The kitchen is one of the popular places in the home, and there are many advantages to installing granite & other types of natural stone in this space.
Popular Reasons You Should Go with Natural Stone Counter tops in Your Kitchen
Whether you are remodelling the entire kitchen or replacing the counter tops only, you have numerous surface choices. While narrowing down your options, you might consider price, return on the investment, and of course, appeal. One option that stands out is natural stone.
Natural stone counter tops are growing in popularity, especially for kitchen remodels. However, the upfront investment often creates sticker shock when you’re looking at using it in your home. If you find yourself not sure whether to pay the high upfront cost of natural stone, you should consider the vast benefits of doing so before going for a cheaper alternative.
Reasons Natural Stone Counter tops Are Worth the Investment
Yes, natural stone will cost more, but will last longer. These surfaces include everything from granite to marble to soapstone and even limestone surfaces. While they cost more than linoleum or laminate surfaces, there are benefits to paying a little extra upfront, including:
1. Natural Stone Counter tops Are Easier to Maintain and Offer Superior Durability
When compared to laminate counter tops or even linoleum, natural stone is easier to maintain and will last longer in your home than other counter top types. Furthermore, if you invest in a non-porous natural stone, such as quartz, you get something that requires little to no maintenance.
Granite, marble, and other non-quartz surfaces do require annual sealing, but outside of that, they are relatively easy to maintain. Likewise, they will have fewer scratches or cut marks from daily use like laminate surfaces, and that means you have fewer chances of replacing it over the next few decades.
If you properly care for your natural stone counter tops, they can last a lifetime, while everyday use wears out laminate surfaces within ten years or even more.
Every natural stone has different care procedures, and not all natural stone is as durable as the other. For example, quartz is stain-resistant, but marble is not. Regardless, when you compare natural stone surfaces to non-natural stone, they are much more durable and easier to care for.
2. A Quick, Easy Way to Update Your Older Kitchen
Do you have an outdated kitchen that could use a pick-me-up, but you do not want to pay the average cost of a kitchen remodel?
To do a full remodel, you could be looking at anywhere from $10,000 to over $35,000. Instead of gutting your entire kitchen, you can add new counter tops as a quick revival. With a fresh coat of paint and brand-new natural stone counter tops, your kitchen is reformed without the high price tag or inconvenience of a full renovation.
3. Increased Home Value
More home buyers see potential in natural stone versus laminate and non-stone surfaces. After all, they know a kitchen with granite or even quartz is easier to maintain, and they would rather pay more for a home that has gone through the upgrade process than one where they will have to upgrade themselves.
Natural stone counter tops do pay you back over time because your home’s value increases the more natural stone you have in kitchens and bathrooms. Also, it can make your listing competitive in a “buyers” market.
4. Family-Friendly Surface for Daily Use
The kitchen is the gathering zone for most homes. Whether you have small children, your counter tops take quite the beating with everyday use – from cooking to tossing a gym bag on the surface while grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.
Natural stone can withstand the daily abuse you throw at it, and when you have smaller children that do not understand the damage their spilled juice or crayons can make, it is worth the investment. Laminate counter tops stain and bubble quickly, while most spills and messes are wiped up without much fuss on natural stone.
5. Variety of Colours and Options to Choose From
One of the best features of natural stone is the colour. Every type of natural stone surface has a unique colour and pattern waiting for you to use in your kitchen. Regardless of your colour preferences, you can easily find a natural stone surface that matches your new remodel.
Take quartz, for example. You can find quartz in colours ranging from white and marble-esque to sleek black with crystal sparkles. With granite, you have shades ranging from black to white to red to brown and even blues.
You can browse the endless rows of natural stone slabs and find one colour that suits your budget and colour preferences with ease – making it easier to match the natural stone to your new kitchen.
Bottom Line: Natural Stone Counter tops Provide Durability, Longevity, and Value to any Kitchen
Whether you are remodelling the entire kitchen or just replacing your surfaces, natural stone is a contender. If you want a counter top that will last you for years, hold up against everyday use, and still provide your home with value, then you need natural stone.
Natural stone is a category of counter tops, and within that category, you can find a surface that suits your budget – and the prices might surprise you. If you are on a tight budget, start with granite. If you want something that is indeed maintenance-free, look to quartz. If you want a surface that is sleek, rustic, and still durable, consider soapstone.
No matter which natural stone surface you end up using, you will have a counter top that lasts your home for decades and with proper care can look as great as the day you installed it even 20 years from now.
