Natural stone countertops come in a wide range of variations and each type of natural stone provides specific benefits to the homeowner. The main types of natural stone that are used for kitchen countertops are quartz, soapstone, marble and granite. When looking for a natural stone countertop, you should pay attention to the purpose you plan to have for your countertop and your budget in order to choose a multifunctional kitchen countertop. Also, you should keep in mind that retaining all the original benefits brought by a natural stone countertop is going to be entirely up to you as you have to polish and seal your natural stone countertop on a regular basis. For instance, a granite countertop is likely to require a higher degree of sealing when compared to other natural stones.
Quartz will require less sealing and polishing. Remember that sealing is a key factor when it comes to making your natural stone countertop stay stain free and water resistant. Natural stone countertops impress through their sleek look and finesse but every homeowner who is interested to have such countertops in his home should know that they are not naturally resistant to every type of damage. Even most of the natural stones listed above are likely to come with inherent qualities that make them able to protect themselves from possible damage, it’s virtually impossible for a homeowner to predict a possible gale wind that may bring his natural stone countertop down.
First, most of the kitchen counter tops made from natural stone are likely to be quite heavy and this precise heaviness will make them more prone to being resistant to stain and scratches. For instance, quartz countertops are resistant to some of the most common and permanent stains and you can go for such a countertop if you know that your kitchen space is going to be “filled” with sugar related items, wine or juice. Actually, quartz is a pretty hard mineral in nature but it’s also pretty expansive. Most natural stone countertops are likely to be naturally resistant to scratching and staining in varying degrees but you should remember that is paramount to regularly polish and seal your natural stone counter top in order to keep all the resistance properties.
The most important issues that are likely to challenge the natural resistance of a natural stone counter top are the degree of permanence when it comes to the scratch, stain or chip and its degree. For instance, if you have your quartz kitchen counter top subjected to some heavy scratches and chips on a regular basis, you may be disappointed when noticing that the natural resistance of your counter top is beginning to decrease. So, the main rule when it comes to ensuring the natural qualities of a natural stone countertop involves regular sealing and polishing in order to make sure that their resistance power against staining and scratching is retained.