Kitchen Design and Renovations: Pros and Cons of Concrete Countertops

If you are building a new kitchen or renovating your current food preparation areas, an important decision is what type of material to choose for your kitchen countertops. Top contenders among today's choices include granite, quartz, marble, concrete and various types of laminates. While some materials offer high levels of cost-efficiency, others may be more durable. Other types may be easier to clean and maintain and more resistant to cracking, scratching or staining. Before making your final decision of countertop material, be sure to weigh the pros and cons of various building materials. If you are considering installing concrete countertops in your kitchen, you should know what this material will and will not offer in terms of long-term effectiveness.

Pros of Selecting Concrete Countertops for Your Kitchen

Choosing concrete countertops for your updated kitchen decor will provide the following helpful features:

• Heat Resistant. - Concrete is heat resistant, which is very helpful for countertops adjoining your stovetop and range. It also provides a safe surface for using smaller appliances like portable convection cookers and toaster ovens. Also, with heat resistant kitchen countertops, you never need to worry about setting a hot pan or cooking pot directly on the counter surface after removing it from the oven or stovetop burner.
• Scratch Resistant. - Since concrete is scratch resistant, you can place metal pots, pans and cooking appliances directly on your countertop without scratching or scraping the concrete surface. Some home chefs use a section of their concrete counter space as a chopping, slicing and dicing surface for this reason, without causing damage to the countertop.
• Multiple Colour Choices. - Modern concrete countertops are available in many different colours for your added convenience. This makes them easily adaptable to the other elements of your kitchen decor.
• Solid Structure. - The solid, sturdy construction of concrete as a building material makes it attractive to many homeowners with busy households and kitchens. They like the idea of installing solid countertops with the capacity to withstand everyday wear-and-tear during long-term, heavy use.

Cons of Installing Concrete Countertops in Your Home's Kitchen

Cons of selecting concrete kitchen countertops for your home include the following disadvantages:

• Porous Surface. - Although it is considered a solid building material, concrete has a porous surface. For this reason, it will absorb spilled liquids and can take time to dry out, making it less desirable than surfaces like quartz, granite or laminate.
• Non-Green Product. - Concrete does not qualify as a green building material since traditionally, it has been formed from a combination of cement, gravel, sand and water. Cement is categorized as hazardous to the environment because its production is intensive in terms of energy and fossil fuel usage. It is the third highest producer of carbon dioxide emissions, which is the main greenhouse gas now causing global warming. Today, there are concrete alternatives available for use in making construction material. These recycled aggregate materials from solid waste materials like glass, old tires, fiberglass and some plastics lessen the need for concrete use as a building material.
• Not Stain Resistant. - Although quartz or granite countertops do stain somewhat when exposed to some liquids and foods, concrete is even less resistant to staining. Due to the longer time period required for concrete to dry out thoroughly after liquids are spilled on its surface, permanent staining is more likely to occur from spills on your concrete countertops than on these other surfaces.

By consulting the expert designers and builders of Elyse Cabinets, providing services to Melbourne and surrounding areas, you will benefit from top quality advice, designs and installation of your new kitchen countertops to complete your decor updating plans. This excellent company will ensure that your every preference, need, desire and whim are all included in your selection of the ideal countertops to complement and enhance your stylish new kitchen interior.

For more information:
5 Egan Road, Dandenong VICTORIA 3175
Tel: (03) 9793 7717    Fax: (03) 9793 8118
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