Stone versus Wood Countertop Which Should You Opt For? |
Posted: April 18, 2019 |
The kitchen is one of the busiest areas in the house. It is also where the best and most important conversations happen. With that said, it is essential that your kitchen be a place of comfort, and it should also look inviting and elegant. The countertop is the centrepiece of the kitchen. You prepare, serve and eat meals on the countertop, maybe more often than at the dining table. You must choose the worktop material that will suit your needs best. Will it be stone or wood? Let’s talk about these two types of worktop materials to help you decide. Stone Stone countertops are a popular choice among households. If you are looking for a granite worktop, London companies offer a wide range of styles and designs. They can serve you for decades with proper use and maintenance. Granite and other stone worktops are natural materials, so you can be sure that they are sturdy and can withstand years of use. They also naturally come in a variety of designs and colours. Since the worktop is where you prepare, serve and eat your meals, a stone worktop is heat resistant, so you don’t have to worry about putting hot pans on top of it, although for good measure you must still use a coaster to protect the sealant from wearing off. You cannot use knives directly on the worktop, as it may scratch the surface, breaking the sealant and exposing the stone to elements such as knife scratches, heat, chemicals, liquids and the like that may diminish the integrity of the stone. A stone worktop is also costlier, and installation takes longer. Cleaning it is a breeze though. You don’t need too many cleaning agents to clean the stone. Mild soap and water are all you need to keep the surface clean. Using chemical cleaning agents may damage the sealant. You need to apply sealant on the surface every few months or so.
Wood Compared to stone, wood is cheaper. It offers the kitchen a rustic appearance. One of the cons of a wooden worktop is that it is not fully water resistant. Wood absorbs liquids, so you have to beware of spilling anything on it and not wiping it up right away. Wet wood can harbour germs and bacteria, which when in contact with food may cause illnesses. It is not resistant to heat and needs refinishing every now and again. The installation of a wooden countertop does not take as long as its stone counterpart. It is extremely durable too. It can last for years if you continue to keep it clean all the time. When choosing whether to go with stone or wood, make a list of things that you require for your worktop: function, aesthetic and safety-wise. Ask your worktop supplier for design ideas, so you have a range of options to choose from. They should also be able to talk you through each of the available worktops and their pros and cons.
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