FT NEWS

The kitchen countertop is one of the busiest zones of your kitchen, hence the material has to be just right. Factors like strength, durability, maintenance and aesthetics play a key role while deciding the perfect material for your countertop. Learn about the qualities and the approximate costs of different countertop materials on the basis of square feet so that you can choose the one that is best suited for your kitchen.

1. Granite

• Granite is an igneous rock which contains grains of feldspar, mica, silica and quartz.
• Granite is very hard, which makes it naturally resistant to scratches or chipping. It is tough, durable, easy to maintain and highly resistant to heat.
• This material has a speckled look and is available in both Indian and imported varieties. It is available in various colours and three finishes, namely polished, honed and flamed granite. Keep in mind that granite needs to be sealed periodically.

Thickness
The thickness of granite slabs ranges between 15 and 20 millimetres. A thickness of 16–18 millimetres is preferable for the kitchen countertop. Granite is available in a pre-polished state and needs to be cut to the required size.

Cost

• The cost of Indian granite starts at ₹150 per square foot while Italian granite is around ₹700 per square foot.
• The cost of installation of a granite countertop starts at ₹1700 per square foot, which includes the cost of materials, labour and cutting charges.

2. Solid surface

• Solid surface is a high-end kitchen countertop material that is composed of marble dust, bauxite, acrylic or polyester resins and pigments, which give it a satiny-smooth look.
• Solid surface is highly durable, long-lasting, stain-resistant, non-porous, easy to maintain and available in a variety of colours and patterns. This material is unique because all the joints are fused together to give the surface a seamless finish. Also, it is flexible and can be bent into any shape, which is not possible to achieve in other countertop materials.

Thickness
The thickness of a solid surface sheet ranges between 3 and 12 millimetres. It is advisable to go for sheets of a thickness of 12 millimetres for the countertop.

Cost

• The cost of a 12-millimetres-thick solid surface sheet starts at ₹800 per square foot.
• The total fabrication cost of the solid surface countertop, inclusive of labour, material, cutting and installation charges, starts at around ₹2400 per square foot.

3. Quartz

• Engineered quartz is a composite stone material that is factory-manufactured with quartz chips bound together by resins and other pigments under high heat and pressure.
• Quartz stone is extremely hard, durable, easy to maintain and is available in a large variety of colours. This material gives a high-end modern look and is one of the best alternatives to granite.

Thickness
The thickness of quartz stone slabs ranges between 12 and 20 millimetres.

Cost

• Quartz starts at ₹400 per square foot.
• The cost of installation of a quartz countertop is approximately ₹2000 per square foot, inclusive of material and labour charges.

4. Nano white

• Nano white is a crystallised form of glass that is factory manufactured from a mixture of 75 per cent silica and other natural minerals.
• Nano white is very strong, durable, long-lasting, non-porous, maintenance-free and eco-friendly. It gives a luxurious high-end look and replicates the look of white marble.
• Nano white slabs are available in G3, G4 and G5 varieties. Nowadays only G5 nano white is used because it is milky white in colour and easy to cut. Note that the G3 and G4 series of nano white have black spots on them and they are very hard, which makes them very difficult to cut.

Thickness
Nano white is available in a thickness ranging between 15 and 20 millimetres. A thickness 18 or 20 millimetres is most preferred for a kitchen countertop.

Cost

• Nano white starts at ₹400 per square foot.
• The complete cost of fabrication of the nano white countertop comes up to approximately ₹2000 per square foot. This includes the cost of material, labour, cutting and final installation