When choosing a kitchen worktop, you can underestimate how many different factors you'll need to consider in ensuring that the worktop you select may be the right one for you. Different materials have a variety of different attributes, from durability and ease of maintenance to hygienic qualities and heat resistance. Selecting the most appropriate one will very much depend on how you use your kitchen, but it is also important not to disregard the importance of aesthetic appeal in making your choice. Since your new worktop will be a feature of your kitchen for years and even decades ahead, it's essential that you strike the proper balance between practical and aesthetic considerations.
But which are the specific qualities of the various worktops available, and how will you decide on the main one that's right for the kitchen? Here is a brief outline of some of the most popular materials:
Wood
With regards to kitchen design, nothing beats the versatility, variety and quality of solid timber worktops. Usually available in a huge range of different styles, tones and colours, wooden surfaces bring a warm and earthy feel to your kitchen and are perfect for both modern and traditional designs. From the practical perspective, it is one of many materials most vulnerable to scratches, scuffs and stains, but that is balanced by the relative simplicity of repairing and maintaining the worktop. Furthermore, this material is hygienic and affordable, making it an excellent all-round choice.
Laminate
Laminate worktops are sometimes derided as the 'budget' choice, but this might be to disregard the unique elements that laminates can bring to your kitchen's aesthetic. Because laminates are enormously versatile with regard to finishes and effects, there's probably one on the market for every conceivable type of kitchen design. This flexibility is further enhanced by the durable, stain-resistant nature of top quality laminates and the relative inexpensiveness of the type of material.
Kitchen Worktops Greater Manchester
Among the more expensive materials out there, acrylic worktops offer fantastic build quality and unparalleled durability. While it's perhaps one of the more limited options with regard to patterning, effects and finishes, acrylics are usually available in an array of different colours, letting you use a striking, unconventional bank of colour in your kitchen that basically makes an impact. With regards to practicality though, few other materials will probably retain their original quality just as that hardwearing acrylic does, meaning it is a great long-term investment for any new kitchen.
So there you have it. Three of the most popular kitchen worktop materials, each making use of their own unique qualities which means that they bring something distinctive to a new or remodelled kitchen. If you are still struggling to choose between them, make an effort to think with regard to your wider design needs. Can you prefer the rustic touch that solid timber would bring, or would subtle, stylish acrylic better suit your more sophisticated design preferences? Matching your worktop together with your selection of kitchen doors is a superb initial step in working out how exactly to achieve aesthetic harmony in your kitchen.