Whipping up a delicious meal for your family or quickly fixing up a bowl of food for yourself? The kitchen is where most of the action takes place, and it is the one place most susceptible to all kinds of damages, particularly the kitchen countertop.
Not only is the kitchen countertop a functional component of every kitchen, but it also contributes to the overall appearance of your home’s interior design. Especially in Singapore, where the kitchen is always right next to the living room, the appearance of your kitchen will have a significant impact on your home interior design.
In this article, we share with you five different types of kitchen countertop materials commonly used in Singapore, their properties and how they can enhance your residential interior design.
Quartz was once one of the most popular home kitchen countertop materials. They are man-made stone countertops made by combining approximately 90% natural quartz with resins, polymers, and pigments to produce a very strong granite-like surface.
They are available in an infinite number of colours and patterns, giving you a plethora of design options for your home kitchen interior design. Expect to see quartz countertops in solid colours and with patterns such as marble and even concrete finishes.
Quartz is extremely hard and durable, as well as relatively non-porous and simple to care for. However, because of its weight, it is difficult to install. Quartz is also not heat-tolerant, so you must be careful not to place hot items, such as heated pots and pans, directly on it.
Granite is a natural stone that is extracted from the earth before being sanded and polished for use as tiles or other building materials, including kitchen countertops. Granite has distinct natural grains that add to its aesthetic appeal; no two pieces will look alike due to their varying composition.
When homeowners want to create a sophisticated and high-class look in their home interior design, they often opt for granite. Its price is also rather expensive depending on the grain patterns and the way it was processed.
Although granite is an excellent material for enhancing home interior designs, it is relatively porous and difficult to maintain, requiring regular sealing to keep them water-resistant.
Marble is a metamorphic rock that is prized for its beauty and high price. It is a highly sought-after stone due to the aesthetic values it adds to a space. Marble is not only popular in residential interior design, but it is also used in many commercial spaces to create an elegant appearance.
Marble is typically chosen by homeowners for its pure beauty rather than its qualities. While it is considered fairly durable, it is a porous natural stone that requires periodic sealing to improve its water and stain resistance. With its stunning appearance comes a hefty price tag; marble is one of the most expensive stones and may not be very cost-effective.
KompacPlus is a relatively new material in the market. They are made of layers of kraft paper and resin that have been combined using rigorous engineering techniques to create a highly durable material that can even be used in bathrooms.
Aside from its resistance to wear and tear, it is also water- and steam-resistant, non-porous, and reasonably priced, falling within the mid-range and being less expensive than certain brands of quartz.
KompacPlus can be used not only on kitchen countertops but also to line the walls of your kitchen. Because of its man-made nature, this material is available in a wide range of colours and patterns, so it can be used in any residential interior design in Singapore.
Sintered stone can be considered a revolutionary material perfect for use in kitchens. It is made with technological advances that mimic the processes that form natural stone. It is made up of a mixture of natural stone, pigments, polymers, and resins that have been bonded together by heating without melting any of the materials that go into it. This is referred to as sintering.
Sintered stone can also be printed in a variety of colours and patterns to complement various home design styles and add aesthetic value to a space.
It is the most durable material available, with properties like heat resistance, water resistance, and scratch and chip resistance. You can even place a hot pan directly on it and it will not be damaged. However, you should still avoid cutting food items or placing extremely hot pans directly on them.
Despite its incredible qualities, sintered stone is relatively inexpensive, costing only slightly more than quartz.
Choosing the right materials to use in your home kitchen is extremely crucial because it should last you for years while still looking good with the rest of your home interior design. Now that you have more information on the common types of kitchen countertop materials available in Singapore, you can make an informed decision that ticks all your boxes.
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