San Diego Magazine / At Home / August 2007 / Counter Culture

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Counter Culture

Whether you’re building a home or remodeling an existing one, you’ll have countertop choices to make. Here are the pros and cons of different materials.

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The traditional countertop choice, durable stone is the can’t-go-wrong surface material. Engineered versions are almost indestructible and come in every color under the sun. Most natural stone is porous by nature, so it may require periodic sealing. Softer types of stone are also susceptible to scratches.

STONE

MANUFACTURED QUARTZ:

While it’s possible to use quarried slabs of natural quartz, modern quartz countertops are typically made from engineered quartz, a manufactured mixture of about 93 percent ground-up quartz and 7 percent pigments and resins. The look is uniform, compared with the characteristic swirls or “movement” in natural granite. This nonporous, durable alternative to granite is stain-, heat- and scratch-resistant and comes in a variety of colors and patterns.

MARBLE, ONYX AND SERPENTINE:

Marble has a traditional look, and its cool, nonstick surface makes it great for baking uses such as rolling out dough. Onyx, a translucent semi-precious stone, is available in colors ranging from white to deep green. Very fragile, it works best as a decorative backsplash or under glass. Serpentine is similar to soapstone and usually has a dull-green color with a mottled appearance. These stones are more porous than granite and vulnerable to stains and chemicals.

SOAPSTONE:

This metamorphic rock, composed of talc, magnesium silicate and chlorite, is generally smooth and dark gray in color. Resistant to heat and bacteria, soapstone is easily stained and may crack and darken over time.

GRANITE:

Composed of silicates, feldspar and quartz that reflect light, granite is the hardest and densest of all natural stones and comes in many different patterns, finishes and colors. The darker the color, the harder it is. When properly sealed, it is stain-, water- and chemical-resistant but will still be vulnerable to certain acids.

SLATE:

Commonly used as flooring, slate is perfect for breakfast bars or dining counters because it’s a good conductor and returns to room temperature quickly. Fine-grained, with a low absorption rate, slate isn’t susceptible to staining. It handles heat well and comes in a variety of colors.

LIMESTONE AND TRAVERTINE:

These stones are heat- and impact-resistant but are vulnerable to acid and stains because of a fairly high absorption rate of liquids.

LAVASTONE:

Volcanic rock sound cool for the bath? If the price doesn’t faze you, it comes in an unlimited palette. Beautiful, glossy, nonporous and stain-resistant, it’s also perfect for bar areas.

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METAL

Most metals, excluding stainless steel, will oxidize, changing color over time. So whether you’re after impeccable steel for a chef-worthy modern kitchen or a Tuscan-style room with warm copper accents, metal can be the perfect solution. Metals are nonporous, so they are antibacterial and stain-resistant, but they are vulnerable to dents, scratches and fingerprints.

STAINLESS STEEL:

Composed of steel alloy, chromium and nickel, stainless steel is one of the most popular trends for contemporary kitchens, an extension of its commercial use. Finishes include random grain, which doesn’t have a particular pattern and hides fingerprints, and brushed, which has a shiny, smooth appearance and requires more cleaning. Besides being sanitary, it’s also stain- and heat-resistant and the most dent-resistant metal.

COPPER:

This warm, soft metal has a rosy gold sheen if polished weekly; otherwise, it forms a patina that’s a burnished brown-black with green flecks.

ZINC:

Soft, heat-conducting zinc starts out shiny like stainless steel or aluminum, but it oxidizes to a blue-gray patina.

PEWTER:

This metal is an alloy of tin, with small amounts of copper and other hardening agents. Over time, it acquires a gray or charcoal patina.

BRONZE AND BRASS:

The golden couple: Bronze (an alloy of copper and tin) and brass (composed of copper and zinc) are harder than copper and more golden. Unpolished, both change to a dark brownishblack patina.