How Do You Want Your Countertops To Look?

Everyone wants their countertops to look the best possible. Not just good-looking, but beautiful. After all, everyone who comes into your home will see them.

But the question goes further than that. You want not just good looks, but durability, quality, easy maintenance.

Yoders Cabinets wants to provide you what you want, so we offer a number of options for your countertops. All of them have good points and some require more work than others to care for properly. All can look really beautiful.

You have some choices to make. The following information can help you in making that choice.

LAMINATES:

Laminates in general are good choices for those who have rather limited budgets, but still want a trendy appearance to their countertops. Maintenance for laminates is very easy. No special upkeep is required to keep them clean. The ease of installation gets you back in your kitchen or other rooms quickly.

Wilson Art — has always provided laminates that are beautiful, durable, and long-lasting. The use of AEON Enhanced Performance Technology provides gorgeous colors along with practicality. This technology allows Wilsonart to be more resistant to wear and tear than most other laminates. It’s available on Wilsonart High Definition and Premium brands.

Formica — the leading manufacturer of laminate countertop material. Work surfaces are very durable and easy to clean. Formica is not porous, so it doesn’t absorb liquids. Formica has been in business for 100 years, a testament to its quality and attractiveness. Customer service is equal to the quality of its craftsmanship. Choosing Formica is an affordable way to get great-looking cabinets. Formica can even be crafted to look like natural wood or stone.

Nevamar — a high-pressure laminate that is durable, but doesn’t burst your budget. It can be crafted to resemble natural stone, but without the cost. Nevamar Armored Protection is considered the performance standard among high-pressure laminates. High-pressure laminates have layers of kraft paper plus a single layer of decorative paper finished out with a protective layer. This is the choice for high use applications.

Pionite — is another high-pressure laminate manufactured like Nevamar above. It comes in a variety of colors, wood grains, and other decorative surfaces that make it very good for many applications, either residential or commercial. It has structural stability, resists chemicals and heat, and provides electrostatic discharge protection.

SOLIDS:

Solid countertops are somewhat more variable than laminates. As the name suggests, they are solid all the way through, rather than composed of layers of material. Some of these materials are considered more high-quality than other solids or the laminates. This may simply be more in the eye of the customer than in actual quality.

Hi-Macs — a tough, long wearing, easy to clean material. Hi-Macs is extremely durable, but it is a fine material that can be damaged if it’s abused or treated badly. Exposure to high heat can cause yellowing. Because it’s nonporous, only a damp cloth and mild cleaning product is needed to keep it clean.

Corian — made by blending a type of plastic with materials derived from stone. It’s a blend of laminate and granite. Corian is the same through and through, thus is a solid. It is durable with some advantages, but also some disadvantages compared to granite or Silestone. One big advantage is the near lack of seams. Corian can be crafted so that seams are nearly invisible. It can be molded into just about any shape, also. Overall, the price tends to be less for an average install.

Silestone — an engineered material made of quartz and binding resins. It’s the toughest material for countertops. It’s nonporous, thus doesn’t absorb liquids and resists staining. Because of the nonporous texture of the surface, germs don’t tend to grow there. It won’t scratch or scorch, so it’s very good for kitchen cabinet tops. Silestone is a high-end option for your countertops.

Granite — a high-end favorite for beautiful countertops. It’s very resistant to cracking or chipping. It does require regular sealing to keep it protected because it’s porous. Without sealing every year, germs can start to grow in the tiny crevices that you can’t even see. The natural look of granite makes it very popular with modern customers.

So, what type of countertop do you choose? That is a very individual choice. Keep in mind things like whether you want natural or engineered material. Cost should be considered, at least for most people. Ease of cleaning, durability, and how long the material will keep looking good are also considerations.

Whatever material you choose, Yoders Cabinets will install it to the highest standards. You’ll be glad you chose Yoders, regardless of the type of material you choose.