Kitchen Benchtop Materials: Which to Choose
When you enter a kitchen, a kitchen benchtop is the main feature that comes into view before anything else. It is also one of the primary features that should be chosen and carefully styled to match your house’s aesthetics.
When choosing the perfect benchtop for your kitchen renovation in Brisbane, here are some factors you’ll need to consider before making that investment.
Things to Consider When Choosing a Benchtop
Durability
When we talk about a kitchen benchtop being durable, it means it should resist wear and tear over time. The benchtop you choose should be stain-resistant, scratch-resistant, and able to withstand water spills without deteriorating, as these are common in kitchen environments. For example, if you cook or spend much time in the kitchen, you might want to invest in laminate benchtops instead of stone benchtops. By understanding the durability of your benchtop, you can prevent it from deteriorating or take steps to ensure that it lasts longer.
Look and Feel
The appearance and aesthetic, often referred to as “design appeal”, are key factors when selecting a benchtop. Depending on the style of your kitchen renovation, your benchtop should evoke a luxurious, cozy, warm ambiance that resonates with your unique style and emotions every time you step into the kitchen.
With a wide array of options available, you can explore benchtops in nude tones, classic white, or chic monochrome, featuring finishes like grainy marble or porcelain to match your vision perfectly.
Therefore, choosing the benchtop depends on the overall feel you want to give your kitchen. For example, if you want a luxurious, bold benchtop, you can go with black and gold marble. But if you want a cozy kitchen feel, then you can look at lighter tones of nude or white. Ultimately, your decision should align with the overall feel and experience you want to create in your space.
Ease of Maintenance
Cost
Different Kitchen Benchtop Materials
Engineered Stone benchtops
As the name already gives away, engineered stone is a lab-made or man-made stone. You may have seen this trend of using epoxy resin with crushed stone and concrete to make new patterned stones. well, this is what engineered stone is. By doing this, designers make a nature-like stone pattern on slabs that are entirely natural in look.
Acrylic
A hot trend of 2024, acrylic benchtops give a warm touch to the kitchen. Acrylic sheet, the sheet with which the benchtop is made, is in nature a clean, waterproof, and non-absorbant material. These qualities make it one of the top choices of homeowners. Another thing is that it is easily repaired if it gets damaged. Acrylic sheets offer stunning matte or satin finishes, depending on your preference, and are available in a wide range of styles, colors, and patterns to suit any taste.
Timber
Timber is another popular demand in kitchens when it comes to getting kitchen benchtops. As far as we can remember, wood has been a popular element in the kitchen. However, being a fragile element, timber may get some scratches or stains if you neglect its care. To prolong its life, keep it clean regularly and polish it. Many homeowners who love working in the kitchen choose timber over other elements because it gives a warm, stylish, and fresh striking aura to the kitchen.
Here’s a pro tip for maintaining timber: seal it to protect against water damage. Sealing prevents the wood from expanding or getting damaged when exposed to spills.