The 6 Different Types of Countertop Materials

Installing a new countertop instantly revamps your kitchen. With the many types of countertop materials available, it’s an exciting process. It’s also a rare opportunity to decide what you’d like for your kitchen’s aesthetic and food preparation needs.

Payless Kitchen Cabinets’ can help. As a top kitchen remodel contractor in Los Angeles County, the team knows all about countertop materials, the most popular of which appear below. 

6 Types of Countertops To Consider for Your Kitchen

Though kitchen countertops are one of the room’s focal points that contribute to its overall visual appeal, new countertops are about more than looks. Maintenance, price, and ease of installation are just a few of the factors affecting your final selection. 

Here is a look at the different types of countertop materials that many homeowners love. 

#1 Granite Countertops

Granite countertops are one of the most popular countertop choices, thanks to their incredible durability and strength. Consisting of igneous rock, these natural stone slabs have excellent resistance to natural wear, knife scratches, and other damage that happens in a kitchen. 

People also enjoy the many colors and patterns available for granite countertops, such as:

• Steel gray
• Caledonia granite with specks of gray, white, charcoal, black, and other colors
• Black pearl

#2 Marble Countertops

Marble is another natural stone. Why is it one of the most expensive countertop materials available? It’s absolutely gorgeous, and being metamorphic rock, it has incredible durability like granite. 

Marble isn’t as hard as granite and can stain more easily. However, if you want countertops that make your kitchen look and feel more luxurious and elegant, marble slabs are an outstanding choice. Their unique beauty with earthy colors and one-of-a-kind veining patterns work in all contemporary kitchen designs.

Consider popular colors and patterns for your kitchen like:

• Statuary marble in white with dry grain veining
• Carrara marble in gray with a delicate pattern
• Calacatta marble in bright white with rich, clearly defined veining in rich gold or brown

#3 Laminate Countertops

Laminate is on the other end of the spectrum to marble. It is one of the most affordable and easy-to-install countertop options, consisting of lightweight particleboard, plastic, pattern paper, and resins. You can pick from endless patterns, colors, and styles with laminate, including those mimicking high-end countertop marble or granite. 

Laminate isn’t heat-resistant. It can sustain damage due to placing hot pans on the countertop’s surface. However, since the material is non-porous, it won’t stain or harbor harmful bacteria, mold, or other microbes, which is good news for a kitchen.

#4 Stainless Steel Countertops

Many commercial kitchens go for stainless steel countertops, but this material is gaining popularity with homeowners who enjoy an industrial kitchen aesthetic. The metal also offers an option that’s low maintenance, easy to clean, and has no issue resisting heating.

Dents, scratches, and abrasive damage from harsh cleansers or scrubbers can dull the appealing shine and luster of stainless steel countertops. It’s best to use cutting boards if you install this countertop material in your kitchen to minimize unsightly damage. 

#5 Quartz Countertops

Quartz countertops aren’t natural stone, though they contain quartz particles. The countertop slabs have resin and other natural materials in them, a result of the engineering process. That’s why quartz countertops are so durable, scratch-resistant, and heat-resistant in your kitchen.

Because your quartz countertop is technically a human-made material, it’s available in many patterns and vivid colors. Arctic white contrasts dark kitchen cabinets and appliances, while the gray lagoon variety brings warmth to kitchens with neutral color schemes. 

If you want a durable yet low-maintenance kitchen countertop material, quartz is ideal for you. Plus, keeping your kitchen safe and free of harmful pathogens is easy with quartz countertops since you can quickly wipe down everything with soap and water.

#6 Concrete Countertops

Consider concrete countertops if you prefer a custom installation for your kitchen. Professional installation usually involves concrete casting directly in the kitchen to get a custom fit. Concrete is one of the more unique types of countertop materials for benefits such as:

• Scratch resistance
• Heat resistance
• Custom color-tinting and texturing

Despite the unique look and feel of concrete countertops, they are porous. As such, they can’t withstand staining, moisture damage, mold, or bacteria unless you regularly seal the surface. 

Explore Quality Countertop Options With Payless Kitchen Cabinets

If you’d like to explore the many types of countertop materials or wonder about the cost of replacing your countertops, why not turn to one of the top kitchen remodeling companies serving Los Angeles County, California? 

Let Payless Kitchen Cabinets transform your kitchen with factory-direct countertop options—call (866) 482-0919 for a complimentary consultation today!