What a table top is better for a kitchen - tips for practical housewives for the right choice

Choosing a suite for the kitchen , you need to pay attention to all the details. It is important to understand which countertop is best for the kitchen, as it affects the overall design of the room and must meet the requirements that are put forward to it.

How to choose a kitchen countertop?

There are a lot of criteria that you should pay attention to when choosing countertops:

1. The edge must be pasted with a specific edge material. The thickness of the finish should not be more than 2 mm.
2. The thickness (height) of the countertop in the kitchen should match the selected headset. The minimum value is 2.2 cm. Important selection rules will be described below.
3. The edges at the junction of the edges with the surface should not have a wave and whiteness, otherwise detachment is possible.

Table top thickness for kitchen

The thickness of the coating for the kitchen set depends directly on the material from which it is made. The standard kitchen countertop is 38 mm, but experts recommend taking a stock of up to 40 mm.

1. Popular are stone products, and if it is chosen for the dining area, then you can take "thin" options, for the working area - thicker.
2. The original glass countertops look original, but you should understand that they will be manipulated differently, so the thickness of the material should be no less than 16 cm or it is necessary to use a substrate.
3. Products made of acrylic have a different thickness, but it should be noted that the sheet of material itself in most cases is 12 mm. To increase the thickness, plywood or chipboard is used.
4. There are several variants of laminated countertops, but for the kitchen one should buy moisture resistant surfaces with a thickness of 38 mm. If desired, you can find larger products up to 60 mm.

Color table top for kitchen

To make furniture look holistic and at the same time original, you must consider the main color of the headset:

1. Neutral shades. This includes black, white, gray and beige. In the first case, the best solution is to play in contrast, that is, the table top must be white. You can choose options that mimic a light tree and a stone. To make a beige cabinet with a kitchen countertop look holistic, choose a color for chocolate or dark wood. For gray cabinets, white or black surfaces are suitable.
2. Colored facades. For this situation, the countertops should be chosen in a neutral range, for example, beige, white and woody. It is important to consider the saturation and "temperature" of the shades.
3. Two-colored facades . If two neutral colors are used for finishing, the surface should be selected for the upper modules in order to contrast with the lower boxes. Popular are black and white headsets and if the bottom is black, then it's better to choose a light tone.

Kitchen worktop material

When choosing a material for countertops, it is important to consider that the surface must withstand the load, it is good to resist high humidity and temperatures. An excellent solution is a moisture resistant kitchen countertop, which is easy to care for and can be used for cleaning chemicals. It is recommended to choose products that suffer mechanical damage, so you do not have to regularly buy new countertops.

Table tops for kitchen from chipboard

For the coating, a laminated chipboard is used, for manufacturing which wood chips are pressed under high pressure and covered with a layer of plastic. This option is the most popular in the CIS countries. Choose a moisture resistant material. The chipboard countertops for the kitchen have such advantages:

1. Are affordable and in stores a wide range of color solutions is presented.
2. The installation is simple, so you can do the work yourself.
3. At any time you can change the surface and it will be economical in time and budget.

To understand which table top is best for the kitchen, it is important to assess the existing disadvantages:

1. Products are not able to withstand dyes and various aggressive liquids, such as wine and coffee, which will cause the formation of permanent spots.
2. If the laminated layer is broken, the material may be swollen when water enters the chipboard.
3. The surface has a weak heat resistance and a short shelf life, on average up to 5 years.
4. Often used for production harmful tar, so sometimes you need to weather. Pay attention to the emission class, which should be a maximum of E1, but better than E0.

Countertops made of stone for kitchen

Love the naturalness and beauty, then it's better to look at the tabletops made of natural stone . Popular are the granite options, which have the following advantages:

• attractive appearance;
• high strength;
• resistance to high temperatures;
• The solid structure well resists mechanical influences;
• does not absorb different liquids, so there are almost no spots.

Granite countertop for the kitchen has such disadvantages:

1. A natural stone can absorb a small amount of moisture, so it is important to ensure good care and apply special water repellent.
2. Not everyone can afford such a tabletop because of the high price.

Wooden table top for kitchen

For the production of coatings, strong and resistant woods are used. It is better to give preference to such variants: oak, walnut, ash and bamboo. It is important that the products resist moisture and shock. The top made of wood for the kitchen has such advantages.

1. An attractive appearance, as the tree adds coziness and elegance.
2. Variants with a varnished surface have a good resistance to moisture.
3. You can grind to update the appearance if necessary.

