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The countertop is a busy work space in the kitchen.

By: Bruce Contryman

You prepare all of your food here. You want it to be easily cleaned and sanitized. It should be colorful and reflect your personality. The selection of your counter should be done carefully and deliberately. It is a major upgrade and expense, so you must do it right the first time.

What kind of counter do you want to select for your kitchen. Do you want a natural or an engineered stone. A wood surface, tile, Solid Surface Acrylic or Laminate counter?

Natural stones that have a polished surface like granite, limestone, and soapstone have a depth and beauty that is hard to match. They must be cleaned, sealed and waxed often as they will become discolored because they are porous.

An engineered stone has a beautiful polished surface that usually uses quartz rock and a resin, to bind it together. There are many colors and blends of rock that are very durable. You can clean and sterilize them easily and they do not require waxing.

Solid Surface Acrylics come in many different colors such as Corian or LG Hi-Macs, they are a fabricated counter. They are durable and easy to clean. You can take a fine sand paper of 400 grit or higher and lightly sand out the stain if the surface becomes discolored. They can be bonded together to make a seamless counter and the sink can be built into it.

Wood counters have a gorgeous look and feel to them such as teak, maple, cherry, walnut or mahogany but they require upkeep and care. You must take care of them as they can be scratched, burned or stained.

Tile counters can be assembled in many different colors, patterns and sizes. They are durable and easy to clean, except for the grout between the tiles that can become stained so they need to be sealed. This grout is hard to keep clean. The tiles can be broken or chipped, so you must be careful with them.

A concrete kitchen counter can be built in any shape you want. A form is built to hold the concrete until it sets. It requires knowledge and skill to make a quality counter. It must be sealed and waxed to keep it from staining.

Laminate, such as Formica or Wilsonart, is durable and comes in many styles and colors. It is stain resistant, but can be burnt. It is easy to take care of and to clean.

Article Source: Main Articles

When you start to remodel your kitchen counter top go to Bruce Contryman's guidance on choosing a new counter top. kitchen countertops kitchen remodeling

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