Source: quantra.in
A countertop catches the attention of the user instantly. It is a solution that has one of the most ‘tangible values’ in the area of it’s application. Literally! Countertops have major applications in areas like modular kitchens, bathrooms and restaurants. Today, there are various materials available in the market for use in countertops. This marks a major shift from the recent past where marble and granite have traditionally held the fort.
In addition to marble and granite, we now have engineered stone and within that, there are many categories including quartz surfaces. We also have solid surfaces, stainless steel, wood and more, that find use as a countertop material. With so many different materials available, what to choose and why becomes increasingly relevant. In this article, we look at various countertop materials and merits and demerits of each material type. So, let’s get going.
1. Marble countertop
Marble or a natural stone has been used in our kitchens ever since we can remember. This material has been in the market even before the entry of modular kitchens, or the kitchens as we know them today.
Marble countertop
Source: limestone.com
Advantages of marble:
- Being a natural material, it is available in abundance.
- Low priced solution – prices start from as low as INR.50 per sq.ft.
- Easy to install. Contractors can handle the material quite easily.
- Robust and lasts a lifetime.
Disadvantages of marble:
- Limited colours – Natural materials have a limitation in terms of availability of colours, non-uniformity in design and patterns.
- Natural materials sometimes have surface defects like spots.
- A bulky material to handle and install.
- The surface of marble sometimes needs to be ‘corrected’ with ‘fillers’ to cover any gaps.
- It’s an unorganized market to quality across lots is not consistent.
- Countertop surfaces are difficult to maintain due to the porous nature of marble. Oil and other stains are difficult to remove.
2. Kota stone countertop
Kota stone slabs
This is another countertop material that has been with us for ages. Kota stone is the usual ‘grey’ stone that again finds applications not just on kitchen countertops but also in other areas like floorings, claddings, etc. Kota stone is a natural material and is widely used, especially where costs need to be kept low.
Advantages of Kota stone:
- Being a natural material, it is available in abundance.
- Indigenous material.
- Long kota stone slabs are difficult since the material is heavy. So, ideal for smaller countertop areas.
- Low priced solution – prices start from as low as INR.25 per sq.ft.
- Easy to install. Contractors can handle the material quite easily.
- Robust and lasts a lifetime.
Disadvantages of Kota:
- Usually comes in grey colour and in shades thereof.
- The shade is not uniform, sometimes even on the same slab.
- Absorbs oils and colours, so stains easily.
- The thickness of the material is not uniform across the slab.
- It’s a hard material and it’s not easy to work on the countertop for finishing requirements.
- The market for Kota stone is an unorganised, and so quality is not consistent.
3. Granite
Granite countertop
Source: rkmarble.com
Granite can be counted amongst the first of the ‘designer’ material in modular kitchens and other countertops applications like bathrooms and restaurants. One of the strongest materials for such applications, granite countertops still occupies a major chunk of the countertops market. But as is the case with marble and kota stone, natural granite is available only in limited colour options.
Advantages of granite:
- Being a natural material, it is available in abundance.
- Low priced solution – Granite price starts from as low as INR.100 per sq. ft.
- Easy to install. Contractors can handle the material quite easily.
- Robust and lasts a lifetime.
- A better countertop material over marble and kota due to it’s ‘design value’.
Disadvantages of granite:
- Limited colours – Natural materials have a limitation in terms of the availability of colours and finishes.
- Natural materials sometimes have surface defects like spots.
- Bulky material to handle and install.
- The surface of marble sometimes needs to be ‘corrected’ with ‘fillers’ to cover any gaps. In granite, it’s sometimes tricky to identify such fillings. These fillings come-off with usage leaving gaps behind.
- It’s a mostly an unorganized market so quality is not consistent, except those provided by branded players.
4. Engineered stone countertop
Engineered stone
Source: neolith.com
As the name suggests, engineered stone is a man-made material. This material was designed to counter the inherent problems with natural countertops materials like marble, kota and granite. Typically, natural stone is the basic material of engineered stone. The natural stone (this also comes from the unutilised stone from quarries) is crushed and mixed with a bonding material to give a seamless look to the final product called engineered stone. Since it’s made in factories, design patterns and colour options are limitless. These are getting popular across markets.
Advantages of engineered stone:
- Seamless finishes in the countertops designs.
- A man-made material, this is available in a vast variety of colours, shades, sizes and thicknesses.
- Owing to the availability of variety, it adds gives more creative flexibility to the Architects and Interior Designers.
- It uses up the unutilised stone from quarries and hence helps in reducing manufacturing wastages.
- Reasonably priced, though higher than marble, kota and granite. Prices start from INR 500 per sq.ft.
