Natural Stone Countertops For Your Kitchen
Author: Liz Wood

Natural stone offers a beauty that is hard to match with any
other material. There are several advantages to using natural
stone. For starters, natural stone brings a rich elegant
appearance to a room. It is also durable and luxurious. Each
piece of natural stone is unique and there are a lot of
different options to choose from. Also, most natural stone
materials come in a variety of finishes.

If you have decided that you would like to invest in a natural
stone countertop, make sure to take the time to choose the one
that will work best for your needs. Don't just go for looks
alone because practicality is just as important, if not more.
Pay attention to the level of maintenance that each material
requires, such as regular staining or oiling. Some stone is
virtually maintenance-free. Below you will find the various
natural stone materials compare:

Granite

Granite offers great benefits. Not only is it a beautiful
surface, granite is also extremely heat and scratch resistant,
very durable and it incredibly long lasting. Granite will never
go out of style so there is rarely a need to replace it.
Furthermore, granite is available in deep, rich colors with a
polished finish that won't wear off. Keep in mind, granite is
porous so it will require resealing about once a year.

Marble

Marble countertops are becoming a popular choice because they
are smooth, elegant and cool to the touch. They offer an
exceptional and stylish look. Marbles is also perfect for food
preparations. It is the serious baker's choice for rolling
dough and making pastries. As far as durability is concerned,
marble falls short of granite and it also requires more sealing
maintenance to protect it from staining.

Soapstone

Soapstone, which is composed primarily of the mineral talc,
lends itself well to both contemporary and more traditional
"country" kitchens. Soapstone's inert nature means acids won't
etch the material, and stains can be easily sanded out —
although many homeowners view them as part of the character. It
needs to be treated with a mineral oil to bring out its dark,
rich color and make it shine.

Slate

Slate stands out in a kitchen because it is very durable and
has such a unique surface. It is available in tones of gray,
green, purple and black. Unlike granite and marble, slate
doesn't require much sealing protection, but some maintenance
is still required. If a scratch is made in the slate, it can
usually be removed by rubbing the scratch with a damp sponge.
Deeper scratches can be buffed out by using steel wool.

Quartz

Natural quartz compares to slate in appearance, but does not
stain or scratch as easily. You also have the option of
installing engineered quartz which has been gaining popularity
as well. However, the costs are considerably more. Engineered
quartz consists of a quartz composite product mixed with epoxy,
polymers, and small stones or pebbles.

Limestone

Limestone countertops provide lovely solutions in both your
kitchen and your bath. However, there needs to be an eye kept
on it because it is very porous and spills must be caught and
treated quickly to prevent staining. Some people really enjoy
limestone's natural, weathered look that deepens and darkens
over time. The down side to limestone is that is can be quite
pricey at times because of its weight and you are also limited
to a selection of what is being quarried at the time.


About The Author: For more information about natural stone
countertops, and for free price quotes on kitchen countertops
visit http://www.CountertopsKey.com