With the exception of the stove, the countertop is perhaps the most working surface of the kitchen. It is she who takes the "brunt" in the process of preparing culinary masterpieces and withstands a wide variety of "tests" (both temperature and mechanical). They cut on it, knock on it, they constantly spread something on it and put it - hot and cold, light and heavy. Plus, the countertop plays a special role in interior design. The stylistic completeness of the kitchen space depends on how harmoniously it is combined with the furniture set in color, design and size.
A modern kitchen with a worktop - solid, comfortable, beautiful - is the dream of any housewife. Every woman wants to enjoy preparing delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners for her family. But not everyone knows how to choose a countertop from the variety presented on the domestic market. Often, in pursuit of beauty and fashion trends, our mistress-mistresses forget about the main requirements for this piece of kitchen interior.

© dukibu - Fotolia.com
How and which countertop to choose for the kitchen? What to consider and what to look for first of all? Let's figure it out.

Practicality, durability and hygiene of the kitchen countertop are the main selection criteria

The question of choosing and buying a countertop arises when purchasing or ordering a set of kitchen furniture. In most cases, factory-made and custom-made headsets come with countertops that the customer chooses - they have the final say.
Stylists, designers, craftsmen offer a variety of solutions to choose from. Experts advise giving preference to this or that countertop, based on it:
1) practicality;
2) durability;
3) hygiene.

© Dmitry Pistrov - Fotolia.com
The choice of kitchen countertops should be primarily based on practicality. What does it mean? You should buy one that can be easily mounted and (if necessary) dismantled, which can be washed and cleaned during operation without purchasing expensive care products and without fear for its integrity.
In addition, the tabletop must be impact-resistant, resistant to abrasion, high and low temperatures, as well as to various mechanical influences and biogenic factors. These properties determine its durability. The higher the strength and stability of the countertop, the longer it can last.
Hygiene is one of the most important selection criteria. The tabletop must be made of safe, non-toxic materials that do not have a harmful effect on human health.
When deciding which countertop to choose, you must also take into account its aesthetics, appearance and cost. It should organically fit into the overall design of the kitchen. And, of course, to have an acceptable price for you.

Variety of materials used for worktops

The practicality, durability and hygiene of kitchen countertops listed above are determined by the material from which they are made. Currently, the domestic market offers consumers kitchen countertops from:
- chipboard and MDF;
- solid wood;
- artificial and natural stone;
- glass and glass mosaics;
- steel (stainless steel);
- mosaic ceramic tiles.
Each specified material has its own advantages and undeniable advantages.

Particleboard is the most common and most commonly used of them all. The manufacture of kitchen countertops from chipboard is carried out by pressing wood particles under the influence of high temperatures and covering (facing) them with colored laminated plastic. Simple technology and the availability of raw materials make chipboard countertops the most budget-friendly, but at the same time the most vulnerable. Chipboard can withstand temperatures up to 180 ° C and is susceptible to mechanical damage. Therefore, you cannot put very hot objects on countertops made of such material (or cut something with a knife on them). The average service life of chipboard countertops is approximately 5-6 years. More (up to 10 years) "life time" only for products made of moisture-resistant wood-based panels.

© gavran333 - Fotolia.com
MDF (aka MDF, Medium Density Fiberboard, medium density fiberboard), unlike chipboard, is a more durable material. It is made of wood particles pressed and laminated on all sides of the board. A thin, flexible high pressure laminate (HPL) laminate flooring makes MDF countertops easy to clean, moisture, shock and chemical resistant. However, like chipboard, MDF cannot withstand high temperatures. Therefore, it is impossible to put hot baking trays and pots that have just boiled without special supports on MDF countertops.

Wood, despite its relatively high cost, remains in our time one of the most demanded materials for the manufacture of kitchen countertops. Wooden countertops are made from solid oak or beech, they are distinguished by naturalness, natural colors, aesthetic compatibility with all artificial materials, as well as special durability. They can last over 10 years. The weak point of wooden countertops is their susceptibility to impact damage and the need for regular specific maintenance (sanding, varnishing, etc.)

Today, artificial and natural stone is also used in the manufacture of kitchen countertops, and these solutions are becoming more and more popular. Accordingly, let's take a closer look at them. Artificial stone is a slab consisting of:
- a layer of foamed glass or pressed chipboard-shavings at the bottom;
- a layer of stone chips bonded with acrylic resin at the top.
Stone chips and acrylic resin make the countertops particularly durable, resistant to abrasion, impact, and moisture. The artificial stone can withstand temperatures above 200 ° C and can be placed on hot objects.

© HamsterMan - Fotolia.com
The natural stone used in the manufacture of countertops is quartz and marble. The main advantages of such models are their durability and practicality. It is almost impossible to spoil, break, damage stone countertops. Their service life is several decades. However, such countertops are heavy, and their installation requires some effort. And some types of natural stone are characterized by a porous structure, so stains may appear on them over time, which are difficult to remove - natural material inevitably has microcracks, "veins". Such a structure of natural stone also contributes to the comfortable "resettlement" of microorganisms ... By the way, note that artificial stone is devoid of this defect - its surface has no pores.

