Kitchen worktops may not seem like something that should be high on your priority list when fitting out or redecorating your kitchen but it is actually quite a crucial piece of the puzzle. Kitchen worktops can be the most expensive part of your kitchen and there are several varieties of materials and shapes you can go for. You want to choose a worktop that is right for you, that suits the look you are going for but most importantly last for a very long time. The usual suspects for kitchen worktop materials are marble, granite and wood. Marble is a very expensive material, and quite rightly so seems as it can last for your whole life and is strong and durable. Due to it being so expensive not everyone can realistically afford them, marble kitchen worktops in Essex can cost you an arm and a leg, so we're going to be looking at the more affordable granite and wooden worktops. Let us start by looking at the properties and usefulness of wood.
Wood can be a very good material if you want something a little softer and lighter than stone. There are hundreds of different types of wood that can be used, from great oak to pine wood. It is usually used with a thick clear varnish to give the worktop extra strength and a shiny surface to prepare food on. Some woods go through a hardening process so that it is less likely to wear away or break, making sure you get a longer use from the product. However not many people opt for it these days, as cheap as it is to buy into wood it is not as durable as stone, which means it needs checking and replacing more often than not. If you buy into wood that has not been properly treated then you could end up with a nasty infestation.
Granite on the other hand is almost flawless as it is strong and hard but also can be made to look super stunning. It can be varnished or buffered to give it a wonderful sheen and you can take a knife to it without the worry of making marks or stains. It too is a fairly cheap material and does not need to be replaced too often; it looks after itself very well. Granite can come in various shades so you still get a choice, not as many as wood as wood can be stained but still a good variety. However it is still the most popular choice of material for people who are either renovating their old kitchen or are fitting a brand spanking new one.
You can check out the galleries on The Marble & Granite Company website where you can find several different worktops made from different materials.