How to Choose the Countertops for Your Home

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Updated on February 27th, 2020

If you’ve just bought a home or you’re doing a renovation, replacing your countertops should be a top consideration. Whether it’s your bathroom, kitchen, or other room in your home, the countertops you choose can make or break both the design and the upkeep requirements of that space.  Making the right choices can boost your home’s value and help create a space that is just right for you. There are many things to consider – price, design, maintenance, durability, and many more. To help you make the best decision possible, we’ve rounded up countertop experts from California to Pennsylvania. Read on for tips and tricks straight from the countertop professionals that know best!

a home with luxurious countertops in the kitchen

Countertops that are natural (granite, marble, quartzite) or engineered stone (quartz) would add the most value for a home. Stay away from formica, laminate, and solid surfaces as these are no longer in. Additionally, a new trend is combining different surfaces within the same room.Gabriel Martino, Granite Works

Just like granite, quartz countertops are incredibly durable and scratch-resistant, which helps them stand up to day-to-day life in your home’s kitchen. They also require less maintenance: quartz does not need to be resealed, and you can keep your countertops in great condition by following just a few precautions. Avoid using abrasive materials—such as steel wool—to clean the countertop and keep hot cookware off of the surface, since the resin in the quartz countertops is only heat resistant to about 150 degrees.Superior Stone & Cabinet

If you’re most excited about showing off your brand-new kitchen to future guests, then pick materials that can withstand mixing and mingling. A durable but less-porous natural stone-like granite can endure party mishaps like hot dishes or the inevitable spilled glass of wine. It’s formed deep in the Earth’s core into a highly dense material, and no single slab looks exactly alike.

Bust out your Top Chef skills in a space tailor-made for gourmet cooking. Establish the golden “kitchen triangle” by positioning your sink, fridge and oven between 4 and 9 feet apart. The not-too-close, not-too-far arrangement helps your workspace flow that much better.James Freeman, Colonial Marble and Granite

The biggest mistake homeowners make when choosing new countertops is failing to investigate durability, maintenance, and ease of repair thoroughly. This research is especially crucial for kitchen countertops, which get heavy use. We consult with countless homeowners frustrated by unexpected cleaning issues or damage to new countertops. All countertop materials can be damaged or stained in one way or another. Each requires care and cleaning specific to that surface. Some countertop materials are easy to repair while damage to other types can be permanent.

For instance, marble will scratch and etch and needs more upkeep, but it is repairable. On the other hand, some popular man-made countertops are more durable, but any damage may be permanent. You want to be aware of these facts up front. Relying on general advice is a mistake. Avoid future surprises and disappointment with your countertop investment. Take the time to learn the finer details of proper maintenance, product use, and potential problems of each material you’re considering before purchasing.Ryan Burden, Countertop Specialty

Don’t sacrifice a surface you love because you’re afraid it won’t last. All countertops perform whether it is granite, marble or even wood, although wear can develop over time. For those who know they won’t enjoy anything less than a bulletproof surface, we recommend going with quartzite or quartz.Paresh Shah, AA Granite Fabricator Direct

Natural stone materials, such as granite and quartzite, are highly durable countertop materials. Aside from the periodic sealing and wiping up of kitchen debris, these countertops are made to last. Marble, also a natural stone, is softer, but that does not mean it’s not a great option for kitchen and bath applications. It just depends on the wear and tear you expect it to endure and how much maintenance (sealing and cleaning) you are willing to put into it. Sealing slows down the etching, but if spills are left on the surface, it can still be damaged. 

Quartz is incredibly easy to clean and requires minimal maintenance compared to other natural stone options. It also requires no initial or periodic sealing. Of course, whether you have quartz countertops in your kitchen, bathrooms, or other areas of the home, regular cleaning is a must to maintain a healthy environment and keep your countertop surfaces looking brand-new. The main difference between quartz and other types of stone when it comes to maintenance is that quartz is a non-porous material, thanks to the resins and polymers that bind it together.Sinan Sepkin, Academy Marble & Granite

There is no way to control or know what a given single buyer will be attracted to, when and if you put your home up for sale. They may have exactly the same taste as yours, or they may have completely different tastes. Therefore – the best answer is this: you are making a big investment in your home, BUY THE PRODUCT THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY! That way, for all the time you live with your new kitchen, YOU will love it, and that’s something that you can control.Dave Brassard, RE Marble & Granite

Natural stone is the most common material for countertops. However, quartz has also been gaining steam over the last 5 years, especially in the Midwest. Recently, quartz prices shot up, because of the ongoing tariff war with China (surprise, a lot of quartz is made there) and because of this uncertainty in the supply chain, significant capital is required to start a production run, further limiting the supply. If you can source quartz locally or find a deal, quartz is still worth it, since it doesn’t require sealing and has been shown to be more durable than granite.Dhruv Kar, Stoneland, St. Louis-based granite and quartz distributor

First, you have to consider how the countertop will be used. If heavily used, such as a lot of cooking and food prepping, then Granite may be the right choice due to its heat resistance to hot pots/pans placed on its surface and how well it stands up to daily wear and tear. If basic cooking, normal family use, then a medium to light-colored Solid Surface countertop, Quartz (Engineered Stone,) or Granite are all excellent choices. If more of a low use kitchen, then choosing a dark color or high gloss surface in any of the surfacing products would be a great fit. Dark colors/gloss surfaces aren’t suited for heavy use, so this is a good fit for low use kitchens.

Secondly, you should consider the color or pattern of your countertop. If a random natural look is desired, then Granite is a great choice. If you need a particular color or pattern, then the wide selection of Quartz (Engineered Stone) and Solid Surfaces will make the decision much simpler.John Vatis, Surface Link

More and more of our customers and clients are showing renewed interest in natural stones. Granite offers an exciting mix of colors that complement so many home styles. In addition, Quartzite, a natural stone that is harder than Granite is quite popular sporting unique patterns and colors from cream to dark gray. We seal all our natural stone three times reducing how often resealing is needed. The best stone is the one that accents cabinetry, floors, walls and décor whether it’s Granite, Quartzite, Marble, or Quartz.Jennifer Crawford, American Marble & Granite

More and more of our customers and clients are showing renewed interest in natural stones. Granite offers an exciting mix of colors that complement so many home styles. In addition, Quartzite, a natural stone that is harder than Granite is quite popular sporting unique patterns and colors from cream to dark gray. We seal all our natural stone three times reducing how often resealing is needed. The best stone is the one that accents cabinetry, floors, walls and décor whether it’s Granite, Quartzite, Marble or Quartz.Kate Young, Solid Rock Custom Homes

Ryan is on the marketing team at Redfin and loves writing data-driven articles about all things real estate. Ryan's dream home would be a Cape Cod-style house near the ocean and the mountains.
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