A Guide to Kitchen Worktops

In the Gallery:

1. Recycled slimline 20mm worktop from Stone Italiana’s Metallico® Collection, available from Cargo Granite, POA (01234 853439)
2. Stone Age’s ‘Black Basalt’ worktop – shown with a ‘rough-hewn’ edge – costs from £280/m + VAT (020 7384 9090)
3. Bushboard’s Omega ‘Ruby Quartz’ high-gloss laminate worktop costs from £50/m, and can be specified with a matching upstand (01933 232200)
4. This ‘Colonial Dream’ granite worktop is available from stone specialist Cerrig. Priced from £195/m (01758 612645)
5. Bushboard’s Prima True Scale design laminate worktop – shown in ‘Blue Storm’ – is available in two thicknesses, from only £40/m (01933 232200)
6. DuPont™ Corian® worktops are available in 70 colours – ‘Ochre’ colourway shown – and cost from £300/m (0800 962 116)
7. The ‘Naranja Cool’ Silestone worktop – made from 94% natural quartz – costs from £165/m from Cerrig (01758 612645)
8. ECO by Cosentino® – ‘White Diamond’ shown – is made of 75% post-industrial and post-consumer recycled materials, from £500/m2 (01256 761229)
9. Granite Transformations’ Trend G worktop in ‘Cristallino Blue’ costs from £320/m2 incl fitting (0800 822 3410)
10. Metris’ Fitted Curve kitchen with 60mm birch end-grain timber chopping area (from £420/m), with 30mm ‘Golden Beach’ granite, £525/m (01325 505539)
11. Bespoke cabinetmaker The Secret Drawer creates worktops from English Lakeland slate, granite and marble, POA (secret-drawer.co.uk)
12. Quantum Fitted Furniture’s specialist glass worktop — its 19mm toughened, painted-back glass worktops cost from £450/m2 (020 8892 6430)
13. Metris’ Rich Mix kitchen with chunky 80mm walnut timber worktop, priced from £305/m (01325 505539)
14. The Nero Riven Brazilian slate worktop from Mandarin Stone. Prices start from £150/m (01600 715444)
15. The ‘Maljat Brown’ 1cm Optic limestone worktop costs from £420/m incl VAT at SieMatic (0844 335 6595)
16. The Natural Wood Floor Company’s Panga Panga Worktop, from £360 incl VAT for 28 x 650 x 3,000mm (020 8871 9771)
17. Welsh Slate’s Cwt-y-Bugail ‘Dark Blue Grey’ 30mm fine-rubbed slate worktop, from £180/m2 (01248 600656)
18. Sylmar Technology’s Maia ‘Vanilla’ worktop is acrylic based for a durable finish, from £600 for a 3.6m length (01773 521300)

Stone

Natural stone is a beautiful worktop choice, bestowing an air of quality and permanence on the kitchen. Granite is particularly sought after for its incredible durability and heat resistance. It is available in a massive range of colourings, either as a block tone or incorporating natural characteristics such as veins of quartz, mica and feldspar trapped within.

Granite is, however, very expensive (expect to pay at least £150/m) and contrary to popular opinion not indestructible — so look after it.

Deep-toned slate is also an excellent choice and costs around half the price of granite; if it has a high quartz content it will also be incredibly durable. Polished slate is less porous, so more resilient than honed.

Marble, limestone and sandstone can look fantastic on worktops but are damaged easily by alcohol, sugar and acids, such as lemon juice. You can still happily opt for these stones, but treat with due care. All stone must be treated with a sealant, and the kitchen units must be sturdy enough to take the weight.

Wood

Enduringly popular for its ability to bring instant warmth and homeliness to any kitchen, wood will continue to look better with age. Most damage can simply be sanded away, but the timber will require regular oiling. The wood also needs to be kept fairly dry else you risk rotting — surfaces surrounding sinks should therefore be gently sloped or have drainage detail carved in. Oily hardwoods such as iroko and teak are perfect, but many other timbers are suitable, including oak, maple, cherry, wenge, walnut, ash and birch. Expect to pay between £50-100/m.

Laminates

Laminates are available in any colour and finish imaginable, even reasonably realistic wood and stone effects, and are also easy to fit. Unfortunately, any scratches and burns are usually irreparable. However, costing as little as £20/m, laminates are understandably popular with the budget conscious. There is a lot of snobbery about laminate, but the truth is, when looked after and protected with chopping boards and heat mats, it can look great for many years to come. For a little extra, invest in one of the better quality, high-pressure versions.

