The world of kitchen countertops is divided into two camps, on one side you have the natural stone surfaces such as marble & granite and on the other side you have the alternatives – ceramic and engineered stone. If you are currently in the process of deciding which way to go, natural or man made, take a look at our quick guide to help you choose.

Natural Stone

The main natural stone materials which are used for kitchen countertops are marble and granite, with the latter easily being the most popular:

• Marble – Marble isn’t often used as a kitchen worktop due to several reasons, with the main ones being that it is much easier to scratch, stain and damage than the other options. If you have your heart set on marble, there are ways of integrating its use into any kitchen though!
• Granite – Granite is one of the toughest materials around and is highly resistant to scratching, staining and heat. These attributes, along with its highly unique looks, mean that it is amongst the most expensive options.

Man Made

Man made materials which are comparable to the natural stone choices include quartz and ceramic:

• • Quartz – Quartz countertops such as Caesarstone and Silestone are comprised of a high percentage of natural quartz (90%+) and materials including resin and other stone products. Quartz is comparable to granite in its ability to withstand heat, staining and scratching but it does have an advantage or two over it’s natural stone counterpart including being lower maintenance.
  • Ceramic – Ceramic countertops have grown in their popularity over the last few years due to their different looks, lower cost and extremely varied choice in colours. One of the best features about ceramic worktops is their ability to be made much thinner than the other materials which will really give a unique look to any kitchen.

If choosing between the two options, man made or natural, as the high end choices on both sides are very closely priced, you’ll have to decide what’s important to you – do you prefer the totally unique look and style that comes with natural stone or do you want the more consistent appearance and low maintenance option of man made countertops? To help you decide, why not take a trip to the Marble & Granite workshop where you’ll be able to see lots of samples and have any questions answered you might have?! Call the workshop directly on 01992 535 038 to arrange a time that suits you.