Guide to Choosing Your Kitchen Benchtop: Natural Stone, Porcelain, or Engineered Stone?
When it comes to kitchen design, one of the most critical decisions you’ll make is selecting the right benchtop. It’s the centerpiece of your kitchen, influencing not just aesthetics but also functionality and durability. Among the most popular options are natural stone, porcelain, and engineered stone. Each has its unique characteristics, advantages, and considerations. Let’s explore these options to help you make the best choice for your dream kitchen.
Natural Stone
What is Natural Stone?
Natural stone benchtops are crafted from slabs of stone quarried directly from the earth. The most common types used in kitchens are granite, marble, and quartzite. Each slab is unique, with its own patterns, colours, and textures, making your kitchen truly one-of-a-kind.
Advantages:
Looks: Natural stone offers unmatched beauty and elegance. The natural veining, colour variations, and textures add depth and character to your kitchen. There is an earthy, organic quality to natural stone that can’t be replicated in manmade options.
Durability: Granite and quartzite in particular are incredibly durable and resistant to heat, scratches, and stains when properly sealed.
Longevity: With proper care, natural stone benchtops can last a lifetime, making them a worthwhile investment.
Considerations:
Maintenance: Natural stone requires regular sealing to protect against stains and moisture. Marble, being more porous, is particularly susceptible to etching and staining.
Cost: These benchtops can be expensive, especially for premium stones like marble and quartzite.
Weight: Natural stone is heavy, so your cabinetry needs to be structurally sound to support it. And you’ll pay more in labour to get it cut and installed.
Image 1 Taj mahal quarzite image 2 luna grey image 3 calacatta gold image 4 tundra grey image 5 silver veined travertine image 6 paonazzo marble
Taj Mahal Quartzite stone.
Porcelain Benchtops
What is Porcelain?
Porcelain benchtops are made from a highly durable, non-porous ceramic material. They are produced by firing natural clay at extremely high temperatures, resulting in a hard and dense surface that is both thin and lightweight.
Dekton Portum stone splashback.
“The more detail your benchtop has, the more expensive it will be. Most stone comes as a standard 20mm thickness, so designing benchtops this thick keeps costs down. If you want a nice thick benchtop just keep in mind the edge pieces will need to be cut and joined, adding more cost in both stone and labour. “
Advantages
Low Maintenance: Porcelain is non-porous, making it resistant to stains, bacteria, and mold. It’s also incredibly easy to clean.
Heat and Scratch Resistant: Porcelain can withstand high temperatures, so you can place hot pots and pans directly on the surface. It's also highly resistant to scratches.
Design Versatility: Available in a wide range of colours, patterns, and finishes, including designs that mimic natural stone, porcelain offers great flexibility in design.
Size: Porcelain slab sizes go up to around 3500mm – the large size is a major design advantage because you get less joins on your kitchen benchtop.
Considerations
Thickness: Porcelain benchtops are typically thinner than natural stone, which might not suit all design preferences.
Edges and Seams: Due to its thinness, achieving certain edge profiles like curves can be challenging, and the seams are more visible compared to thicker materials.
Cost: While generally more affordable than natural stone, high-end porcelain can still be pricey.
image 01 Laminam Marble Black Image 02 Laminam Ultra Pietra Grey Image o3 Laminam Luna White Image 04 Archant Marble Yamuna image 5 dekton albarium
Engineered Stone Benchtops
What is Engineered Stone?
Engineered stone, often known as quartz, is a man-made material composed of natural quartz crystals mixed with resin and pigments. This combination results in a highly durable and customizable surface - it’s my go-to when budget doesn’t allow for natural stone.
For this kitchen, I used Silestone Calacatta Gold on the benchtops, and real marble Calacatta Gold on the splashback.
Advantages
Consistency: Unlike natural stone, engineered stone offers consistent colour and pattern throughout the slab, which can be important for large installations.
Durability: Engineered stone is highly resistant to scratches, stains, and impacts, making it ideal for busy kitchens.
Low Maintenance: It’s non-porous, so it doesn’t require sealing and is easy to clean with just soap and water.
Variety: Available in a wide range of colours and patterns, engineered stone can mimic the look of natural stone or offer something entirely unique.
Considerations
Heat Sensitivity: Engineered stone is not as heat resistant as natural stone or porcelain. It’s advisable to use trivets for hot pots and pans.
Cost: While typically more affordable than high-end natural stone, engineered stone can still be on the expensive side.
Environmental Impact: Some people are concerned about the environmental impact of the silicons and resins used in engineered stone production, though many manufacturers are now offering more eco-friendly options.
“If you’re after curves, check out Corian. This material can be moulded into any shape without joins, from benchtops to entire vanities including the sink.”
Image 01: SILESTONE ETERNAL Et Calacatta Gold Image 02: Caesarstone Calacatta Nuvo Image 03: Caesarstone Deluxe Organic White
Which One is Right for You?
The choice between natural stone, porcelain, and engineered stone benchtops ultimately depends on your lifestyle, design preferences, and budget. Choose Natural Stone if you love the idea of a unique, luxurious, and timeless benchtop and are willing to invest in its care. Choose Porcelain if you’re looking for a sleek, modern look that is easy to maintain and incredibly durable. Choose Engineered Stone if you want the durability and low maintenance of a modern material with the closest appearance of natural stone.
No matter which option you choose, all three materials offer beautiful form and high function, ensuring your kitchen will be the heart of your home for years to come. Happy designing!
Taj Mahal Quartzite stone.