{"id":29321,"date":"2017-12-07T18:27:35","date_gmt":"2017-12-07T18:27:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.affordablegranite.co.uk\/?p=29321"},"modified":"2024-01-08T10:17:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-08T10:17:33","slug":"kitchen-worktops-types-granite-quartz","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.affordablegranite.co.uk\/kitchen-worktops-types-granite-quartz\/","title":{"rendered":"KITCHEN WORKTOPS – WHICH MATERIAL IS BEST?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Kitchen Worktops: No One Magic Bullet!<\/h2><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>[\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”instalation-page quartz_grid_effect”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Kitchen Worktops:<\/strong> There are few areas of the home where as many choices of different materials are on offer as for your kitchen worktops. With at least eight totally different options, it is small wonder that homeowners feel pulled in every direction over what to buy.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”51394″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column]
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An 1810 company ceramic undermount sink set under a Dekton Fjord worktop<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]Part of the problem is that every material out there claims to solve all the problems. Companies that sell only one of the eight types of materials for kitchen worktops will tell you all the good news about their product \u2013 but not look you in the eye and fess up to its weak points. The result of that is effectively a lot of misinformation. Many people call us or visit our showroom with the \u201cYou don\u2019t want granite \u2013 it stains!\u201d line ringing in their ears from a quartz enthusiast, and it takes a while to get a more balanced view across.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner]

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<\/div>[vc_column_text]Of course, anyone in sales is going to be tempted to sing the praises of their particular product, only mention its good points, and put down all the others. But that approach tends to bite back in the long-haul. Disappointing your customers by not telling them the full story is not the way to generate ongoing recommendations. And word of mouth is\u00a0the life blood of a business like ours.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”29296″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]\n

Silestone Quartz worktop – Blanco Stellar<\/em><\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner]

<\/div>[vc_column_text]So, for us, an important part of honest selling is managing expectation and helping customers think through their particular needs and challenges for their kitchen.\u00a0\u00a0We want people who come to us to be clear about what our kitchen worktops both can and can’t be expected to do.\u00a0 Helping someone to work out what they really need and want is more than half the battle when it comes to meeting their needs.[\/vc_column_text]
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Kitchen Worktops: the Challenges<\/h2><\/div><\/div>
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”instalation-page quartz_grid_effect”][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_column_text]Kitchens are terrifying places. In one room are concentrated many of the sharpest, hottest, hardest, stickiest and most lethal objects in the house. Life for a kitchen worktop is tough, with threats of every kind. Spare a thought for your humble worktops next time you chop veg, spill some hot oil or leave curry or tea overnight to ingrain the stain. Kitchen working surfaces have to face all of these challenges, \u00a0perform well and go on looking good\u2026[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”12px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”29330″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”instalation-page quartz_grid_effect”][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”12px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”12px”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Chemical attack<\/strong> \u2013 the bleach you use on the sink itself, or in a clothing handwash \u2013 chemical resistance<\/em><\/p>\n

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Dropping stuff<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 blows from heavy objects on the edge of the worktop. A surface can be scratch resistant and strong and yet still prone to chipping. You want a surface with low friability<\/em><\/p>\n

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Dust<\/strong> \u2013 very plain, smooth surfaces can show EVERYTHING, and seem to need another wipe down every five minutes. The way that a surface avoids showing basic dust and finger marks can be described as its liveability<\/em>.<\/p>\n

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Grease<\/strong> \u2013 oil, butter, even finger marks can be annoyingly difficult to shift from some surfaces. And on some porous materials (eg wood) grease can cause permanent damage. You need grease resistance and forgivingness<\/em>!<\/p>\n

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Heat<\/strong> \u2013 the cup, saucepan, casserole put casually down at high temperature \u2013 heat damage is a real issue with some worktop types \u2013 you need heat resistance<\/em><\/p>\n

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Knives<\/strong>\u00a0and other hard\/sharp surfaces \u2013 kitchen worktops are subject to constant potential abrasion\/scratching \u2013 you need hardness<\/em><\/p>\n

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Soaking<\/strong>\u00a0damage<\/strong> \u2013 exposure to standing water for periods of time and possible water damage \u2013 stability, durability and strength<\/em> of the material itself when wet<\/p>\n

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Surface staining\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>the toddler with the permanent marker, wine, curry, tea and beetroot \u2013 you know the stuff! Stain resistance<\/em><\/p>\n

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Water penetration<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 sub-surface staining from penetration by water or even oil-based colouring agents \u2013 from red wine to curry and back. A surface can be strong when soaked in red wine, but if it is a dull pink ever after, you will be changing it! You need low permeability especially in light colours<\/em><\/p>\n

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Weight stress<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 the big guy who insists on perching on your breakfast bar overhang at a party \u2013 worktop breakage is rare but not unheard of \u2013 you need good tensile \/ flexural strength<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/div>[vc_column_text]Each of the main kinds of worktops performs really well under\u00a0at least some of these pressures. But there is NO ONE MAGIC BULLET which really is the perfect solution for all of them. Everything has some degree of trade off, and you need to think through the look you want, and what really are the biggest challenges in your particular home.<\/strong>[\/vc_column_text]
<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]We are very much aware that customers are all different \u2013 and that means that\u00a0the challenges to the worktops we install are going to vary from home to home.<\/p>\n