Renovating your kitchen? One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make will be the type of material you use for your kitchen countertops.

In this article, we break down the difference between quartz, laminate, stone, and other countertop materials, and help you figure out which is the best fit for you!

1. Quartz Countertop

When your contractor or interior designer says “quartz”, they actually mean engineered quartz. This is where crushed natural quartz is combined with polymer resin and other materials, to create a hardy countertop.

Because the polymer between the natural quartz can absorb shocks from impact, quartz countertops are hardy and durable. These countertops are also stain-resistant, making them a good choice to use in the kitchen.

2. Solid Surface Countertop

Solid surface countertops are made with a mix of resins and natural minerals.

While these countertops are nonporous and antimicrobial, they’re not super durable, so you’ll have to be careful not to scratch them. What’s special about solid surface countertops is that they’re very malleable – you can easily create a curved kitchen island with this material, without any visible joints and seams.

3. Granite Countertop

Granite countertops are exceptionally durable – they’re hardy and are difficult to scratch, and they’re heat resistant as well. However, because this is a natural stone, there’s definitely more maintenance involved. Granite needs to be sealed at least once a year, in order to resist stains and moisture.

4. Marble Countertop

Marble countertops are beautiful and aesthetic – but they’re not suited to kitchens.

Why? Marble is soft and porous, and can be easily stained, scratched, or chipped. It’s also expensive, and will eat up a large part of your budget if you do decide to invest in marble countertops.

TLDR: Marble countertops are impractical, opt for another material instead!

5. Laminate Countertop

A laminate countertop is made with many layers of melamine resin and kraft paper boards. These are able to mimic the look and texture of natural materials such as wood and marble, but are way more cost-effective. For those who are low-key obsessed with cleaning: there are even some laminates which are anti-fingerprint!

Want to check out home renovation projects for more inspiration? Browse countertop design ideas on Hometrust, or click the button below to get connected with expert designers.