colors in it, different designs, anything you want. These types of countertops are very durable and will last a long time. Concrete does need to be sealed though, because it is very porous and it will suck water into it, just like your driveway.
Basement Finishing and Home Remodeling Resources for Herriman, Utah
Those are some countertop options. Thanks for your time today. Have a wonderful rest of your day. If you would like more information for basement finishing such as costs to finish a basement and a basement finishing cost calculator to figure out the costs for your project needs please see our pricing tab, we also have a comprehensive frequently asked questions page with commonly asked questions that we answered. Our blog has a lot of information too!