- Easy to work on during installation – Engineered stone, because of its structure is easy to ‘mould’ around the corners and tricky places like the sink area in bathrooms and kitchens.
- Finishing is better compared to natural materials like marble, kota and granite.
Disadvantages of engineered stone:
- Awareness about the engineered stone not very high.
- Faces competition from granite owing to its cost.
- Low-quality suppliers in engineered stone is a challenge.
Brands like Neolith, Dekton and Lapitec (sintered stone materials) provide quality solutions in this category.
5. Solid Surfaces
Corian countertop
Source: corian.in
Solid surfaces have been used as countertops and cladding material for some time now. As a category, solid surfaces was made popular by Corian – a DuPont product. Corian, as a name, became so popular that the category itself was loosely referred to by that name. Moreover, when modular kitchens started gaining traction in the market, colour elements also became important. Therefore, the kitchen suppliers could provide colour in their kitchens through cabinet finishes – from basic laminates to high-end lacquer finishes. Even the kitchen sinks gained colour flexibility with the introduction of ‘quartz sinks’. It left the countertops market open for colour experimentation. And solutions like Corian fit in quite well.
Today, in addition to DuPont, there are many more well-known players like Staron, Greenply, Durlax and others.
Advantages of solid surfaces:
- Extensive colour options.
- Kitchen sinks can also be made out of this material giving a uniform look to the countertop area.
- Seamless – No joints are visible.
- Light material and easy to handle.
- Quick installation time – Can be done in a couple of hours for a standard size kitchen.
- Consistency in quality – Many reputed players in the market.
- Resistant to stains.
- Ideal for cold and warm weather conditions, including outdoor seating areas.
Disadvantages of solid surfaces:
- Soft material – gets scratches easily.
- Cannot tolerate high temperatures. So, if the kitchen or restaurant handles hot pans, it tends to deform at the heat touch-point.
6. Quartz Surfaces
Quartz or composite stone material is the next step in countertop material. It can also be classified as engineered stone. We see quartz surface as a separate category as it remains a standardized ingredient in these materials. It has a composition in which a majority of the material is quartz held together by resins. This lends strong structure to the quartz surface making it very useful for countertop applications. Some of the leading suppliers include Corianquartz, Caesarstone and Quantra.
Caesarstone countertop
Source: hafeleindia.com
Source: quantra.in
Advantages of quartz surfaces:
- Strong material for countertop applications
- Wide variety of colours and finishes
- Seamless span across the countertop
- Sold by well-established brands so quality is high
- Installation is handled by trained installers and so fit and finish is good.
- Long life.
Disadvantages:
- Product awareness
- Price – though with the market attracting new players, prices are coming down.
7. Stainless Steel
By its very nature, stainless steel is one of the most robust materials for countertops. The real challenge with stainless steel is that it is a work-hardy material. What this means is that the more you work on stainless steel, the more difficult it becomes to ‘handle’ it. If there is a good supplier who knows this material, a stainless steel countertop is a life-long solution.
Stainless steel bathroom countertop
Source: neelkanthsinks.com
Advantages of stainless steel for countertops:
- Strong material and being stainless steel, is rust-free
- No maintenance
- Long-life solution
- Easy to clean
- Robust and lasts a lifetime.
- Ideal for commercial kitchens and restaurants and public washrooms
Disadvantages:
- Colour limitations – only steel colour, though coloured steel options available.
- We need the right installer to do a neat job. That’s the real challenge in stainless steel for use in countertops.
Neelkanth Sinks and Fabrinox are some of the sources if you are looking at stainless steel countertops.
8. Wooden countertop
Wooden countertop
Source: pinterest.com
As a countertop material, wood looks very elegant and is timeless in its appeal. Western markets appreciate wood as a countertop material. This is also due to the climatic conditions and usage patterns – especially in cooking areas. Areas like dry kitchens with limited water usage suit very well to this material.
Advantages of wooden countertops:
- High on aesthetics.
- Easy availability of wood and wood derivatives across most markets.
- Easy to install. Contractors can handle the material quite easily.
- If maintained well, it should last long.
Disadvantages:
- Natural knots visible on the surfaces.
- Not suited for wet areas.
- Need for reliable wood suppliers for quality material.
- Easy absorption or stains on wood.
In conclusion, we can say that there are various materials available for countertop applications. As we have seen, these are both natural and man-made. Each material comes with its own set of plusses and minuses. What is important is to weigh the materials based on the application, budget and creativity. And make a decision accordingly.
One rider in countertop materials is that unlike many other categories in home improvement market, this is an installation dependent solution. So, you must take care not only while selecting the material suitable for your project but also do a careful selection of installation service provider. This will ensure years of trouble-free use of countertops – be it in modular kitchens, bathrooms or restaurants.
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