Choosing a kitchen stone worktop is not the easiest decision in the world. Yes, you might think that there are far more important things on the planet, and that is true, but if you want to achieve a highly professional and pleasing look to your kitchen, you need to put some serious thought and effort into your kitchen worktop, including what material you’re going to go for, and what colour you’re going to choose too.
Stone worktops come in many different subsections, such as quartz, marble stone , and granite, and each of these have pros and cons of their own. Of course, stone is a natural material, and this means that they are all very strong and long-lasting, provided they are maintained and looked after correctly.
On the other hand, laminate worktops are a great way to mimic the appearance of a stone worktop, for a fraction of the cost.
If you have no idea where to start in terms of choosing between stone worktops and laminate worktops, let’s look at the pros and cons of each.
Pros and Cons of Stone Worktops
We mentioned that stone worktops are made up of a choice between quartz, granite, and marble, and these are all very strong stones. Quartz is perhaps the strongest, with granite almost on part, and marble coming up last. That is not to say that marble isn’t strong, it is just slightly less so than the other two.
Stone worktops generally speaking are hard-wearing, durable, and they certainly last the test of time. All choices are available in many different colours and patterns, and provided they are installed correctly by a professional, they will not need to be replaced for a good few years at least. Another major advantage is that granite and quartz are stain and heat resistant, which means you don’t have to worry too much about what you are using. Marble is also known for its cool temperature, which means baking fans will certainly find benefit from choosing this stone. Quartz is also a non-porous choice, and that means it doesn’t harbour bacteria or germs.
The downside of a stone worktop is that it will need to be professionally installed, and that ups the price. Compared to laminate, stone worktops are much more expensive, and they do need regular maintenance, other than quartz, which basically looks after itself other than regular cleaning.
Pros and Cons of Laminate Worktops
Laminate worktops are also known as Formica, and they are much cheaper than stone worktops, giving you a good cost effective choice for your kitchen decoration.
The upside of choosing laminate is that they can easily mimic stone worktop designs, very convincingly, and that means less cash for a high quality result. Laminate worktops are not completely resistant to heat and staining, but they are very resistant, which means as long as you are careful, you don’t have to be too mindful of what you are doing. Another plus point is that you can install a laminate worktop yourself, without a professional having to come and do it for you.
The downside? Laminate worktops are porous, and that means they can absorb water and that can cause problems further down the line, whilst also possibly harbouring germs and bacteria. If you look after your worktop you shouldn’t have issues, so always clean up any spillages as soon as they happen.
As you can see, both are fantastic options, and which one you choose is an entirely personal decision.
