New ideas for kitchen and bathroom countertops

Considering installing new countertops to refresh your old kitchen? Planning a new kitchen or bathroom and can’t decide between the multitude of options for the countertops? Capricon has done the research for you, so read on to share in the results of an experienced kitchen and bathroom contractor.

NATURAL OR MAN-MADE?

In today’s global market and with advances in materials science and technology, the first choice a homeowner, renovator or designer comes up against is between natural and man-made countertop materials.

Natural materials include various stone countertops like marble and granite, as well as woods of all types. The luxury and durability of a stone countertop, or the warm feel of a wood countertop can often be worth the premium price these options carry. However, there are disadvantages from a uniformity and maintenance standpoint. Take natural stone for example: when you, or your design professional chooses a color or pattern from a sample of the stone shown by the distributor, it is important to know that the actual slab that your countertop will be cut from can differ significantly from one order to the next, to the degree that, if uniformity and overall design coherence are an important factor to you, natural stone may not be the way to go. Additionally, as with all natural products, nothing is perfect: so expect defects both in natural stone and wood products ranging from rust, to pitting in stone and knots and structural instability in wood. As well, natural materials will react differently, and sometimes unpredictably, to changes in heat, cold, and humidity, so these factors are important to consider when designing your kitchen or bathroom.

As for maintenance, a countertop made from natural wood will need periodic applications either of a food grade oil, stain or sealant and will be prone to discoloration and staining over its lifetime. Even stone countertops are not immune from staining, and everyday foodstuffs like cooking oils, citrus fruit and other high acidity items can cause permanent discoloration of natural stone countertops. Also, with wood countertops for example, placing hot cooking utensils on the surface can cause burn marks and other unsightly blemishes; worse still, high heat can crack a natural stone surface.

Some natural products are, naturally, better than others, either for durability and strength, or simply from a “green” perspective. So when choosing materials for bathroom or kitchen countertops, choose granite over marble, and hard wood, like maple or bamboo, which is also an environmentally sound option, over softwoods. Choose materials that require little or minimal maintenance over their lifetime. Choose materials that are adapted to the use you have planned for them. A marble countertop may not be strong enough to support that double cast-iron under mount sink, or that oak vanity top may not hold up to the abuse a family bathroom can deliver. For the environmentally conscious (and who can afford not to be these days), choose a natural stone or wood that can be extracted locally from the environment, that is not under environmental pressures such as unethical mining or forestry practices, and that is cut, and transformed near to your project. This can mean that that Brazilian jatoba, or the Italian marble you chose are likely to increase the carbon footprint of your renovation project, and that maybe you should consider the granite quarried in the local hills, or buying the wood countertop from a local artisan who made it using recycled wood planks. Lastly, why not consider also the recyclability and reusability of the product you are choosing for your countertops, once you have grow tired of them and are ready to renovate again!

MAN-MADE MATERIALS

Contrary to natural products used for countertops, man-made products come in endless materials, colors, and finishes and can be sourced from a number of local producers and suppliers. Many man-made products are produced by artisans and in an environmentally conscious fashion. Not to mention that a countertop can be made from almost any material that has the appropriate qualities of structural strength, durability, maintainability and sanitary considerations, for the use and lifespan it is intended for.

Common new man-made materials that are gaining popularity are the so-called reconstituted stone countertops, or engineered stone, and the poured concrete countertops. Artificial stone countertops made from stone chips (often quartz) and remolded into slabs with a resin additive which can then be treated with a variety of product enhancing substances such as pigmentation, antibacterial and antistaining agents, or durable factory applied finishes. These artificial slabs can come in virtually any color, are nonporous, uniformly sound structurally and can be guaranteed by the companies producing them for long periods of time (unlike natural products, which are unlikely to be guaranteed from hidden defects, or things like staining and pitting). Another advantage is that, as the stone is a production item, install times can be predicted fairly accurately, so you don’t have to wait for a particular stone to be quarried, cut and delivered before you know when you can have it installed. How many homeowners and renovators have been held up waiting to use their almost finished kitchen because the granite they ordered is still a part of the continental crust somewhere!

Another popular choice is the concrete countertop. Concrete is a very flexible material which can be poured to literally any length, size or shape imaginable and can also be colored, etched with acid to provide a texture, smoothed and polished to a high sheen, sealed and protected against discoloration, bacteria and water. Its flexibility also offers advantages like integrated sinks, drainboards, cutting boards, as well as offering the unique advantage of being able to integrate anything you want as decoration such as mosaics made from recycled or salvaged materials, your high school track medals or a commemorative plaque. They can be pre-cast or cast on site. Being manufactured from basic materials available practically anywhere in the world, these countertops are considerably greener than some of their natural counterparts. Not to mention that concrete is virtually indestructible when used in a kitchen or bathroom so they do not need repair or replacement, and can be fairly easily recycled at the end of its useful life. However as the popular use of concrete by homeowners for countertops is relatively recent, it can be difficult to source locally, and often bears a fairly hefty price tag, as the manufacture and install process is quite labor intensive. Weight can also be an issue, and it is important that the cabinets be designed to adequately support the concrete countertops, and its prohibitive weight can also be a deterrent for do-it-yourselfers. You don’t want to be responsible for your brother-in-laws slipped disk, so make sure you have these countertops installed by a professional.

As for other man-made materials, the sky is the limit! Depending on their intended use, countertops can be made from a variety of sheet metal materials, plastics, old doors, recycled tiles, heck, even a surf board can be made into a countertop for that scuba rental office you were thinking about opening down south! Use your imagination, consult with local artisans and businesses, talk to design and construction professionals and keep your eyes open on that Saturday drive through the neighborhood. Who knows, you may come upon a novel new idea for a countertop, showcased in your new kitchen, bathroom, workshop or store.

Visit us at www.contractormontreal.com to find out how we can assist you in all your renovation and construction needs.