There’s a lot to consider when trying to choose which material you want to use for your kitchen benchtop. At Euro Marble, we provide a whole variety of natural stone materials including granite, quartzite, marble, and onyx.
While all of these options make unique and wonderful kitchen benchtops in their own right, how do you choose which one suits you the best?
We like to approach selecting the best material by following the Four Fs:
- Function
- Fashion
- Finance
- Fit
Function
First and foremost, your kitchen needs to be functionable. If it doesn’t suit what you plan on using it for then your benchtop has probably failed you from the outset.
Are you planning on cooking up a storm most nights? Do you love entertaining moderately-sized crowds? Do you have children who might not be quite as careful not to spill as you are? Are you a “clean it in the morning” type of person, or do you feel an itching to clean up as you go?
All of these considerations will determine how high a priority durability is for you. All natural stone benchtops, when cared for and maintained correctly, can last for a significant period of time. But if you’re expecting a moderate number of spills, maybe the porous and easily-stainable marble isn’t a good fit for you. If you’ve got young children and want a benchtop that’s impervious to their scratches, granite might be more practical.
Fashion
Your home centres around your kitchen and your kitchen centres around your benchtop, so it’s pretty important that you get a design that suits your preferred style and matches seamlessly with your house.
Of course, this is largely up to personal taste. Do you prefer the veiny, milky clouds of marble? Or do you love the intricate specks of granite?
In terms of colour, all of our natural stone kitchen benchtops boast a variety of shades and designs. But you might just fall in love with our unique mint green marble or the impressive intricacy of Azul Bahia granite. If fashion is your highest priority, you may want to choose your material according to its availability in a colour of your choosing. You can check all of our colour options here.
Finance
You can’t discuss different kitchen benchtop materials and ignore the cost factor. Every material comes at a different price. Your budget and price sensitivity could affect which material best suits your kitchen.
For example, marble and onyx kitchen benchtops are among the pricier materials, while granite can range depending on the type you choose. Quartzite stone is considered one of the more affordable materials, especially as it does not need to be resealed like some of the others do.
And, of course, it’s not just the initial cost of purchasing the materials and paying for installation. Granite might not be the cheapest material to choose from, but it’s durability and strength might keep it from being chipped or scratched and save you repair costs down the line.
Have a think about your budget and what’s the best use of your money to achieve your desired kitchen.
Fit
The last of our four Fs to consider is the fit. Because every kitchen is different, every kitchen has specific requirements which might affect which is the best benchtop material to use.
For example, granite kitchen benchtops are carved out of a single slab. This means that you need to ensure it will fit the way you want it to in your kitchen. Or if you’re building a house, your architect needs to take this into account with the design. Quartzite on the other hand is fabricated differently and offers a much more customisable solution in terms of fit and size. Then there’s marble: a very heavy natural stone that can only be installed if there’s strong enough support underneath it.
How is your kitchen laid out? Are you able to fit any size stone bench you want? Which material offers you the flexibility you need?
Kitchen Benchtop Materials
To make it a bit easier for you, we’ve summarised briefly the four different natural stone materials we recommend for kitchen benchtops. Go through the four Fs for each one to see which is the best for you.
Granite
Granite is amongst the more durable of materials and one of the most resistant to scratches. It’s available in a ton of colours and comes at a range of prices. Cut from a single slab, it takes a lot of energy and waste to produce a granite benchtop. Find out more here.
Marble
Marble is a luxurious-looking natural stone but requires special installation and maintenance. Less scratch and stain resistant, marble makes up for its porousness with its sheer beauty. Want to read more about marble benchtops? Click here.
Quartzite
Quartzite is also one of the hardest kitchen benchtop materials and comes at a more affordable price. Reasonably environmentally-friendly in its fabrication, quartzite comes pre-sealed and incredibly resistant to scratches, stains and damage. Check out our website for more information.
Onyx
Onyx is amongst the most luxurious of all materials and while it comes with a price tag, it also comes with a reputation for being beautiful enough to be used in jewellery. It’s just that pretty! Available in a number of colours, it’s becoming more popular for use as kitchen benchtops. For more information and to see some samples for yourself, click here.
There you go! A complete breakdown of what makes the best kitchen benchtop material. If you’d like to peruse our full offerings, you can do that here. And if you’d like to chat to one of our experts about your specific kitchen, please give us a call today!
