Best Countertop Materials to Use for Your Kitchen Counters. Advertisement Continue Reading Below. Get beyond the brand names and your kitchen countertop options really just come down to a handful of materials. The choices can seem overwhelming, but the truth is that theres never been a better time to be in the market for a new countertop. Once upon a time, you were lucky to have some faded laminate as a small prep area beside the sink. Today, you can choose from hundreds of colors, patterns and textures, in materials ranging from natural stone and acrylic sheets to quartz composites and stained concrete. Heres a detailed look at the best countertop materials natural stone, solid surfaces, plastic laminate, ceramic tile, wood and concrete. NATURAL STONE The most common natural stones used to make countertops include granite, soapstone and slate. Heres a brief look at each material. Granite, once found only in expensive, high end kitchens, is more commonplace today and is by far the most popular natural stone countertop material. Granite counters are sold primarily through local fabricators, but theyre also available at many home centers and kitchen showrooms. The latest player in this market, Du. Pont maker of Corian, sells granite countertops through its network of certified fabricators. Granite comes in a wide array of colors, ranging from vibrant blues and variegated browns, to midnight black, deep red and mottled white. Its cut into long, thick slabs that require few if any seams. Most fabricators routinely make one piece granite counters up to 1. After cutting and polishing, the granite is treated with an impregnating sealer that makes the countertop stain resistant. This treatment usually lasts 1. The widespread popularity and availability of granite has stabilized prices somewhat, but its not exactly cheap. Expect to pay between 7. Advertisement Continue Reading Below Soapstone and slate both come in far fewer colors than granite. Soapstone is usually dark greenish black, although lighter green gray slabs are also common. Slate is an extremely dense stone that comes in five subtle colors green, red, gray, purple and black. Slightly less common are variegated purple and mottled purple slates, which have visible veins and shades of contrasting colors. Both soapstone and slate can be fabricated into sinks to match the countertop. Soapstone is porous, and must be sealed with mineral oil to reduce staining. Slate, on the other hand, is nonporous and virtually maintenance free. Slate is relatively soft, but scratches can be buffed out with steel wool. Slate has a soft, matte sheen, but you can create a wet look by rubbing the slate with lemon oil. Why Choose Laminate Countertops At Laminate Countertops, we offer the best selection of products, laminate and countertop installations, fabrications, and repairs at. Shop kitchen countertops and countertop installation at Lowes. Find countertops in every material quartz, butcher block, granite countertops and much more. How to compare and choose the best countertop materialgranite, plastic laminate, solid surface, wood, stainless steel, tile or other types. We walk y. How much a laminate countertop should cost. Average costs and comments from CostHelpers team of professional journalists and community of users. Custom laminate. Buy Wickes Bergen Oak Laminate Flooring online at Wickes. We supply trade quality DIY and home improvement products at great low prices. Making a Formica Full Backsplash and Countertop The tricks and tools to make it right. Have a comment or question on my backsplash project Email me at. Hi, Im considering installing a corian countertop in my kitchen. But Id love to see photos of actual installations before I decide. Im most interested in Corians. How to Install Formica. Formica, or any other brand of household laminate, is most often used for kitchen counters and wall decoration. Laminate is easy to. Slate countertops cost roughly 1. Soapstone is priced comparably with midrange granite 1. SOLID SURFACES Solid surfacing materials such as Corian, Wilsonarts Gibraltar and Avonite are made of 1. Microsoft Flight Simulator X Benchmark. Theyre highly resistant to stains and scratches, and completely renewable and repairable. Scratches and burns can be sanded out deep gouges can be filled. Seams are fused together to create undetectable joints. And the material comes in literally hundreds of colors and patterns, many of which resemble natural stone. Solid surface sinks are also available. Detractors dismiss solid surfacing materials as being nothing more than imitation stone, which is a bit unfair. Solid surface counters have been around for nearly 4. A unique characteristic of solid surfacing material is that the design possibilities are virtually limitless. From intricate inlays and custom backsplashes, to elegant edge treatments and colorful pinstriping, if you can dream it theres a good chance the fabricator can create it. Consider quartz composite, a newer type of solid surfacing material. Also known as engineered stone, this unique material is composed of about 9. Du. Ponts Zodiaq, Silestone, Cambria and Caesar. Stone are a few of the many quartz composites now available. The main differences between engineered stone and traditional solid surfacing materials are that engineered stone is much harder and has a depth, clarity and radiance not found in other solid surfaces. Quartz composites cost slightly more than traditional solid surfaces, but both materials are comparable to granite expect to pay 1. How To Install Laminate Kitchen Countertop Sheets' title='How To Install Laminate Kitchen Countertop Sheets' />Advertisement Continue Reading Below. Advertisement Continue Reading Below. PLASTIC LAMINATE Plastic laminate which is often referred to by the tradename Formica is a durable, hard wearing material that can survive many years in the toughest kitchens. Considering that plastic laminate is made primarily of kraft paper impregnated with resins, its a surprisingly resilient choice. Plastic laminate is available in hundreds of colors and dozens of patterns, and in various textures. However, only those with a matte or fine matte finish should be used for countertops. How To Install Laminate Kitchen Countertop Sheets' title='How To Install Laminate Kitchen Countertop Sheets' />Be aware, too, that there are two basic types of laminates 11. Only general purpose laminate is suitable for countertops vertical grade is for backsplashes, cabinet doors and drawer faces. Plastic laminate comes in sheets ranging from 2 x 4 ft to 4 x 8 ft. Longer, wider sheets can be special ordered. Prices range from about 2 to more than 3 per sq ft, depending on the laminates color and pattern. Lumberyards and home centers sell ready to install post formed laminate counters, which feature seamless construction. Again, prices vary widely, but a solid color, 8 ft long, post formed countertop will cost between 8. If you hire a cabinetmaker to custom build a counter, prices will range from 1. CERAMIC TILE The trend in kitchen design over the last decade or so has shifted toward low maintenance, seamless counters. As a result, there are fewer countertops covered with ceramic tile. However, that doesnt mean you should totally discount tile for your kitchen. Tile is an excellent choice for backsplashes or for secondary work surfaces, such as islands, eat at counters, peninsulas, wet bars or butlers pantries. Just be sure to use tiles rated for use on floors or countertops. Never use wall tile on a counter. Its too thin and will easily crack, says tile contractor Jimmy Tiganella of Classic Tile in Oakville, Conn. Advertisement Continue Reading Below Ceramic tile is often applied to a plywood substrate or directly over existing plastic laminate countertops. However, to ensure a rock solid, long lasting installation, Tiganella prefers using 34 in. Its difficult to estimate the cost of a tile countertop since much depends on the tile chosen and complexity of the installation. Simple solid color tiles cost as little as 1 per sq ft, but the average cost is more in the 3 to 5 per sq ft range. A pro installation will cost between 3. WOOD Wood is another traditional countertop material that has lost prominence over the years due both to the widespread popularity of granite and solid surfaces, and to the mistaken perception that wood can harbor germs and bacteria. In fact, according to a 1. University of Wisconsin study in which microbiologists intentionally contaminated wooden cutting boards during testing, 9. The study found that wood cutting boards are safer, bacteria wise, than plastic ones. Wood maintenance can be another issue, though While polyurethane seals can protect a counter for a few years, many owners prefer to draw out the natural beauty and warmth of wood with a less glossy mineral oil finish.