Counter top is the key part of any modular kitchen. It is like the armour for a soldier, the helmet for a bike rider, the pads for a batsman and so on. From design utility point of view, a countertop covers almost 30-40% visible part of any modular kitchen. Hence, you can always use this space to create a striking or a minimal design aesthetic to your modular kitchen.
From a functionality point of view, the counter is your life saviour. We can say that it acts like a shield and protects your modular kitchen for its lifetime.
Hence, we at Würfel focus a lot on the counter top technicalities and our designs ensure that your kitchen live longer.
For example, we ensure that every counter top is at least 20mm out of the cabinet body and is supported by a drip line below so that no liquid flows into the cabinets. We also create breathing space between the cabinets and countertops to add to the longevity.
The safest choice is to go for materials like quartz, granite or marble to end up with a durable kitchen layout. We usually recommend Quartz as these are highly robust and completely non-porous. If you visit any of the Würfel studios, our experts would explain to you about our countertop technicalities.
The differences between quartz, granite and marble countertops are as follows:
- Looks: When it comes to appearance, granite comes in a variety of colours and patterns because of how it’s formed and no two granite countertops share the exact same look. Marble is classic in style but is not the right choice if you are looking to add more vibrancy to your kitchen. Quartz is the clear winner amongst all the three as due to the fact that it’s manufactured, it gives a more uniform look when it comes to its colours and patterns.
- Environment-friendly: As they are both non-renewable and require high energy on account of their manufacturing methods, granite and marble are regarded as unsustainable in nature. These materials need to be mined, so the damage they do to the environment—particularly with regards to water and air pollution—is permanent. Since quartz is engineered, it is more environmentally-friendly than both the other materials especiallyif you use stones that are manufactured regionally manufactured using local fabricators.
- Maintenance: Marble, granite and quartz countertops can be easily cleaned daily with soap and water or a mild household cleaner. To maintain the lifespan of your countertop, consider having your granite and marble countertops resealed once a year. But for granite, you can easily clean it with soapy water and relax as that is pretty much all that you need to do in terms of its maintenance. The solid surface of granite means that you don’t require to have your countertops resealed.
- Durability: When it comes to durability, granite and marble both pass the test but they must be sealed at least once every year to ensure there is no seepage of liquid inside the stone. Both are also resistant to heat but you should still be careful. However, the porous nature does lead to staining if spilt liquids are left sitting for a long time and they may be damaged if the countertop receives a blow of high impact. Quartz, on the other hand, is harder than granite and it can easily be kept bacteria-free. But in terms of heat, you need to use heating pads to avoid damage due to excessive heat.