A few months ago, we did a blog post on the countertop material that I chose for my kitchen, and my experience with it so far. When we posted that, we got several questions about other countertop materials, and what we feel is the best one. Truthfully, there are no perfect materials, and each one is going to have pros and cons that you need to consider based on your life situation. Today for Good to Know, we’re going to talk through some of the things to think about when choosing a countertop material. 

One thing to note before we get started, today we’re only going to be talking about a selection of natural countertop materials. We fully acknowledge that there are a lot of other options when it comes to countertops, and that some that are not included in this post may be best for your price point. While natural materials are typically more expensive than manufactured ones, we always recommend using natural materials if you can make them work with your budget.

There are a number of reasons that we always recommend going natural, including: 

1. They are healthier for you. Although things like natural countertops and hardwood floors are not totally green, they contain fewer hazardous chemical compounds than many manufactured goods. In our blog post about chemical off-gassing, we talked about strategies for eliminating volatile organic compounds (also called VOC’s) from your home. One of the best ways to do this is to use natural materials in your home, including wool mattresses and solid wood furniture. For our full blog post on off-gassing, click here!

2. They are more sustainable. While there is still a carbon footprint associated with these types of materials, they generally last longer than manufactured materials, so you can save money and have a smaller carbon footprint in the long term. For a lot of natural countertops, including soapstone, time improves the look and feel of the material as it develops a patina. 

3. Natural materials are beautiful, and they bring warmth and visual interest to a space. For countertops specifically, natural materials mean that each stone slab is unique. 

SOAPSTONE

You may be familiar with soapstone as the material used for science lab countertops. The stone is metamorphic, like marble, and comes from magnesium rich mineral talc. The high talc content in the stone is what provides the “soapy” feeling, which is where the name comes from! I chose soapstone for my kitchen countertops and have loved it so far. For the full review of my soapstone countertops, click here.

POSITIVES

There is so much to love about soapstone, and the benefits are truly amazing.

• It’s incredibly heat resistant, so much so that you can place pots and pans directly from the stove or oven on your countertops without causing damage. This heat resistant quality also makes soapstone ideal for use outside of countertops, like fireplaces.

• Soapstone doesn’t react to acid. You can spill lemon juice, or other acidic liquids on it without a problem. For this reason, soapstone is often the material of choice for science labs.

• In addition to not reacting to acid, soapstone is bacteria resistant, so harsh cleaners are not needed.

• This material is non-porous, so it does not need to be stained, sealed, or protected. Because of its non-porous nature, it also does not stain from food, or food dye!

• It is very versatile. With the number of shades that are available, it is possible to find soapstone that will work with a wide variety of kitchen and home styles. 

• Any scratches and nicks that do occur can generally be removed with sandpaper. If you do end up going with soapstone, keep a worn piece of sandpaper under the sink. Make sure it’s not a brand new piece, as the worn ones are more gentle on the stone.

• The wear on the soapstone builds into a lovely patina over time, and truly, the stone improves with age. No patina is ever exactly the same as another, but it can often make the stone look antique.

• Overall, the stone is generally very low maintenance, and is durable and hardworking. 

Things to Think About

As amazing as soapstone is, there are a few things that need to be considered before you commit to it.

• One of the biggest drawbacks to soapstone is that is is very soft. Scratches and nicks can happen easily, and the stone needs to be treated tenderly. Luckily, most scratches can be sanded away easily, but always make sure to use a cutting board. Overall, it has a tendency to dent rather than chip or crack.

• It can be difficult to find in longer lengths, so if your countertop is longer than 7 feet, it will likely have a seam. The seam itself can be made to be fairly unobtrusive, but if that’s a dealbreaker for you, it would be best to choose a different countertop material.

• As far as cost goes, soapstone is generally less expensive than marble, but more expensive than granite or engineered stone. Typically, soapstone will cost between $75 and $150 per square foot, installed.

• As soapstone ages, the stone will darken. Some people choose to treat their soapstone with mineral oil, which helps make sure that the wear on the stone is more even. Without oiling, the wear on the stone will be uneven, and the stone will darken more quickly in the areas that get the most wear. This stone is ever evolving, so if you want your countertops to always be a uniform color, soapstone is not the material for you.  If you do want to oil your soapstone, it’s up to you on how often you’d like to undertake that process. Generally, people who oil do so every few months for the first year, and then once a year after that. However, it all depends on how dark you’d like your soapstone to be, and how often you’re willing to oil it.

MARBLE

Marble has become increasing popular in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. Marble is incredibly beautiful, and truly has a luxury appeal. This material is metamorphic, and contains a high amount of calcite or dolomite. The color of the marble is based off of the minerals that it contains, and stones from different areas of the world can look very different from one another. While the appearance of marble can vary greatly, marble slabs often have colored veining throughout. The most common type of marble is Carrara marble, which we have used a ton in our projects. This marble is typically which or gray with gray streaks, and is from Italy.

