5 Beautiful Kitchen Benchtops which are Virtually Maintenance Free
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Sure, timber bench tops look great in your Home Beautiful magazine, but you're worried that over time it will stain, split, and become a breeding ground for bacteria (and you're right). And yes, marble feels luxurious, but unless you clean up that coffee stain immediately, you'll be trying (unsuccessfully) to scrub it off for the next five years. Isn't there are benchtop solution that will look great for years to come, without the hassle? Luckily, there is! Five of them in fact. Take a look at our top 5 low-maintenance kitchen benchtops that will look great in any kitchen:
1. Composite Stone
Composite or Engineered Stone has the look, feel and strength of real stone, but is significantly more affordable. It is made up of smaller crushed stone that is engineered together to create one solid, contiguous bench. It now comes in a range of colours and styles to ensure it looks great no matter your decor.
2. Granite
Hard as, well, a rock. On a scale of 1 to diamond, granite is up there. You'll find it hard to scratch even in demanding kitchen situations (read: kids who refuse to use a chopping board). It's also naturally heat resistant and has that solid, monolithic look you only get from real stone. While it's relatively expensive, it'll last forever and look great until the very end.
3. Laminate
Laminate has come a long way from the cheap, peeling, chip-prone variety your 1970s dining table was most-likely covered in. Respected brands like Laminex now produce long-lasting and hard-wearing laminate in a range of beautiful colours, textures and patterns that will look great in any kitchen design.
4. Zinc
Not just something you smear on your face in summer. Zinc is a hard wearing and beautiful metal that will develop a dark, stain resistant patina over time. It has the durability and longevity of stainless steel without the never-ending smears and sticky fingerprints.
5. Concrete
Concrete bench tops are a great, durable option. Unless you're a super skilled DIYer I wouldn't recommend trying to cast it yourself. But don't worry, there are bunch of businesses that specialise in custom concrete bench tops. Just like normal concrete, there are a range of oxides, aggregate mixes and sealing options which can dramatically change the look of the bench top. It's worthwhile speaking to a concrete bench top specialist to discuss what's possible. But once it's finished and sealed, it will be durable, heat resistant and virtually maintenance free (maybe a new coat of sealant every 5-10 years depending on your finish)
Bonus: Acrylic Benchtop
Corian/Acrylic is a unique plastic bench top that is soft and warm to the touch, while also being heat and stain resistant. It's listed as a bonus option for a couple of reasons: It's not as inherently durable as the other options, but stains and scratches can easily be buffed out with fine sandpaper. The unique styles available in the acrylic range certainly make a statement. You can get Marble-esque patterns or even translucent bench tops. What ever your style, you're bound to find an acrylic option that will work well.
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About the Author
Brodie Norris runs Lunchbox Architect, a website featuring one exceptional, architect-designed family home every weekday. Check out what's in the Lunchbox Today!
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