What's the Best Countertop for a Bathroom?
With so many bathroom countertop options to choose from - including new types of solid-surface materials adding to the mix as manufacturers develop novel compositions - it can be difficult to narrow down the right material for your new home.
From higher-end materials like granite, to everyday solutions like laminate, here are the most requested bathroom countertop materials:
1. Granite Counter Tops
While your master bathroom counters will not take the same beating as your kitchen - you will not be chopping, pounding, or storing heavy appliances on your bathroom counter - durable materials such as granite can be a great long-term investment.
Granite is elegant, easy to clean, and can be more cost-effective than you may think. Small countertops - such as those in a bathroom with separate his and her vanities or in powderrooms - can sometimes use granite remnants. Remnants are more cost effective than full granite slabs.
Builder Tip: If you love granite countertops, consider using the same granite in your kitchen and master bathroom (or in a secondary bath), which can be more cost effective than choosing separate granite pieces for each room, if there is a remnant available from your kitchen slab or slabs.
2. Tile Counter Tops
Tile was a big design feature in 1980's and 90's kitchens (along with wood counter tops).
While we don't expect to see a wave of tile kitchen counter tops again soon, homebuyers have begun to request tile counter tops in the bathroom. Powder rooms - small spaces perfect for design flair - are perfect places to integrate a tile counter top.
What's the downside to tile counter tops? Tile will always have grout lines, which means a bit more maintenance and cleaning will be required. The smaller the tile, the higher the percentage of grout in the surface of the countertop.
3. Solid-surface
Solid-surface countertops are manufactured materials - which you may identify by brand name, such as Corian.
Corian countertops are durable, easy to keep clean, and come in a wide variety of colors, patterns, and finishes, including the look of natural stone.
If your bathrooms require ample countertop square footage, a solid surface material might be the right choice for you.
4. Cultured marble
Cultured marble - perhaps the most requested bathroom countertop material - comes in a single piece.
Cultured marble is a manufactured material designed to be easy to maintain and clean, with no seams or grooves - the sink is integrated directly into the mold, which means sink and countertop are a single-piece unit!
Other options for your bathroom countertops include formica, concrete, wood, and glass.
While laminate and cultured marble is often found in laundry rooms, concrete, wood, and glass countertops are far less popular, in part due to their cost, maintanance requirements and fully contemporary appeal.
More Ideas for Your Raleigh New Home10 Biggest Kitchen Design Mistakes
Custom Staircase Photo Gallery
Formal Dining Room Architecture
Contact Stanton Homes to learn more about building a custom home in North Carolina.
