Countertop Selection Tips

We’ve assembled all the most commonly used materials as counters to help our clients see the pros and cons of each material in terms of their usage. Thanks to Stratus Surfaces for the imagery

While granite has significantly fallen out of favor, it still has a place in the world of design. Granite offers colorways that simply cannot be found in any other counter surface, which can make it a great option when going for something bold and colorful. Granite is incredibly durable and only needs to be sealed once every few months. The process of sealing is as simple as wiping the counters - so don’t let this maintenance deter you from a particular product!

Photos from Stratus Surfaces

Marble is a soft stone, meaning that it is porous. Ideal locations for marble include surfaces that do not see a lot of traffic if the desire is to keep it in pristine condition. Marble wears beautifully, and many will enjoy the patina over time while others would be bothered by it.

Photos from Stratus Surfaces

Quartz has been the go-to for the last two decades and for good reason. It can offer sustainable qualities (note, however, that the sustainable rating is actually not higher than natural stone!), and is low maintenance. For a long time, quartz was available in amazing colors and patterns that could not be found elsewhere. We are seeing a decline in this as quartz works to emulate marble.

Photos from Stratus Surfaces

Soapstone is a stunning stone that, like marble, should be considered carefully prior to purchasing. Soapstone absolutely will etch, wear, show marks, and chip. This is the charm of the surface, and it should be selected for these qualities. It is also a very warm material and the feel of it truly feels like dry soap!

Photos from Stratus Surfaces

Concrete can be a gorgeous countertop and can give an earthy and organic feeling or a rich, industrial aesthetic. However, despite its earthy appearance, concrete is not a sustainable material in its standard format. There are alternatives, such as hempcrete, ashcrete, and timbercrete which introduce sustainable materials to the concrete mix, reducing the hefty carbon footprint it typically leaves. Carbon offsetting is also a fantastic way of working with this material in a sustainable way. Thank you to Studio Make for the imagery below.

Porcelain is a fairly new introduction as a counter material and is one of the most sustainable surfaces that can be selected. Because it is fairly new to the market, it can be tricky to find fabricators who are comfortable working with this material. It is very fragile prior to installation which makes it difficult to work with, but once installed, is almost impossible to damage (of course, there are exceptions, so back off with the hammer tests). Porcelain also offers amazing colorways, as can be seen below!

Photos from Stratus Surfaces

The ultimate sustainable material, butcher block makes gorgeous counters and is very comfortable to work on. There are, of course, serious considerations when using this material in a wet environment that sees a lot of action!

Thank you to Greenhome Solutions for the images below.

Perfect for a modern or industrial space, stainless is a clean surface that is easy to maintain. This material is not for the average homeowner, however. Stainless can feel noisy and cold, so we recommend complementing this material with soft, warm finishes.

While solid surface is available for counter usage, we typically use it for shower surrounds and shower bases. It is not a very sustainable material, being a resin product. We admire the company for always striving to make this as sustainable an option as possible, using primarily recycled materials, and being one of the first companies to establish sustainability goals over 17 years ago. Regardless of how hard they try and how much they recycle, Solid Surface is plastic and plastic is not sustainable.

The colorways are expansive and change regularly. Think of plastic laminate counters- this is the upgrade from that.

Photos from Corian

Paper stones are a wonderful sustainable option for those who are up for and aware of the maintenance required. This material scratches quite easily, but it is also very easy to buff out those scratches. Our fabricator recommends soapstone wax to maintain its lovely finish. The material is very warm to the touch and feels nice to work on. Excess pieces from the install make wonderful cutting boards also!

Photos from Paperstone Products

Not to be confused with Quartz (a human-made material), Quartzite is a natural material formed from metamorphic rock. This stone is known for its extreme durability. With veining similar to marble, this product doesn’t scratch or etch the way a marble might. The more colorful variations may be mixed with other stones, and show a bit less durability. Quartzite can often be impregnated with sealers that last up to 15 years, making durability and low maintenance a huge bonus.

Photos from Stratus Surfaces

Sintered Stone is a fairly new material that surpasses even Quartzite in terms of durability. We had Sintered stone in our last studio and watched our product rep take a blowtorch to it, with no mark. This product will not etch, scratch, burn, or stain. It is easily cleanable and has no plastics/resins, making it one of the most sustainable products on the market.

Photos from Neolith