The growing popularity of manufactured and natural stones is continually felt by the stone industry with granite as one of the favourites. However, quartz popularity is also growing and it is rapidly challenging granite for the top spot. There are also a couple of unfamiliar stones that are also gaining popularity like limestone and soapstone that are becoming parts of the bathrooms and kitchens.
The beauty and gracefulness of natural stone and the engineered new stone products, especially when it comes to engineered stone, quartz are giving different colour choices and design options that are naturally attracting kitchen homeowners and designers too. A big selection of stone Worktop colours and finishes are also available that are engineered to be more resistant to mould and stains. Also, manufactured stones are made more resistant to cracks and are harder than other kinds of natural stone.
10 Types of Stone Worktops
Granite
Granite is obviously the most popular choice among most homeowners as it has been used by many developers for the past two decades. The most familiar patterns like the salt and pepper counters that have become commonly used in most homes have lost its popularity.
Granite is obviously the most popular choice among most homeowners as it has been used by many developers for the past two decades. The most familiar patterns like the salt and pepper surfaces that have become commonly used in most homes have lost its popularity.
Granite is obviously the most popular choice among most homeowners as it has been used by many developers for the past two decades. The most familiar patterns like the salt and pepper surfaces that have become commonly used in most homes have lost its popularity.
The good side to this is that granite offers a wide array of choices and patterns that are available at the Marble Store. Granite with dynamic hues of blues, a variety of patterns of specks of brown and red and choices of styles of black veins are so many these days. The increase of the accessibility of granite also expanded its supply.
The increased in the availability of granite mostly from Soth America and China also helped in stabilising the price. Of course, the price can still depend on the colour, pattern and slab.
Granite is commonly cut, polished then infused it with a sealant to lessen the possibility of staining. It will still need to be resealed 10 to 15 years after depending on how it is heavily used.
Marble
The lasting appreciation for this natural and timeless classic comes from the effect you felt with it as you looked steadily at your kitchen worktop and reminisce how you had it for the first time. Marble has a distinct feature that will allow you to see its past just like remembering an old burn from a cooking pot.
The biggest difficulty with a marble worktop is that marble is porous and absorbs liquids that can create stains. Wine, vinegar, tomato juice, and lemon are acids that can get rid of the polish and may leave the stone discoloured. It also vulnerable to cracks and chips and can be pretty expensive compared to other natural stones.
Although marble may have some possible problems, a lot of people still find the grandeur of marble. This natural stone has been in used for thousands of years and it is improbable that its popularity will go down.
Marble can be found in different sizes and shapes and since it is slightly softer than granite, fabricating it into conventional shapes is easier. The patina and small stains that may show up in your kitchen worktop are just the endearing qualities of marble.
Soapstone
Soapstone is non-spongy and doesn’t require to be sealed just like many other natural stones are. To darken the stone, it is going to be treated with mineral oil. Soapstone is somewhat soft that it can be easily machined to make those matching sinks and drain boards in the worktops.
It can also get scratched, but it can virtually become invisible with the use of mineral oil. Chips or large scratches can be sanded with the use of sandpaper.
There are unlimited choices for this type of natural stone. Different shades of grey, green hues, and slightly blues are always available for homeowners to choose from.
Quartzite
This should not be confused with quartz since this is just crushed quartz which is formed into sheets with resin. This is also a naturally occurring stone that is white and is similar to excessively veined grey and white marble. Quartzite is is resistant to staining, etching is also resistant to chips and scratches.
Slate
Slate is mostly impervious to heat and does not stain from hot contacts with hot pots. It does not easily chip or scratch easily. It also does not easily get a stain even with the use of acids like tomato juice, vinegar, oil cleaners and wine. It is also accessible in many different colours such as black, grey, and brown.
Limestone
Another stone that is becoming popular in kitchens is limestone. This stone is rather porous and soft. Properly using limestone will require properly maintenance and sealing is to have it stain free. Although it may be porous, but the nearly creamy appearance that makes limestone beautiful is what most people look for in this natural stone.
Engineered Stone
Engineered stone or manufactured ones are becoming the popular stones for hardwearing countertops, floors and countertops. Engineered stones are now gaining popularity in hotels, hospitals, schools and shopping centres.
This stone is resistant to heat and stain and can even surpass the constructional strength of other natural stones. Although engineered stone is sometimes criticised for lacking natural beauty and being too uniform that mostly comes with organic patterns, there are still a lot of choices when it comes to manufacturing processes and the latest designs for this stone.
Engineered stones are created with the use of different crushed stone that is confined together with resin. Common composition for this type of stone includes almost 66 percent crushed stone and 34 percent resin.
Quartz
Manufactured quartz is also gaining a lot of favour these days by different designers and homeowners. It is also closing the competition between granite for the most common choice of stone for homes. Quartz has also matched granite’s performance on tests for scratch, stain, and resistance. It is also considered a low maintenance champion, unlike, granite.
Quartz can also be made to look like it is marble, without the expensive price that comes with other natural stones. It also has a variety of colours from brown, blue, red, brown, dark green, and more. Quartz is also highly immune to stains, chips, and scratches.
Engineered Granite
Engineered Granite is mostly new in the kitchen worktop market. However, it is also gaining popularity as it has been searching its way into mixtures with stone, quartz, and different manufactured stones.
Engineered Marble
The world leader in manufacturing marble surfaces is in Verona, Italy where they use different types of the best Italian marbles with different grains, sized flakes and chips to create unique marble surfaces in different colours.
For your next home improvement, visit The Marble Store NOW! Call our hotlines at 0800 652 2013 and we will take care of you.
