6 Kitchen Worktop Materials That Will Last a Lifetime
Your worktop endures the daily impact of kitchen life. Kitchens have transcended from a space for just cooking, into the hub of many people’s homes. From food prep and dining, to catch ups over coffees and parties, your kitchen takes on so much. It’s important to make sure your kitchen is built to withstand your busy life, especially the worktops.
Worktops can often be overlooked in kitchen design with cabinetry capturing the main focus. Though the reality is worktops are just as significant, so it’s important to find the right one which balances aesthetics and durability.
Staining, scratches, heat,and cleaning chemicals can have a damaging effect on your worktop’s longevity. At Sustainable Kitchens, we only work with high-quality materials resulting in a kitchen that will last a lifetime. From Corian to Marble, we’ve compiled our favourite worktop materials (in not particular order) and how to care for them for a long-lasting surface.
Kitchen worktop options
1. Corian worktops
Corian worktops have a solid surface made from a blend of acrylic resins, minerals and colourings. Corian is remarkably durable against daily wear and tear and is an extremely versatile material. It cannot delaminate as the joints are inconspicuous.
The surface is non-porous and hygienic, which means liquids are prevented from penetrating the material. Any marks and stains remain on the surface and can be easily cleaned and removed.
Corian kitchen worktops are an environmentally friendly option as surfaces are renewable, any heavy stains and scratches can be erased without a trace by rubbing with a household cleaner.
It also contains low VOCs and is free from dangerous chemicals resulting in better indoor air quality. The seamless quality of Corian worktops means there are no crevices to trap and grow mould, germs and viruses.
Our Bristol Richlite Kitchen, as seen above, features a Corian worktop in Salt.
2. DURAT WORKTOP
Durat worktops are a unique, sustainable, solid surface material which contains recycled plastics and is 100% recyclable. The material was established in 1990 to develop a new sustainable material that would combine recycling and design. The recycled post-industrial waste is granulated into small speckles giving Durat its distinctive texture. It comes in an array of colours from bright to muted with more than 200 colours. You can even develop custom colours that are tinted to order.
Durat worktops are easy to maintain and highly durable making it an ideal choice for kitchens. It is extremely durable and can be renewed by slight sanding without the need of a professional. The material is resistant to wear, humidity and various kinds of chemicals.
Durat is a pioneer of circular economy, the business has been developed with the principles of circular economy, and their goal is to have a closed material cycle so that any production will not generate any landfill waste. They will repurchase, refurbish and sell used Durat products to ensure the longest possible life cycle for their material and to re-use 100% of the materials they produce.
Our Bedminster Plywood Kitchen features a Durat 012 kitchen worktop.
3. NEOLITH WORKTOP
Neolith is sintered stone made from a mixture of raw materials which are heated and pressed to form a solid mass. This extremely versatile and durable material can be used for a variety of surfaces including flooring, cladding, and worktops.
The surface is extremely resistant to scratching, high temperatures, chemicals and UV rays. It is stain-resistant and has a zero absorption rate with virtually zero porosity, making it the ideal worktop for busy kitchens with lots of food spills.
To keep your Neolith surfaces clean, simply use warm water and an everyday cleaning product, but make sure to avoid products containing hydrofluoric acid. Rinse the cleaning product with warm water and dry the surfaces with a clean cloth.
Our Hackney House project features a Neolith worktop in Benton.
4. QUARTZ worktops
Quartz is an engineered, man-made stone. The process involves using crushed quartz, resin and dyes compressed under extremely high temperatures. The result is an extremely heat, stain and scratch-resistant worktop.
Quartz worktops have great antibacterial qualities; its non-porous texture doesn’t allow bacteria to grow. It’s durable and very easy to clean, making it less susceptible to staining.
If you are looking for a super low-maintenance worktop, then Quartz worktops are for you. Quartz kitchen worktops are cleaned using just a damp cloth and mild detergent. Unlike a granite worktop, a quartz worktop will not require sealing or unsealing as it is naturally scratch-resistant.
There is also an array of tones from white to concrete effects and even marble-style.
Our Grand Shaker Kitchen features a quartz worktop in Concretto Scuro.
5. GRANITE worktops
The stunning natural beauty of granite guarantees a truly unique worktop as no two pieces are the same. The inspiring colours and patterns are breathtaking and will make an incredible focal point of the kitchen.
Durable and low maintenance, granite kitchen worktops are water-resistant, can withstand high temperatures, and are impervious to most stains. Please note, wine and citric acids must be cleaned immediately using a damp cloth and mild detergent to avoid damage to the stone.
Granite worktops need to be properly sealed in order to be resistant to stains. If granite is poorly sealed, it can easily absorb liquids such as wine, juice or oils resulting in a prominent stain. Simply having the granite worktop professionally sealed once a year will prevent this.
Our Charcoal Kitchen, as seen above, features a granite kitchen worktop in Grigio Tempesta Satin
6. Marble worktops
One of the oldest surface materials available, with some estimated to be 200 million years old, marble is one of the most desired kitchen worktops materials.
Its elegant appearance and variation of colours and veining results in a truly unique worktop that ages gracefully over time. Carrara is the most popular marble for worktops, other varieties include Calacatta and Arabescato.
Marble is a much softer stone to granite, but when properly maintained it can withstand everyday use, and as its a natural stone, it can resist heat up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You’ll need to seal marble countertops several times throughout the year to preserve its durability.
As marble reacts badly with acidic substances and harsh cleaning chemicals, you’ll simply need warm water and a neutral Ph dish soap to clean it.
Marble is a natural material sourced from the earth’s core, meaning it is free from synthetic materials which help to improve the air quality in your space.
The natural-stone industry has undertaken new techniques in order to conserve natural resources, avoid pollution and keep waste to a minimum where granite is quarried and fabricated. Diamond wires are used to cut the stone once it is removed from the earth before it is polished and smoothed. When choosing a natural stone like marble or granite, make sure your supplier is certified by the Ethical Stone Register.
Our Steel and Marble Kitchen features a Calacatta Medici marble kitchen worktop.
