Which kitchen countertop suits you? Consider these pros and cons

The type of countertop you choose will depend first of all on personal taste and then on what your budget allows. The common choice for most people, mainly because of its low cost, is a 40mm laminate countertop. The other advantage is low maintenance – just a damp cloth will keep them clean.

There is a wide variety of designs and colors available, from imitation wood to imitation granite. Another advantage over natural worktops is the ability to absorb low impact when setting down a cup or plate without chipping the bottoms or making a lot of noise.

There are some disadvantages that, if taken into account, will not detract from a good work surface.

The first is the fact that the bull nose or round nose is only available in straight sections. Any angled corners or spoke ends should be machined flat and a flat piece of laminate glued in place.

The other thing to keep in mind is that any seams or cuts in the surface are a potential problem area waiting to happen. If puddles of water remain in a joint over time, the chipboard will swell and the laminate will lift. If an electric kettle is placed over a joint, the heat from below will affect the joint. Hot surfaces, such as hot pans from a plate, cannot be placed directly on the work surface, as this will also cause blistering.

So be careful, laminate countertops are a good option in a standard kitchen.

However, if the kitchen design has a Belfast sink, for example, then a laminate worktop, around the sink area, is out of the question.

The next option is a wooden worktop made up of many wooden slats glued together to give the correct depth, usually around 620mm.

Wood surfaces can be cut and shaped to follow the shape of the base units, so if a board protrudes forward as a feature or rounded corners are needed, they can all be done and then the front edge can be profiled with a router, as well as the ends along the final fiber. This is a huge advantage over laminate, and unlike a granite countertop, wood countertops can be installed by the installer, so there is no delay in fitting the countertops.

Wooden tops need 3 coats of oil on top and bottom. To accomplish this, I start greasing the bottom of all the wooden tops the first day I arrive to set up the cooker.

Since the oil takes 12 hours to dry, I give them more layers on day 2 and day 3. By day 4 I can start cutting and machining the caps. When all the countertops are assembled and sanded, they are given 3 coats of oil for the next 3 days with a light sand between coats.

Once the kitchen is in use, the countertops will need occasional oiling. This will depend on how much use they have had so it could be once a month or twice a year. It will depend on the client how much he wants to take care of his work surface.

I know past customers who have never oiled their countertops since I installed them and several years later they called me asking how to remove the stains around the sink area. This stain is very difficult to remove and depending on its severity will determine how much of the wood needs to be removed by sanding or brushing and sanding.

I usually recommend heavy sanding and then 3 coats of oil over the next 3 days.

If you choose granite countertops, the granite company you choose measures and installs. When all the base units are in place, the granite installer will usually create templates of the design from 4mm to 6mm hardboard or MDF (medium density fiberboard).

All overhangs, curves, sink profiles, etc. they are cut very precisely so that the stencils can be taken to the workshop and transferred to suitable granite pieces so that little or no work is needed in the kitchen to get everything to fit together correctly. .

The joints are filled with a 2-component resin, colored appropriately to minimize the visual impact of the joints.

After installation, the granite is cleaned with alcohol to remove traces of grease, dust, finger marks, etc. and then coated with a sealer to prevent or minimize any accidental staining.

All types of countertops have their own advantages and disadvantages regarding price, durability, exclusivity and maintenance.

It all boils down to 1. What you like, 2. If you can afford what you like, and 3. If you’re willing to spend time caring for your ideal choice of top.