Think about what kind of countertop is better for the kitchen, then consider the existing shortcomings of the tree:

• has low heat resistance and fire resistance;
• the difference in humidity level can lead to the drying or sagging of the tree;
• low resistance against acid and coloring agents;
• proper care is needed;
• there is a risk of fungi and microorganisms.

Stone countertops in marble for kitchen

Natural stone, which is used for making countertops - marble. Such products have a cold surface with a beautiful pattern. The price for such coverage depends on the variety, so the cheapest are the white and yellow versions, and the most expensive are black and maroon. Natural tabletops for the kitchen have such advantages:

• external attractiveness;
• long service life;
• high strength;
• resistance to various damages.

To understand which countertop is best for the kitchen, we can not ignore the shortcomings of marble:

• It has a porous structure, so spots can remain;
• on the surface there are traces of hot dishes;
• Do not use cleaners with acids;
• high price of countertops.

Acrylic Kitchen Countertops

One of the types of artificial stone is acrylic polymer. The material is plate and easy to process, so you can create products of different shapes, textures and colors. Acrylic polymer can repeat the structure of stone and wood. Plastic countertops for the kitchen have such advantages:

1. Cover better to take a whole, which implies a complete lack of seams, and it does not spoil the appearance and excludes the accumulation of dirt.
2. The structure of the material is not porous, so you can not be afraid of microbes and mold formation.
3. Does not absorb odors and does not leave traces of food and drinks. It is easy to take care of the table top, and what could be better.
4. It is worth noting the low cost in comparison with products made of natural stone.

If there is any doubt, what type of countertop is best for the kitchen, then do not forget to evaluate the minuses of acrylic products:

• You can not put on top of the hot dishes;
• are subject to mechanical damage;
• polishing is required, which can only be carried out by specialists.

Table top from tile to the kitchen

A rare variant, but it has a right to exist. In most cases, the surface is laid out either with a medium-sized tile, or a small mosaic, although both types can be used. A curbstone with a table top for the kitchen, where the tiles will be laid out, in most cases has a base of particle board. The main advantages of such finishes:

• attractive appearance;
• well tolerates high temperatures, exposure to moisture and acids.
• is not afraid of mechanical impact;
• wide range of color solutions.

We should not overlook the existing shortcomings:

1. In the seams between the tiles, the remains of food, liquids and other debris will constantly accumulate.
2. Replace the tile that is cracked, it will not be easy.
3. You can not call a tile a cheap option for finishing a table top.

MDF worktops for kitchen

To produce such products, a MDF board is used, which is covered with a high-strength laminate and a special protective layer. From the chipboard such tabletops differ only in the base plate, which has a high density. Bar countertop for the kitchen and cover for the headset has such advantages:

1. The material is available and harmful pollutants and other substances are not used in its production.
2. There is a wide range of colors and you can imitate even complex textures.
3. It is better than MDF than chipboard, because this material is resistant to the effects of fungi and microorganisms.

Do not forget about the existing shortcomings:

• has a weak heat resistance and low resistance to dyes and acids;
• low resistance to strong shocks;
• In places of joints with prolonged exposure to water, the material may swell.

Glass table top for kitchen

Original looks kitchen set, which is made of hardened glass. It does not absorb odors and does not emit harmful substances. The kitchen with a glass top looks beautiful, because the coating can be tinted, colored with a patterned or smoky glass, so you can choose an option for any interior. The existing advantages of glass coatings include:

• high strength;
• the surface is easy to care for;
• you can not be afraid of mold;
• high temperatures.

One can not overlook the existing shortcomings of glass coatings:

1. The cost of glass products is high, so this purchase is not affordable for everyone.
2. Tempered glass can withstand heavy loads, but sooner or later it can crack.
3. During operation, scratches and other unpleasant sounds can be heard. It is important to use special stands, napkins and other devices.
4. On the glass there are visible traces of dishes, water splashes and fingerprints, so you have to look after the surface of the kitchen regularly.

Stainless steel work top for kitchen

This species is used in catering establishments, since stainless steel is better than other options to meet the requirements of sanitary and hygienic standards. Understanding which countertop is best suited for the kitchen, let us dwell on the main advantages of stainless steel:

1. Excellent against the effects of aggressive liquids and products, such as acids, chemicals and so on.
2. Different spots and dirt are very easy to remove, even after they have dried.
3. Moisture-proof kitchen worktop has high strength and is durable.

Even considering the large number of pluses, there are also disadvantages to this option:

• high price;
• does not fit all design styles;
• on the surface there are traces and stains, so it is important to regularly wipe the product;
• with active use, gloss and gloss may disappear.