Stone countertops for the kitchen (48 photos): how to install a kitchen table with a natural stone work surface with your own hands, instructions, photos, price and video tutorials

Stone countertops for the kitchen are an elegant solution for cladding a kitchen set. They combine exquisite beauty and practicality, aesthetics and durability. In this article, we will look at the features of artificial and natural materials and show you what to look for when choosing them.

The stone countertop kitchen table is highly durable and reliable

Pros and cons of natural stone

Kitchen countertops made of natural stone have one distinguishing feature - a unique pattern created by nature itself. Their main advantages are durability, immunity to mechanical damage and wear.

Despite its high cost, natural stone is popular. It's all because of its excellent decorative qualities.

In most cases, the basis for countertops is marble or granite, less often - onyx, quartz or gabbro. The color of the product may also differ - from greenish-gray to gray-brown, from reddish-brown to purple, pink or scarlet. The shade of the material depends on the place where the stone was mined.

Marble

Marble is a natural stone that was formed due to silt deposition in sedimentary rocks. The chemical composition of marble is calcium carbonate. These natural stone countertops for the kitchen have a cool surface with an exquisite pattern. The color is given to them interspersed with salts of various metals, mineral clays and silicon.

The combination of salts of various metals, mineral clays and silicon provides the surface with an intricate pattern

The price of this material depends on the color. Cheap varieties are white and yellowish, more expensive are pink and gray shades, the most expensive are black and burgundy with veins.

Small scratches on the surface can be removed by polishing

Benefits: Kitchen countertop made of natural stone, or rather marble, has an incredibly beautiful appearance and unique pattern. With proper care, it can serve for more than a dozen years. Resistant to minor scratches that can be removed by buffing.

disadvantages: Marble stone kitchen countertops have a porous structure, which can leave visible stains from various coloring liquids (from wine or coffee). Traces of hot dishes remain on it, in addition, marble is easily damaged by exposure to any acid-based product. Also, one should not forget about the high price of this material.

Kitchen counters with marble stone countertops are easily susceptible to contamination from wine, juice or other colored liquids

Granite

Granite is one of the hardest and most wear-resistant natural stones. It differs in a variety of colors and mirror shine. For example, a black exquisite stone countertop for a kitchen will fit perfectly into a classic or modern interior.

Granite has a wide range of colors and an elegant gloss

Benefits: Granite is moisture resistant, tolerates high temperatures well, is resistant to minor scratches and damage. The material is also acid resistant and has a long service life.

disadvantages: Kitchen countertops made of granite stone have at least one serious drawback - absolute unrepairability in case of mechanical damage. In other words, if you have enough strength to break such a surface, then it will have to be replaced with a new one. In addition, granite slabs cannot be joined using a seamless method.

In case of damage, the granite coating will have to be changed completely

Pros and cons of artificial stone

Despite the fact that countertops made of artificial stone are cheaper and lighter, outwardly they differ little from their natural counterparts. At the same time, their color range is much wider.

Kitchens with stone countertops made of composite materials look no worse than options with natural counterparts

Instructions for creating artificial coatings are as follows: particles of natural stone are mixed with acrylic resins, then applied to a plywood base. The result is an absolutely non-porous material that can take on even the most complex shape.

Depending on the manufacturing technology, quartzite (agglomerate) and acrylic materials are distinguished.

According to the manufacturing technology, artificial materials are divided into quartzite (agglomerate) and acrylic

Agglomerate

Agglomerate stone kitchen countertops are produced on the basis of quartz chips, which are subjected to high-temperature vacuum pressing. In order to end up with a surface with different shades, special pigments are added to the mixture. Polyester resin acts as a link.

The basis of the agglomerate is made up of quartz chips, subjected to high temperature treatment

Benefits: The main advantages of agglomerate models include their mechanical strength and resistance to high temperatures. They do not absorb moisture and do not lose their prices even after long-term use. Also, the material has different textures: smooth, bumpy, matte. Caring for it with your own hands will not be a problem - it is enough to wipe the agglomerate with a damp cloth.

disadvantages: Once damaged, the agglomerate coating cannot be repaired or repaired. If the length of the tabletop exceeds 3 meters, then it will not work without seams.

The agglomerate has good strength and high temperature resistance

Acrylic

It is a pigment combined with mineral fillers with acrylic resin. Such a stone countertop for a kitchen is considered the most budgetary option.

Smooth texture makes it incredibly easy to maintain acrylic surfaces

Benefits: Easy to clean due to its non-porous structure, it is enough to use soap solution to clean them. Such products are not afraid of chips, they are easily sanded with fine-grained sandpaper. Not susceptible to infection by fungus or mold, moisture resistant.

disadvantages: Acrylic is not resistant to high temperatures - hot dishes may leave marks on it. Also, small scratches are clearly visible on it.

High temperatures can damage the surface

Finally

A kitchen with a stone countertop is the choice for people who value durability and high decorative qualities above all else. Now that you know about all the pros and cons of this coating, you can carefully choose the option that is ideal for your interior.

For more ideas for inspiration, see the presented photos and videos.

Kitchen countertops - see here.

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