Best Way to Rejuvenate Kitchen Cabinets

Whatever your kitchen countertop dimensions, your options for surface materials are many and varied. From natural materials to synthetic alternatives, here are thirteen ideas to get you started.

Concrete

The best kitchen countertops complement the rest of the design. Concrete is a good choice because it provides an easy way to add texture and color. It's also heat-resistant, scratch-resistant and prestigiously weighty.

Stainless steel is also heat-resistant, of course. And it has a professional-quality, contemporary look in any kitchen. Although expensive, it can be a great investment in your property value.

Wood

Wood kitchen countertops are also called "butcher blocks," and they have a rustic, traditional feel. Maple and oak are among the most common trees felled for kitchen countertops, and they're highly durable as long as you look after them properly.

Laminate

Formica, Nevamar and Wilsonart are some of the names commonly associated with laminate kitchen countertops. These are plastic-coated synthetic materials that are easy to clean and generally inexpensive.

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Ceramic Tile

Tiles are also easy to clean, and they're less expensive than natural stone or wood options. There's also plenty of scope to create your own unique look with reclaimed tiles of your own choosing.

Solid-surface Material

Another relatively inexpensive option (though not as inexpensive as laminates) is solid-surface material from the likes of Avonite and Swanstone. It's a composite material of acrylic particles and resins pressed into shape by machine.

Quartz

Most of the time, quartz kitchen countertops are actually a semi-synthetic mix of quartz particles, other minerals and resins. But they look far more natural than other synthetic options, and they're exceptionally easy to look after.

Quartzite

Quartzite kitchen countertops are another quartz-based option. It looks similar to quartz but with a stronger, less porous finish. It tends to be lighter in color too. Quartzite countertops can be prone to scratching, though.

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Marble

Marble is one of the more luxurious types of kitchen countertops. In fact, it tends to be more popular for bathrooms. But combined with the right design elements, the right tone of marble can look great in the kitchen too.

Terrazzo

Terrazzo has a sort of magnified pebbledash look. It's made by mixing marble chips with epoxy. The result is durable, robust and versatile. It's also easy to clean as long as you mop up spills in good time.

Soapstone

As far as natural stone kitchen countertops go, soapstone has an elegant softness that's hard to find elsewhere. But make no mistake; this is a hard-wearing material with a dense, non-porous surface that doesn't chip with ease.

Granite

Granite is popular for its heat- and scratch-resistance. It's also easy to clean, thanks to its non-porous surface, and can be found in various styles.

Limestone

Limestone is known for its lighter color, as well as for being a cheaper natural stone option. It stains relatively easily because of its porousness, even if it's sealed. But it won't scratch or chip easily if at all.