Homeowners know, kitchen rehabs mean money on the bottom line of their home’s worth. When choosing materials to rehab a kitchen, the countertop can make or break the design. A plethora of countertops choices are available to the kitchen rehabber, but, all will fall into two categories; Man-Made or Natural.
Man-made countertops come in more than 20 different styles. From Corian and Swanstone, to Resin and Formica, homeowners can be guided by beauty and functionality.
Corian solid countertops are offered to the homeowner by Dupont. With more than 27 different colors in the special collection, homeowners can choose the perfect color to match both their style and personality. Corian is most often chosen by homeowners for the ease of care. Corian is a completely restorable countertop. Scratches, nicks, and cuts can simply be sanded away because a Corian countertop holds the outer beauty through the entire stone. Homeowners will be happy to know, Corian recently decided to begin offering 20 of their most popular colors, at a cheaper price.
Swanstone is yet another popular countertop choice for a kitchen rehab. Available conveniently at most home improvement stores, Swanstone not only offers beauty, but decorating sense as well. With a Swanstone countertop, a homeowner will also be able to purchase a matching kitchen sink in various styles. This is a unique option for many homeowners to consider, and with the inexpensive price tag attached to Swanstone, it is an option many homeowners are now able to afford. Swanstone is known to be resistant to stains, scratches and extreme heat.
Resin countertops are available for homeowners who love to think outside of the norm. A resin countertop can be finished to a translucent shine, similar to a jewel. This translucence is even adaptable to under counter lighting. The resurfacable properties of resin, make this eclectic countertop choice functional, as well as, beautiful.
An old favorite for kitchen rehabs, Formica, has made some changes in recent years. Formica now offers a natural quartz surfacing on kitchen countertops. This surfacing renders the Formica 100% maintenance free. To a homeowner, this means no sealing, no buffing, no polishing and a surface that is impenetrable to bacteria and dirt. Containing more than 90% quartz, Formica stone is one of the hardest and most damage resistant kitchen countertops on the market. As if being durable and functional was not enough, Formica is available in 12 different warm colors and hues to solve the beauty aspect as well.
For the homeowner who would rather have a natural countertop for their kitchen rehab, Granite, Soapstone, Pyrolave and Technistone are the top choices.
Granite countertops have been all the rage in kitchen rehabs for years. Granite’s natural beauty and color variation mean no two homeowners will ever have the same countertop. Even when more than one slab is cut from the same stone, granite never repeats itself. Aside from beauty, homeowners are beginning to turn away from the hassle of caring for true granite. Without a protective sealant, many granite countertops can be stained and scratched easily.
Soapstone, on the other hand, is very similar to granite, without all the hassle. Soapstone is a non-porous material, which means, no reaction to acids, no staining and no sealing. For homeowners, this maintenance free charm, makes Soapstone a very popular choice in kitchen rehabs. Soapstone also offers homeowners a bit of hidden beauty. When choosing a Soapstone countertop, the homeowner will be informed that with the addition of mineral oil, the stone can be darkened. While the homeowner may love the color of the stone initially, after a few years, if a change is needed, all the homeowner will have to do is apply a coat of mineral oil and a new countertop will appear.
For a natural countertop choice a little different than most, homeowners choose Pyrolave. Pyrolave is simply enameled lava. The process of creating a Pyrolave countertop is what make this choice so unique. Lava is heated to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and hardened. During this firing process, the pores in the lava change in pigmentation, leaving a unique color every time a slab is created. Pyrolave countertops are available in more than 5,000 different colors and are truly maintenance free. Water proof, heat proof, cold proof, grease proof, and acid proof, there is nothing that is getting through the surface of a Pyrolave countertop.
If quartz is what a homeowner, completing a kitchen rehab, is looking for, then Technistone is the perfect choice. Technistone is manufactured from either quartz, quartz silica, granite or recycled mirror. This base is mixed with resin, colors and binders and the countertop is complete. Technistone countertops are known for their vibrant colors with more than 1000 colors being tested before settling on the 20 available to the consumer today. Technistone is 100% maintenance free and is commonly referred to as a “super-natural stone.”
For the homeowner choosing a countertop for a kitchen rehab, there will be more choices than ever thought possible. Man-made choices offer the same beauty and durability as natural surfaces. The deciding factor will be with homeowners wants and needs for the kitchen rehab. In the end, the countertop will be the focal point of the newly transformed kitchen.
