Your kitchen is in many ways at the very heart of your home. It is where you gather with your family to prepare meals. Your kitchen is the place where you have coffee and swap stories with friends. Central to much of this activity in the kitchen are the kitchen work surfaces. Whether you are making a hot drink, a snack or a full meal, you need somewhere to prepare it, and it is the kitchen benchtops that will provide you with the space to do that. If you need to fit new kitchen benchtops, then you must think carefully about which material is most appropriate for your needs. Here are the most popular kitchen work surfaces along with the advantages and disadvantages of each choice.
Laminate kitchen benchtops
Laminate has long been one of the most popular choices for kitchen work surfaces. Laminate is the most cost-friendly option available, and laminate benchtops are now available in a huge variety of textures, patterns and finishes. You can even find laminate imitations of other, more expensive finishes, such as natural stone.
Timber kitchen benchtops
If you have wooden doors on your kitchen units, then what could look better than a wooden work surface to complement them? Timber brings a natural warmth into your kitchen and works well with a wide range or architectural styles and many other materials. The disadvantage of choosing wood for your benchtops is that it is a porous material, so timber surfaces will need to be properly sealed to ensure they remain protected.
Engineered stone benchtops
Stone may not be the obvious choice for a kitchen work surface, but it does offer superb scratch and stain resistance. Engineered stone can look like polished concrete or even marble and offers a great look for any family kitchen. Ask your kitchen wholesale shop what choices they have available.
Stainless steel benchtops
The main advantage of a stainless steel benchtop is hygiene. Stainless steel offer the most hygienic work surface for any kitchen, as it can be quickly wiped clean. Steel will show scratches and dents after a while, but in some ways this can add to its appeal by creating a utilitarian, almost industrial feel to your kitchen. Another attraction of stainless steel is that sinks can be directly welded into the benchtop, meaning your new benchtop can be entirely seamless with no unsightly join to detract from the appearance of the benchtop. Steel is great with heat, so you can place hot dishes and pots on the surface without any fear of damaging your new worktop.
