WORKTOP SURFACES

With so many varieties on the market choosing the right worktop can be a little confusing. Here at Essex Kitchens and Bedrooms, our kitchen designers, Essex, spend the time to find out what worktop best suits your needs. We ask key questions like: what look do you want to achieve? What kind of cook are you? Do you have a large busy family, or do you do lots of entertaining? Do you want a smooth sleek look, or do you prefer a more traditional lived in look?

As expert kitchen suppliers Essex we understand that all of this will have an impact on how extensive and how robust your worktop needs to be.

Different materials mixed together not only look visually good, but it’s a great way to serve different culinary needs. For instance, a wooden prep area is great for preparing and chopping food.

There are pros and cons to each material. Your choice will come down to how hard wearing you need your worktop to be and how much you are prepared to look after it.

WOODEN WORKTOPS

A natural timber is beautiful and timeless and is available in a range of colours, including oak, maple, walnut and bamboo. However, wood requires looking after; it will need oiling frequently and it gets darker over time. This is ideal for a cosy, country cottage look.

Pros – Timber is naturally antibacterial and is relatively easy to install and repair.
Cons – It can scratch or stain and needs to be regularly oiled.
Tip – Oil before you go to bed. When you wake up, it will be dry and ready to use again.

GRANITE WORKTOPS

Because granite is natural, each slab is unique. There is a large range of patterns available on show at our Essex Kitchens showroom that would suit modern and traditional kitchens. You can break up a clinical white gloss kitchen by choosing a dramatic, patterned granite in either polished or honed finishes. It always looks great with upstands.

Pros – Granite is very hard wearing and heat resistant. It can be cheaper than an engineered stone.

Cons – It’s porous and needs to be sealed. As granite is very heavy it needs to sit on good quality units.

MARBLE WORKTOPSMarble definitely has the wow factor, and there is nothing like its unique beauty. Marble is a cold surface and is perfect for big pastry makers. It is also ideal to use in a section of your kitchen dedicated to baking. It always looks great with upstands.

Pros – Marble looks stunning–a real statement piece and great for bakers.

Cons – It is delicate and, over time, may stain or scratch if not cared for.

These are just a few of the worktops available and their benefits. Check in next week for part two where we will continue to talk about finding the best possible worktop for you. Our kitchen fitters Essex have over 30 years of experience in the industry and will ensure that they provide excellent customer service and expertise throughout each individual service. For more information call our team today on 01621 893491 or visit our showroom.