Which kitchen countertop is better? |
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Engineered stone countertops are manufactured in enormous variety of colors, textures, and patterns. Similar to natural stone edge profile can be customizes to any shape.
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5 |
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4 |
Natural look of wood. Can be easily stained or painted on-site. |
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Excellent counter for any kitchen design.
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5 |
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Good for kitchen islands or custom designed kitchens.
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Composite stone or quartz kitchen counters are extremely resistant to scratches. It is nearly impossible to damage the surface of synthetic stone with kitchen knife.
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5 |
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Wood countertop could be easily scratched with sharp objects. |
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5 |
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Synthetic stone has excellent resistance to heat and hot pots or pans placed directly on the counter normally do not damage the surface.
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5 |
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Wood is not a heat resistant material.
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Impervious to stain. Engineered stone is non-porous material means liquids cannot penetrate its surface and cause discoloring.
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5 |
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Wood can be easily stained.
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Synthetic stone is an extremely hard man-made material and it is one of the most durable countertops on the market.
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5 |
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Hardness depends on wood species kitchen counter made from and finishes quality. It is much softer product compare to engineered stone and can be physically damaged much easier. |
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Engineered stone is manufactured in slabs certain dimensions. Depending on producer length of a slab vary from 7 to 12 feet. It is impossible to make seamless synthetic stone countertop which is longer than 144 in. Professional engineered stone installers always hide seams as much as possible, but they are still visible. |
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Similar to stone, butcher blocks countertop is a factory made product which manufactured in certain sizes and incorporation of seams during installation often unavoidable. But on-site made wood counter can be built without any seams. |
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Any type of kitchen sink from undermount to Apron can be installed with synthetic stone countertop. |
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No restriction to sink type, but a self-rimming kitchen sink is the best option.
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Proper installed synthetic stone countertop normally last over 70 years.
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5 |
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Lifespan of wood kitchen countertop significantly depends on maintenance and care. Wood counter could easily last for over 100 years or could be damaged and should be replaced in 10 – 15 years.
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Synthetic stone countertop is practically maintenance free material and required very little care after installation. |
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High maintenance material and without proper care can be easily damaged. |
Typical weight per square foot
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Greatly vary. Normally 55” x 120” x 1 ¼” slab of quartz weight about 675 – 680 pound (306 – 308 kg).
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Depends on wood species and countertop thickness. One square feet of edge grain 2 ¼” (5.7 cm) thick maple kitchen counter weight about 10 lbs (4.5 kg). |
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Engineered stone is one of the most expensive materials for kitchen countertops. Prices greatly vary and mainly depend on a manufacturer and color of a stone.
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5 |
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Some butcher blocks countertops can be quite expensive, but it is normally cheaper material compare to synthetic stone. |
Installation cost (labor)
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Labor fees for synthetic stone countertop installation are much higher in comparison with wood countertop installation. Homeowners typically unable to cut engineered stone to sizes, move, and install heavy pieces properly. For that reason, cost of synthetic stone countertop installed per square foot means price of stone itself, fabrication fees, delivery charges, and installation expenses.
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5 |
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Cost to install butcher blocks countertop normally lower compare to installation of an engineered stone kitchen counter.
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Installation of an engineered stone countertop could be a challenging task. Normally it is not a do it yourself project.
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4 |
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Moderate difficulty kitchen renovation task.
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In-home installation of a new 38 – 40 ft2 L-shaped quartz kitchen countertop normally takes a few hours for a crew of three. Total time from getting in-home measurement to delivery and actual installation of fabricated pieces of stone might range from 8 to 12 business days.
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Two carpenters normally are able to install U-shaped 35 – 37 square feet of manufactured butcher block counter in 3 to 4 hours. Fabrication of wood countertop normally takes couple weeks after placing an order. Building custom wood countertop on site and actual installation typically a few days project.
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Depends on damage, but cracks might be extremely hard to repair. |
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Minor scratches could be eliminated from wood countertop surface. Water damages might be difficult to hide. |
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Cracks or damages of synthetic stone counter are normally a result of poor installation or great physical abuse. Under normal usage, adequately installed engineered stone countertop shouldn’t have any problems for many years.
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Hot pots placed directly on wood can easily damage the counter and burned spots might be hard to fix. Scratches, dents or water related damages are very typical for wood countertops.
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Synthetic stone and wood kitchen countertops have their own advantages and disadvantages. Engineered stone is a premium material for kitchen countertops which last and perform much better than wood, but it is costly option. Custom made wood countertop looks rich and can be a great choice for any kitchen, but it is more susceptible to damages material and required much more care compare to synthetic stone.
1Rating was estimated on the scale from 1 to 5, accounting 1 as lowest and 5 as the highest quality of a product. Always consider the fact: not all products made equally the same and performance of particular material significantly depends on individual product quality, adequate installation, and proper maintenance.