4 Fantastic Alternatives to Granite That Make the Countertop Cut

Let’s face it, after a 3 hour marathon of the Property Brothers on HGTV, we all fall in love that picturesque granite kitchen countertop. Besides majorly crushing on Jonathan Scott, visualizing that immaculate stone island centrepiece for your dream kitchen is life goals.
Sadly, granite isn’t always the best option for our budgets, and lifestyles. So let’s look at some noteworthy alternatives that don’t compromise on style but are also affordable.

Marble

I know what you’re thinking, Marble, is not exactly cheap. But C’mon, look at it. Marble was the choice of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan when building the Taj Mahal. There’s something oddly romantic about Marble. The ultimate symbol of love and your kitchen counters command such reverence.
Marble is a metamorphosed composite of limestone and minerals like calcite and dolomite. It has a timeless appeal to it, often showing mineral veins. Being softer than granite, it can chip at sharp edges. PRO TIP: if you don’t want a fancy bevelled edge then try using round edges to protect from chipping.
Like Granite, marble is porous and needs sealing twice a year. If you’re opting for this. keep in mind it takes commitment to pull off the marble.

Quartz

The Magic stone that’s dethroning granite as the king of countertops. Unlike granite, quartz has quartzite and silica minerals glued together by polymer resins. This makes it super customizable and comes in a wider variety of colours.
Best of all, it’s non-porous. So you don’t have to worry too much about spills and seeping in and causing hideous stains or bacteria. There’s no need to reseal them either. Its also very durable but can scorch of you place hot pots on them.

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Dekton

Dekton is the latest “engineered stone” to come into the market. It’s like a minimalist version of Quartz but on steroids. If you can appreciate minimalist aesthetics with clean lines, this is so you.
It can pack quite a punch! It’s stain, scratch and UV resistant, so it’s perfect for an outdoor kitchen too. It’s water resistant, abrasion resistant and can also replace tiles. It’s also resistant to heat damage and the ice thaw cycle.
Dekton’s most brilliant feature: Maintaining the exact same colour for the rest of its life without dulling over time.

Solid Surface

Seamless design is hard to replicate on granite, quartz or marble. Luckily, there’s a solution. Solid surface is a composite of materials shaped to form bends and notches. Bacteria and heat resistant, it can mimic most marble and granite patterns with ease.
If you’ve ever thought of making a seamless custom counter, this material won’t burn a hole in your pocket. You can get them in a high gloss finish but experts say that a matte finish is more maintenance friendly.

Conclusion

So what’s the takeaway? These options are relatively less headache ridden compared to granite. While they aren’t a status symbol, they are just as beautiful and are more value for your dollar.
To make sure you get your countertops looking just right, have the professionals assist you.
[Which natural stone is actually the best option for the kitchen countertop? Check out this to know 8 Pros and Cons of materials used in making the countertop.]

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