The kitchen counter is a busy space.

All of your food preparation is done here. It must be easy to clean and sanitize. It should reflect your personality by being colorful. You want to select a counter carefully and deliberately. It is a major upgrade and large expense, you need to do it right the first time.

What kind of counter do you want to select for your kitchen. Do you want a natural or an engineered stone. A wood surface, tile, Solid Surface Acrylic or Laminate counter?

Natural stones like granite, limestone, and soapstone have a depth and beauty of a polished surface that is hard to match. They do require upkeep of cleaning, sealing and waxing as they are porous and will become discolored if not properly cared for by the user.

An engineered stone has a beautiful polished surface that usually uses quartz rock and a resin, to bind it together. There are many colors and blends of rock that are very durable. You can clean and sterilize them easily and they do not require waxing.

Solid Surface Acrylics come in many different colors such as Corian or LG Hi-Macs, they are a fabricated counter. They are durable and easy to clean. You can take a fine sand paper of 400 grit or higher and lightly sand out the stain if the surface becomes discolored. They can be bonded together to make a seamless counter and the sink can be built into it.

Wood counters such as teak, maple, cherry, walnut or mahogany have a gorgeous look and feel to them but they require upkeep and care to keep them looking good. They can be scratched, burned or stained, so you must be careful and take care of them.

Tile counters come in many different colors, and sizes. They are durable and easy to assemble. They can be cleaned easily, but you need to seal the grout between the tiles as it can become stained and is hard to clean. Tiles are easy to brake or chip, so they must be taken care of.

A concrete kitchen counter can be built in any shape you want. A form is built to hold the concrete until it sets. It requires knowledge and skill to make a quality counter. It must be sealed and waxed to keep it from staining.

Laminate, such as Formica or Wilsonart, is durable and comes in many styles and colors. It is stain resistant, but can be burnt. It is easy to take care of and to clean.

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When you are ready to renovate your kitchen counter top check out Bruce Contryman's guidance on choosing a superb counter top. kitchen countertops kitchen renovateing