Countertop Pros and Cons

Laminate countertops, such as the one pictrued above, present a durable, economic choice that can be installed by the DIY’er.

We expect a lot from a countertop. A countertop serves as a heavily used work surface as well as a decorative focal point. The right material choice for your countertop should reflect your lifestyle and balance your desire for good looks, durability and low maintenance. Today, there are more choices in countertop material than ever before, and EHT offers a few pros and cons of eight of the most popular countertops, as well as a peek at some innovative recycled materials to hit the market.  

Granite

Granite countertops are among the hottest materials for the discriminating homeowner. Available in thousands of colors, granite countertops are natural stone that can be polished to a smooth, lustrous finish that holds up well to heat and can potentially last a lifetime. With the application of one of today’s low-maintenance sealers, a granite countertop will resist stains and add value to the home.  

On the down side, granite is among the most expensive countertop materials, ranging from $50 to $200 per square foot, installed. If choosing granite, then consider future renovations because, being a natural stone, it can be hard to match granite’s exact color if adding a new section at a later time. Granite requires occasional resealing and can crack if improperly installed. And, although granite tiles are available for the DIY’er, the slab countertops generally require professional installation.  

Engineered stone, composed primarily from quartz, can mimic natural stone in a wide array of vibrant colors.

Engineered Stone

Engineered stone is available in even more colors than granite and boasts a scratch-resistant nonporous surface. Composed primarily from quartz, the many vibrant colors and styles can mimic natural stone, while the surface remains very stain- and scratch-resistant. Additionally, engineered stone is somehat more flexible than granite and less likely to crack.  

However, sharp edges have a tendency to chip, so bull-nosed edges are preferred. Another pricey material, engineered stone ranges from about $50 to $100 per square foot when professionally installed, and has the same installation challenges as slab granite countertops. Popular brands of engineered stone include Silestone, DuPont Zodiaq and Cambria Quartz.  

Tile

Ceramic and Porcelain tile are heat-resistant materials available in tons of patterns, colors and prices. With a little imagination, the installer can arrange practically any creative pattern by mixing, matching and custom-cutting tiles. Tile allows the creation of border accents, diagonal tile installation, and many more creative layouts. Tile can range from $10 to $40 per square foot for professional installation. However, tiling a countertop is in the realm of the savvy DIY’er, which can shave a lot off the overall job cost.  

After they’ve been sealed, tile countertops are easy to clean and very durable. However, tile can also chip at the edges. For this reason, wood edging or bull-nosed border tiles are often used at the countertop edges. Another weakness lies with the grout joints, which can sometimes stain. Large tiles with fewer grout lines can minimize this, as can thinner grout joints and tinted grout. However, manufacturers such as MAPEI have made great strides in formulating a stain-resistant grout called Opticolor to eliminate this problem (www.mapei.com).