You may not realise it but kitchen countertops are one of the most used items in your whole house. You will call upon your worktop almost every day to help you cook the many dishes your family enjoy throughout the week, or to help you entertain guests in your kitchen-dining area.

As such, it’s worth taking the time to consider exactly what the right surface is for your place. With a huge range of materials and styles available, it can be quite overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. 

Ultimately, you will want to make a choice that balances utility considerations with style when choosing a countertop that provides serious visual impact in your home, while also doing what it should do — in a practical sense. 

Key Considerations

Sometimes, making a list of the specific properties you want in your kitchen worktop will help you make the best decision about what to go for. 

• Size and shape – What length, thickness and edging do you want?
• Usage – Will it be part of a kitchen island or a unique kitchen design?
• Colour and design – Is there something specific you need to match your interior design scheme?
• Durability and ease of maintenance – What level of care and maintenance are you prepared to provide?
• Cost – How much are you willing to pay over the lifetime of the countertop, including any resealing or maintenance costs?  

Granite 

Granite is one of the most durable countertop options there is and it makes for a great choice for a family kitchen that needs to balance durability with that element of luxury so many people look for.

As one of the hardest natural stones, granite can be on the pricier side and it may need to be resealed regularly to maintain its longevity. Nevertheless, its visual appeal, durability and scratch resistance often make it worth the cost.

Marble

A composite of a variety of minerals, including calcite, graphite, and more. It’s one of the softer natural stones and offers an incredibly luxurious and premium finish. 

Quartz

A blend of natural stone and synthetic resins that is more resistant to household cleaning supplies and chemicals than most natural stone options. 

Quartzite

Often confused with quartz, this highly precious natural stone is similar in look to marble. Along with granite, quartzite is one of the more heat and scratch-resistant natural stones. 

For practical use, it often requires a sealing process applied to the natural stone as quartzite countertops can be quite porous.

Limestone

A sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate. Depending on the formation process limestone can be classified as an organic or chemical sedimentary rock and is available in a wide selection of limestone colours suitable for both traditional and contemporary interiors.

Wood

A timeless and classic material that is pretty easy to maintain when sourced from good manufacturers. Sealing will also make it more durable and resistant to wear, which is more noticeable than with stone worktops.  

Concrete

Today, concrete can be used as an incredibly affordable and stylish worktop option to offer an edgy industrial feel to your home. 

Terrazzo

A composite material made of chips of marble, quartz, granite, glass, and others, that are then poured into a chemical resin cast.

Inquire for Help

At Marble and Granite, we have a huge range of style and material options for granite, quartz and marble worktops in Walthamstow. We also work with leading producers and distributors of the best worktops throughout the UK, so if you want to know more about what we have on offer don’t hesitate to get in touch.