A Guide to Porcelain Countertops
Countless upgrades are available for homeowners interested in renovating their kitchen, including installing new countertops. While there are a variety of countertop materials you could pick for your kitchen, one of the most interesting options is porcelain.
When most people think of porcelain, they imagine the bathrooms in their home, but this material is also a great choice for your kitchen counters. Because so few homeowners are familiar with using porcelain for kitchen countertops, it’s a good idea to learn a little more about this material and its many benefits. Here are a few reasons you should consider installing porcelain countertops in your kitchen, and some advice for planning your next remodeling project with professional help.
What is Porcelain?
Although you’ve probably encountered porcelain many times during your life, you may not actually know much about this material. Basically, porcelain is a type of ceramic and is made from clay that contains the mineral kaolinite. When clay contains a large amount of kaolinite, it is often referred to as china clay, which is why porcelain and fine china are often used interchangeably. Kaolinite-rich clay will usually contain several other minerals, including silica and feldspar, which can add to the porcelain’s final appearance.
The Style You Want
Now that you know a little bit about how porcelain is made, it’s time to find out what makes this material such a good choice for your kitchen countertops. Learning about the benefits of porcelain counters will certainly make adding them to your home an enticing option.
The biggest advantage of this material is that you’ll be able to customize the appearance of your kitchen counter. Because porcelain comes in a wide variety of colors, you’ll be able to pick an option that matches the current look of your kitchen, or a style that can give the room a completely new look. Also, porcelain is not at risk for discoloration, so your kitchen will look great for years to come.
In addition to multiple color options, porcelain is available in a variety of patterns. By manipulating pigmentation, porcelain can be made to look like other counter materials, including natural stone. You will also have access to several different finishes when installing porcelain kitchen counters. Whether you choose a polished or matte surface, you can finish your counters however you see fit.
Easy Installation
A concern of many homeowners installing new counters in their kitchen is how long it will take to finish their project. Fortunately, if you choose porcelain, you can have new counters in your kitchen in almost no time at all.
For starters, porcelain, unlike natural stone, can be made into large slabs. Depending on the size of the slab, you can cover an entire section of your counters with just one piece of porcelain. Obviously, this simplifies installation to an impressive degree.
Second, porcelain counters can be installed directly over your existing counters. With other materials, you would first have to remove your old counters before installing your new ones. Third, porcelain slabs are very lightweight, making it easier to move these slabs around your kitchen during installation.
Impressive Durability
When you’re choosing a material for your kitchen countertops, your goal should be finding a durable option that will last well into the future. Although you may find it hard to believe, porcelain is an extremely durable material that is resistant to a wide range of damage.
The firing process used to manufacture porcelain lends this material a surprising amount of durability. In fact, porcelain counters are actually more durable than granite countertops. Unlike other materials, porcelain resists several forms of damage, including scratching, chipping and general wear and tear.
Because porcelain is such a strong material, counters made from porcelain tend to last for a very long time. By investing in a porcelain countertop, you’ll have kitchen counters that will look just as good as the day they were installed for years to come.
Low Maintenance
Another major benefit of choosing porcelain for your kitchen counters is that this material is very low maintenance, both before and after installation. As mentioned, porcelain can be made into large slabs, which reduces the amount of seams and grout you’ll need to clean and maintain. Also, due to the manufacturing process, porcelain does not require any sealing after installation or in the future.
Porcelain is extremely easy to clean, which is why it makes such a great countertop material. During manufacturing, the firing process creates a glaze that makes this material waterproof. Keeping porcelain clean is a simple matter of washing it with warm, soapy water. You can even use strong chemicals such as bleach on porcelain without worry, as the glaze will prevent damage. If you want a low-maintenance counter material, there is virtually no better option than porcelain.
Porcelain Disadvantages
As you can see, there are countless reasons that you should pick porcelain for your kitchen counters. Like every material, however, porcelain does have some disadvantages that you should consider before moving forward with your renovation project.
Realistically, the only drawback of porcelain is the price. This material is much more expensive than others you could choose, meaning it may not be the best option for homeowners working with a tight budget. Typically, you can expect to pay between $60 and $100 per square foot for porcelain. If you have a large amount of counter space in your kitchen, installing porcelain can cost you a great deal of money.
While the cost may be prohibitive for some homeowners, installing kitchen counters made from porcelain is a good choice in almost every regard. Also, because of their longevity, purchasing porcelain for your counters may end up saving you money in the long run.
Add Porcelain Countertops
If you’re looking for a high-quality kitchen counter material that will look great and last for years, look no further. Porcelain countertops provide a wide range of benefits, and they are an excellent choice for almost every kitchen. Learn more about this versatile counter material, or start planning your installation, by talking with the team at Kitchen Solvers.
Whatever type of kitchen remodeling project you’re planning, Kitchen Solvers can help. Our team can listen to your needs and then help you with your remodel so that it is as successful and rewarding as possible. Visit one of our locations today.
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