Positives

• As I’ve already mentioned, one of the main positives of marble is that it is absolutely beautiful. No other material is going to have the same aesthetic as marble, and that really is a huge draw. Plus, if you are wanting a white countertop, marble is definitely the way to go. Granite and soapstone do also come in white, but it is not nearly as bright and vibrant as marble.

• Along with any high-end material, marble is going to add to the real estate value of your home.

• This material is naturally waterproof and heat-proof. Additionally, it stays quite cool, which can make it very attractive to people who like to work with pastry dough.

• If you do choose that popular Carrara marble, the gray veining can help disguise wear and hide light stains.

Things to Think about

While marble is absolutely beautiful, it is definitely the highest maintenance material on this list.

• While it is not as durable as granite, marble does develop a lovely patina over time. Before you commit to this material, you need to be okay with the idea that this material is not going to look the same in ten years, as it acquires an aged beauty. We think that this adds more character, but if you hate the look of a patina, marble is probably not right for you.

• Marble is softer than a lot of other countertop options. It scores a 4 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness, versus granite’s 7. This means that it can scratch easily, and repairs can be difficult. Even if the marble is sealed, it is still susceptible to scratches. While you can resurface your marble, it can be messy and expensive.

• If you’re doing a kitchen DIY, keep in mind that marble is something that should be installed by a professional. It is very heavy and needs to be handled with care, so it’s best to leave it in the hands of the pros.

• Marble is a very porous stone, which means that it can easily be stained. Definitely something to consider if you have little kids, or plan on cooking a lot. If you want to have a heavier duty area of the kitchen for more intense cooking, you could look into a marble island paired with hardier counters. You could also have one area of the kitchen or butler’s pantry be a material that is kinder to messes, so you can keep your marble countertops as pristine as possible.

• In addition to stains, marble countertops don’t react well to acids or bases. If anything spills on your counters, you need to clean it as soon as possible to prevent it from etching or staining your marble. Some people do swear by this marble polishing powder to remove etching, but we have not tried it out ourselves.

• Finally, marble can be quite expensive. While some marbles like Carrara can be on the lower price end, others can come in much higher. The average cost per square foot is around $60.

GRANITE

Granite is probably the most widespread of the high-end countertop materials. This is due to the fact that it is extremely durable, but is lower maintenance than most other options. Unlike soapstone and marble, granite is igneous, and the coloring can vary widely based on the minerals that it contains. This variation can be more extreme for granite than for other materials, so if you need multiple slabs, make sure that they are cut from the same stone.

Positives

• While this is definitely not true for every slab of granite, many pieces can add a timeless and elegant look to your home. If the glossy look of granite is not for you, look for honed granite. It is just as durable as traditional granite with a softer, matte finish.

• If cared for properly, granite can last decades. It is a very strong material and incredibly durable. It will not scratch, chip, or crack as easily as other, softer materials.

• Granite does need to be sealed, but the advances in these sealants means that they only need to be sealed every few years. The new sealants can last more than five years, and resealing is affordable and easy. When they are sealed correctly, they are stain resistant and easy to clean.

• In addition to being stain resistant, granite is scratch and heat resistant as well.

• Granite is lower maintenance than marble and other high end materials.

Things to Think about

While there’s a lot to love about granite, there are still some drawbacks.

• If you decide not to seal your granite, or seal it improperly, granite can be stained. Since the stone is quite porous, poorly sealed granite can harbor bacteria.

• If you drop something heavy on a corner or an overhang, the granite can chip or crack easily.

• Since the material is completely natural, the color selection can be more limited than with manufactured materials.

• Although granite is heat resistant, you still need to use a hot pad or a trivet. If one area changes temperature drastically, the granite can crack.

• Use cleaning products specifically for granite, and make sure to have a resealing schedule. Try to find out which sealant was originally used, so that you can use the same one. Some sealants can negatively interact with each other.

• Granite can be quite expensive. With installation, it will cost you between $35 and $140 per square foot, but for super high end pieces, it can get as high as $400 per square foot.

Now that we’ve talked about some of our favorite natural materials, one of the manmade countertops that I want to talk about is quartz. While you can find true slabs of natural quartz, most quartz countertops are actually engineered stone.This means that they are between 70 and 93% quartz sand, with the rest being made up of additives, chemicals, pigments, or polyester resin. The polyester resin content in the countertop makes it so that the material varies in hardness, which means that some areas of the slab can be more prone to scratching and chipping. They can also be severely damaged by heat, which can cause them to crack or scorch. It can also be really confusing to discern between natural and engineered quartz, because the manmade quartz manufacturers often copy the names of the real stones. Overall, unless you’re absolutely certain that your quartz is not engineered, we do not recommend quartz countertops, and encourage you to look at other options.  

There is a lot more to talk about in regards to different types of materials, finishes, and details, so we encourage you to look at multiple resources as you search for your countertop material.  Whatever you choose, make sure that you feel confident that you’ll be able to care for it properly, and that you’ll be happy with it long-term. Countertops are expensive, and this is not something that you can easily change if you get tired of it.

Want us to cover a different material in a future blog post? Leave us a comment below!