For the longest time granite was seen as the crème de la crème of countertop materials. If your kitchen featured granite it could only mean one thing: you had arrived.
Recently, however, there’s a new sheriff in town when it comes to kitchen luxury and wowing your neighbors and house guests with countertops that truly pop. Believe it or not, it’s concrete.
If you’re a homeowner who has yet to purchase a ticket on the concrete train, this article is for you. Here are five reasons why you should consider installing concrete countertops during your kitchen renovation.
1. One of a kind uniqueness to give your kitchen a style of its own
No two concrete countertops are alike – literally.
By nature, the installation process lends to every job being a custom-project. From the shape of the forms to the aggregates used to coloring, surface shine, effects and more, a concrete countertop contractor is more of an artist than a tradesman, and no other medium provides homeowners with the same level of flexibility and autonomy in their design choices.
From replicating the look/feel of marble or granite down to terrazzo-styled surfaces enhanced by chips of glass or colored stone, the possibilities are truly endless.
Be aware that much of the beauty in concrete countertops stems from imperfections and unforeseen effects present in the final product. It’s impossible to know 100% what the end result will look like and so owning a design that can never be mimicked is much of the allure.
2. Tough as…well…concrete!
Chips, cracks, scratches and stains are no match for a sealed and treated concrete countertop. This is a material that is designed to pass the test of time, and with proper maintenance your surfaces can still look like new twenty years down the road.
3. Seamless design and easy maintenance
Unlike stone, which needs to be cut into manageable sections that result in seams, a concrete countertop can easily be designed and built to feature one endless slab that is 100% smooth from end to end.
Once polished and treated, you can expect silky soft surfaces that are comfortable to work on. Clean-up is also a breeze as warm, soapy water is all you need to wipe up even the messiest spills.
4. Save a buck… or a few
While top-of-the-line artistic installers can drive your project costs up to nearly as much as natural stone, as a general rule you will pay about half for concrete as you would for granite and enjoy many of the similar properties.
Additionally, if you’re handy with tools and DIY, it’s easy to install your own rustic style counters to save even more. Perfect for those do-it-yourselfers who don’t have access to a quarry!
5. The new chic
When done properly there is no look quite like a custom-designed concrete surface, but be warned that “properly done” is the operative term here.
Do your due diligence before hiring just any old cement guy to give it a whirl. Always ask to see examples of any contractor’s work and also ask for (and follow up with) references.
