Rob's Home and Garden Blog

How to Choose the Right Type of Benchtop during Your Kitchen Renovation

by Martha Reed

When you're planning a kitchen renovation, it makes sense to put a lot of effort into it, as this is not just a functional place but somewhere where you and your family will spend a great deal of time. In fact, for many families, this is the entertainment hub of their home and they can often congregate here for hours at a time, both before and after any meal. With so much emphasis on this area, what type of kitchen benchtop can you choose to make this bonding time even more special?

Options Aplenty

The good news is that there are a variety of different options that can help suit your individual needs as well as your budget. You should start off by planning the layout of this room as carefully as possible, so that the cook and all his or her assistants can be productive, before choosing the right type of material for the benchtop itself.

Choosing Your Style

You may have spent some time to renovate the rest of your home and will want to continue the style into the kitchen, as well. Therefore, you should narrow down your choice of benchtop so that it fits in well with your traditional, contemporary, minimalistic or modern theme and carries everything forward seamlessly.

Natural Stone

Much will also depend on the size of the kitchen, especially when it comes to some of the more "aggressive" choices, such as natural stone. These are typically made in standard sizes due to the complexity of construction and while it is possible to join individual slabs together, it's usually better not to.

Laminate

If you're looking for the most affordable option, then you would probably choose a laminate benchtop, but these still come in a variety of different textures, patterns and colours. They're quite easy to maintain, although they can damage easily if you're not careful. You will need to avoid preparing any food without a chopping board or placing any hot items directly onto the surface.

Timber

If you have a "countrified" theme throughout the home, then think about installing a timber benchtop in here. It could certainly add a lot to warmth to your kitchen but will need to be sealed before installation and can be adversely affected by liquid or too much heat.

Stainless Steel

Contemporary families can choose a stainless-steel benchtop, which is particularly popular with young people. It's easy to clean and quite strong, and it can also give you that "industrial" look that has figured so prominently in recent years.

Making Your Choice

Check with your supplier to see what size and type of benchtop would work well and satisfy your family's needs.

Share