Glass has long been considered an impractical material and has hardly been used in kitchen countertops. Everything changed at the end of the 20th century, when new technologies made it possible to create impact-resistant, hardened, polymer types of glass coatings. With the advent of high-tech kitchens, shock-resistant glass types have become widely used in kitchen furniture.
Today glass countertops are made from clear or colored, tempered or laminated glass. They are very easy to care for, they are not afraid of shocks and mechanical stress, they tolerate cleaning with the use of household chemicals. For all their apparent fragility, they are strong and durable. The design and decoration possibilities for glass worktops are unlimited. Now, for example, colored glass mosaics are in vogue. She spreads all or some parts of the surface of the countertops made of wood and stone.

Recently, steel countertops have also come into vogue. They are chipboard plates, upholstered with sheets of iron alloy and special additives (due to which the products become resistant to corrosion). Steel countertops are available in matt, mirrored and corrugated. They are not afraid of chemical influences, high or low temperatures, but they do not withstand mechanical overloads. It is impossible to drop, put, move something heavy on them, as dents and scratches may remain. Another nuance - steel countertops are quite whimsical to care for. It is especially problematic to wash corrugated surfaces with an embossed decorative pattern.

As for mosaic ceramic tiles, they are not used by themselves for the production of countertops. The tiles are combined with materials such as natural wood or glass. To increase the strength and resistance to high temperatures (as well as for decoration), the surface of the countertops is laid out with it.

© pics721 - Fotolia.com
As you can see, there are a lot of materials to choose from. Based on their characteristics and features of the kitchen, you can decide which option is best for your home. The photos of kitchen countertops presented on this page will help a little in this difficult process.

Sizes, colors and stylistic solutions of modern countertops

Before ordering or buying a kitchen countertop, you should also decide on its size, color, style. In many respects, they directly depend on the purchased headset, more precisely - on the color of its facades, on the shapes and sizes of nightstands and cabinets. Typically, store managers offer several product options to choose from. When giving preference to any of them, remember that the length and shape of the table top are determined by the length and location of the lower pedestals of the headset. Indeed, in fact, the tabletop is nothing more than a plate located on the pedestals.

Today, typical (standard) sizes of kitchen countertops are:
- length - from 1.5 m for a direct arrangement and up to 3.0 m for an angular one;
- width - 60 cm (equal to the standard depth of the cabinets);
- thickness - 3-6 cm.

© Kybele - Fotolia.com
From the point of view of convenience, it is better to order a worktop that is wider, at least 62 cm, and in terms of strength, it is thicker, up to 6 cm.This will not affect the general appearance and design of the kitchen, but with a wide tabletop you will rest your knees less on the doors and cling to protruding fittings. If the kitchen is large and the kitchen set is long, then the dimensions of the countertop can be increased up to 65 cm in width and up to the required number of centimeters in length (in accordance with the total length of the lower pedestals). For kitchens in small Khrushchev apartments and kitchen sets with a depth of 45-50 cm, it is better to order a smaller version.
Of course, the size of the kitchen countertop can be adjusted according to your wishes, but remember that such a correction will affect the cost of the countertop - additional cutting, framing unnecessary lines require time and labor.
As for color and style, in this matter, the choice should be based on a harmonious combination of shades and textures. So, for example, for a wooden kitchen in a classic style, a countertop made of natural solid wood or chipboard is more suitable. For MDF kitchens in high-tech style - a worktop made of steel or colored glass. And for a large Art Nouveau kitchen - a stone or mosaic countertop.

Where to buy a kitchen countertop? And a few words about prices

Cost is a determining factor in product selection. It depends on the material used in the production. Today, the highest prices for kitchen countertops are the prices for products made from natural stone and good wood. It is more expensive to extract, transport and process these natural materials than making and laminating wood-based panels or making artificial stone.
Chipboard and MDF countertops are the most affordable. The middle price category includes products made of glass and steel, as well as artificial stone.
If you decide to buy a kitchen countertop made of several materials, decorated, for example, with ceramic or glass mosaics, then be prepared to give a fairly significant amount of money. Such products will cost more than models made of natural stone or wood.

Where to buy a kitchen countertop? In the same retail outlets (hypermarkets for the home, specialized stores), where the order and sale of kitchen furniture is carried out. As a rule, all such "platforms" are equipped with special stands or have samples of countertop surfaces available. These materials can be viewed, touched, applied to future facades.
In addition to stationary furniture stores, kitchen countertops are also sold via the Internet, using online trading. It is noteworthy that the prices for one running meter or for one slab of material in online stores are lower. Buying a countertop in this way, you can save up to 20-30% of your money.
But, on the other hand, purchases through the Global Network are fraught with small surprises (or troubles). So, for example, the color of the tabletop may be slightly distorted by the display of your computer (it depends on how the color reproduction of the monitor is configured), and the description of the texture of the material itself may be incomprehensible to you. To make it easier to decide and choose, buy online only after a preliminary visit to a regular store. There you can see the color and texture of the future countertop "live".

© emde71 - Fotolia.com
The purchase of kitchen furniture, in one way or another, is associated with the purchase of countertops. What will it be in color, shape, size, what will it be made of? We hope that our article will help you find answers to these questions and tell you how to choose a kitchen countertop. Good luck!