Stone Kitchen Benchtop
A stone kitchen benchtop is the new element which has become popular for giving a whole new dimension to your kitchen area. The stone kitchen benchtop forms the central piece of attraction as far as the kitchen décor is concerned.
- The platform of a kitchen is the most used surface, thus it is important for it to not only be durable and strong but also look classy, and this is achieved most efficiently by including a layer of stoned benchtop at the top.
- A stone kitchen benchtop not only gives your kitchen top a glossy appearance but also ensures a great amount of strain pressure and heat can be handled by the platform harmlessly.
- A stone kitchen benchtop offers a solid and non-porous surface which does not get affected with stains, grime and dirt very easily. Moreover, you can clean the benchtop with plain water or with mild detergent. These stone benchtops are available in many colors.
So, what is a stone kitchen benchtop?
As we have discussed , a stone kitchen benchtop is a properly cut slab of stone, placed on the surface of the platform of our kitchen to not only provide protection from the hammering, cutting, chopping, heating and other harsh conditions of the kitchen work, but also to add a glossy, classic finish to the surface of the platform.
What types of stones are available?
You can chose from a variety of stones like:
- High pressure laminate: perhaps the most popular stone, being the least expensive one and having variety of over 200 colors, though it is vulnerable to high amount of heat and pressure.
- Acrylic: A bit on the higher side on budget come this stone, has transparent joints, which make it look much better and can also be easily repaired, but it is still quite susceptible to scratches
- Natural Granite: Has a broader spectrum in terms of colour selection and also highly resistive to heat and pressure but again vulnerable to stains and scratches.
Advantages of using stone kitchen benchtops:
- Beauty: Not only do the stone tops feel smooth on touching these also add aesthetic beauty to the kitchen, they come in a wide variety of colors, suitable for all kinds of kitchen, adding to their beauty, these can be polished several times, thus making the glossy finish last for a very long time. Benchtops made of granite stone offer durability and longevity, which, in the long run, proves to be a wise investment.
- Longevity: Stones are hard everyone knows, but another added advantage of using stones is their longevity, you just need to make an effort of installation once and for decades you can cherish their beauty as the life of these stones, after proper finishing and repeated polishing increases manifolds, serving their purpose for decades.
- Easy to clean: Their hard, non-porous solid build makes them very easy to clean, any kind of solid, liquid or gel material can be easily wiped off from their surface.
- Under mount skin facility available.
What are the Disadvantages of using stone kitchen benchtops?
- Chipping problem: Some stones have the weakness of getting chipped from the corners after getting repeatedly used. Problem of etching is also seen in some of the benchtops
- Price: Certain shades of stone or granite and acrylic can be very expensive because of their rich look and shine even though they are quite prone to staining.
- Leakage: Certain stones like marble, limestone develop pores on the surface causing a lot of stains and making them difficult to clean, after a prolonged use.
Thus it is one of the latest additions in kitchen furnishing and perhaps the most revolutionary also because it not only protects but also enhances the look of the kitchen. Go through this link and get more ideas of stone kitchen benchtops for your dream kitchen furnishing.