7 Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing New Countertops

 

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Thinking of replacing your kitchen countertops? Choosing new countertops can be a challenge. There is a lot to factor in from the style to the cost. Below are just a few mistakes to avoid when selecting new countertops.

Blowing your budget on expensive materials

Many of us would love to have marble or granite countertops in our home. However, these materials can be very expensive - it’s common to spend over $5000 on a luxury stone worktop. This could leave you little money left over for the rest of your kitchen.

Consider alternative stone options like quartz and soapstone. You could even consider synthetic stone options that look like marble or granite. Laminated wood countertops are also a lot cheaper. If you’re remodeling your kitchen on a tight budget, using these alternative materials could prevent you having to skimp on other features.

Not considering practical properties

It’s important that your countertops meet your practical needs. Luxury stone options like granite and marble tend not to be that great for heavy usage - unless well-sealed, they can easily stain.

As well as being cheaper, a material like quartz or laminated wood could be more stain-resistant. Think about whether your kitchen is for show or for serious cooking before choosing luxury stone countertops.

Failing to measure correctly

It’s important to measure your kitchen so that you know exactly what dimensions you need. You don’t want to accidentally go too big - especially with a stone countertop, which you cannot trim down easily.

If your new countertop is going to be the same size as the old one, you could simply measure your current countertop to get a good idea. Kitchens are typically measured in square feet, so try to work out the amount of square feet you need. It’s worth also knowing the thickness you need and having a rough idea of the ideal weight you’re looking for.

Not choosing the exact slab

With natural materials like stone and wood, every different countertop can have its own character. If you don’t select the exact slab you want, you could find that there are cracks or knots in places you don’t like, or that it’s not the right tone.

Find a company that allows you to choose the precise slab you want. This way you’re certain to end up with a countertop you love. You’ll likely have to inspect the countertop in person, which could mean looking for a local company.

Pairing it with mismatched cabinets

Certain styles of countertop may pair better with certain styles of cabinet. This is something that homeowners can often overlook until the countertops are installed. Take time to think about this before you choose countertops.

Generally speaking, darker countertops pair better with lighter cabinets. For example, you don’t want to put black countertops with dark brown cabinets - black countertops look much better with white cabinets or light wood tones. Materials like stainless steel meanwhile should never be paired with rustic wood - you’re better off pairing stainless steel countertops with glossy brightly coloured cabinets.

Incorrectly installing it yourself

Countertops aren’t as easy to install as some people think. Some slabs can be very heavy and it’s easy to injure yourself or cause damage to something if you’re not careful. You also need to make sure that the countertop is completely level when installed and attached properly.

If you don’t know anything about installing countertops, it may be safer to simply hire a contractor that specialises in kitchen & bath remodelling - you can then be certain that it will be installed correctly. Alternatively, if you would prefer to do it yourself, make sure that you do your homework and consider asking someone else to help with carrying and positioning it.

Not taking the chance to extend countertops

When replacing old countertops, consider whether you could benefit from extending your countertops. More countertop space could make it easier to prepare meals and you may be able to add more countertop appliances without cluttering up the kitchen.

Finding room for more countertop space may require reconfiguring the layout of your kitchen. There may be ways of moving appliances along in order to make room for more countertops and cabinets. If this isn’t possible, consider whether you have the money to extend your kitchen walls outwards. You could also consider removing interior walls - this could allow you to extend a kitchen countertop into a neighbouring room. Architects will likely be able to help you find the most economical and practical way of extending your countertop.

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