New and Traditional Countertop Choices
New and Traditional Countertop Choices

There are very few materials more durable than stone. Cool and long-lasting, stone offers a timeless, elegant beauty that few other materials can match.

Some stones are hard and resistant to scratches and heat, Others are more delicate and require a lot of care and maintenance.And even the most durable stone has drawbacks as a china countertop material. It has no "give" at all, so that a plate, cup or glass dropped on it is likely to shatter rather than bounce. The stone itself can crack, break, chip and scratch. Some stones stain easily - marble, travertine and soapstone are notorious culprits — although many believe that the visible signs of use that accumulate over time add to the patina and charm of these upscale materials.Some stones, like slate, are particularly susceptible to edge chipping and require special care in both installation and daily use.

Almost any stone can be made into a china countertop: limestone, slate, marble, granite, travertine, even sandstone. But the most desirable stones are those that can take a good polish to create a smooth working china countertop surface. Even soft, crumbly lavastone can be made into a china countertop — although the process is very involved and very expensive. We are not even going to try to review all of the possible stone china countertops, just the more common offerings in regular commercial use.

Granite

Granite is still the stone of choice these days. It is heavy, hard and durable, very difficult to crack or chip and will easily outlast your house. Many varieties are very had to stain, but regular sealing is usually recommended. We have heard reports of granite tops that do not need sealing, but we have never actually seen one, and, frankly, don t believe it. Granite, no matter how dense, is porous and any porous material can stain.

Granite comes in a seemingly infinite range of colors and patterns, with more arriving everyday. On the downside, it is just about the most expensive china countertop material around, rivaled only by concrete and some engineered stone materials.

Soapstone

Soapstone, eclipsed for years by granite, is making a strong comeback as granite china countertops become more and more common. The look of soapstone is timeless and historically accurate for almost any period of American architecture. It is warmer, denser and heavier than granite but not nearly as hard. The primary ingredient in soapstone is talc, about the softest mineral around. It can be scratched with a fingernail but rarely are scratches more than superficial and can be removed with an application of mineral oil. Even more sever scratches disappear with fine sandpaper or even a scouring pad.

Photo: Shadley s Soapstone Unlike granite and most of the other natural stone china countertops soapstone is almost impervious to water penetration, unaffected by acids or other kitchen chemicals, and absolutely heat resistant. These are some of the reasons it is the preferred material for china countertops in chemical laboratories. Even the hottest pans can be set on it without harm. Since it is almost impervious to liquids, it does not stain or require sealing.

Classic soapstone from New England is light gray to almost black, often with a greenish tinge, but the material can range from light brown to terracotta depending on its source and treatment. Very little soapstone is now quarried in the U.S. Most comes from Brazil.

A soapstone surface darkens naturally with age or when exposed to water or oils. To darken it evenly, soapstone can be treated with food-grade mineral oil. The darker it gets, the more light grey or gray-green veins stand out adding to soapstone s appeal. New "dry wax" coatings have been developed that replace mineral oil and last longer, but are, of course, considerably more expensive. Many soapstone fans, however, simply let it age naturally over the years, adding a patina of wear and use. But renewing soapstone is easy - simply sand away the old surface for a brand new look. Repeated restorations are possible over many years without affecting the integrity of the material. http://www.modernday-kitchen-cabinets.com/