Natural Stone Countertops Options

Homeadvisor s cheap countertop ideas guide compares the most inexpensive countertop options and gives ideas for installing or replacing kitchen countertops on a budget.

Natural stone countertops options.

Each surface material ranges in price some being more dramatic than others. Read on to find out which countertops are the cheapest and which are the most expensive. Once found only in expensive homes granite is more common today and is one of the. Because granite is a natural material variation in the stone s pattern is common and for most people adds to its appeal but can make matching up slabs tricky.

You ll get a one of a kind variation along with other advantages including. Ceramic tile is durable and easy to clean and it is considerably less expensive than natural stone quartz or solid surface countertops especially for diyers willing to do their own work. They re composed of a blend of about 95 percent crushed natural stone usually quartz and 5 percent synthetic resins to bind the stone. Put simply there is no better natural stone option for a countertop.

Once found almost exclusively in high end homes due to its cost granite has become increasingly more common as the go to stone for countertops. This family of countertop materials includes quarried stones like granite marble soapstone and slate. Soapstone nicks cuts and scratches easily and some stains are too tough to be washed away. Tops can be tinted to a wide variety of colors.

Marble soapstone and jerusalem stone are just some of the natural stones used for kitchen countertops. Limestone also has a natural stone look without heavy veining or graining and it resists heat. Heat and scratch resistance stain and bacteria resistance if sealed uv resistance food prep safe. Bakers love to knead dough on cold marble but designers recommend it be used sparingly as a countertop material because it s soft stains easily and chips.

Every slab of natural granite is unique. These include granite marble quartzite soapstone porcelain butcher block quartz solid surface and laminate. Engineered stone tops combine the beauty of natural stone with the functional benefits of solid surface materials. Still the top choice of most homeowners traditional granite countertops offer a high end look that adds to your kitchen s value while providing a durable prep surface.

Recent innovations in porcelain tiles offer many more design options than ever before including tiles that look like wood marble or even leather or cork.