Composites and Acrylics

There is currently a huge market for stonelook composite worktops, usually made from crushed quartz and resin. They offer fantastic durability and heat resistance, a more streamlined look and can even have antibacterial properties added to the mix.

Corian, an acrylic compound, is also a very popular choice. It can be cut to size without joins, so is perfect for seamless designs. It can also be moulded to any shape, so it is possible to have a sink integrated, and it can even used on cabinet fronts for a complete look.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel has long been popular in professional kitchens for its durability and hygiene, but over time it may develop scratches. If this is a concern, opt for a slightly matt finish. For a sleek finish, install a one-piece sink and worktop. Expect to pay at least £200/m.

Contemporary Trends

For cutting-edge kitchen designs, consider using toughened glass for both worktops and splashbacks. Available in a range of colours, it is heat and acid resistant, although will break if heavy objects are dropped onto the surface. Recycled glass is also an option.

Concrete is perfect for adding a touch of industrial chic and is very durable, assuming it is correctly sealed. It can be set on site or ordered to size. Different finishes are available, from smooth polished to rough.

Practicalities

Get Your Sizes Right

To be practical, a worktop should be at least 90cm long. It should also be deep enough to overhang your units by 20-25mm. Not only does this look better than worktops that end abruptly at the units but it also means spilt liquids miss the units and head straight for the floor as opposed to dripping into drawers.

Check the depth of your units before ordering worktops — not all are the same depth. You also need to consider your drawer and cupboard fronts — some fit flush into the unit carcasses, others sit in front of them, adding to the finished depth of the units. Finally, when choosing the thickness of your worktop, bear in mind that chunky worktops add a sense of quality, so it is often worth paying a little extra for thicker surfaces.

My Walls Aren't Straight!

Walls in old houses are not always straight and this can prove problematic when fitting worktops. There are several ways to deal with the issues. The most common is to ‘scribe’ the worktops to fit:

• Position the worktop with its back edge against the wall. Ensure the overhang along the front of the cabinets is the same all the way along.
• Measure the biggest gap between the wall and the back of the worktop.
• Cut a small block of wood (a ‘scribing block’) the width of this gap.
• Stick a strip of masking tape along the length of the back of the worktop.
• Starting at one end of the worktop, run the block against the wall and mark a line along the masking tape. This will give the shape of your wall.
• Cut along this line with a jigsaw. Where only small amounts need removing, you can use a sander or planer instead. Where this method will increase the cost of fitting the worktop – it can be very expensive to cut stone – a channel can be chiselled into the wall to accept the back of the worktops, before finishing off with upstands or tiles.

Accessories: Easy Living

1. Handy for quickly disposing of kitchen waste, B&Q’s worktop waste bin costs £29 (diy.com)

2. Incorporating a knife holder and waste bin, Second Nature’s Kashmir white granite costs from £240/m (sncollection.co.uk)

3. Second Nature’s Pan Scoop on a linear metre piece of birch end grain costs from £550/m (AS BEFORE)

4. This pull-out power socket simply pulls out of the worktop when needed. £184, from Second Nature (AS BEFORE)

Ordering Worktops

Worktops tend to be sold in three-metre lengths. The standard width is 600mm which is fine for most standard units, but islands and breakfast bars may require wider surfaces, which are available with two or more ‘good edges’. Thicknesses normally range between 27mm and 42mm.

Where should I buy my worktop?

Kitchen specialists: Along with your units, carcasses and appliances, you can also get your worktops designed and fitted. Not necessarily the cheapest route, but definitely one of the simplest.

Bespoke companies: Some only offer complete kitchens, whilst others allow you to choose which elements you want, so they make the units and you order your own worktops — great if you want to seek out individual worktops at lower prices.

DIY warehouses: You can now buy complete kitchens from DIY warehouses, and it is possible to buy standard lengths of worktop, too. When buying worktops individually, fitting may not be offered.

Timber merchants, stone quarries etc: It is possible to buy lengths of timber and cut stone for worktops from these sources, and you may well be able to get a good price doing it this way, but remember that you will need to find a fitter.

Match Your Worktops to Your Kitchen Style

Traditional Styles: For traditional kitchens with decorative wooden carved doors, terracotta flooring and range cookers, worktops in timbers such as oak, maple and beech all work well — but avoid more unusual timbers, such as stripy zebrano or wenge. Granite works well in these settings -— with greens and blacks being favourites. Composites containing quartz can also look good.

Contemporary Styles: This depends on how contemporary you want your kitchen to be. Fresh, modern kitchens suit a range of materials, including laminates, timber, granite and glass. For something really eye-catching, however, choose one of the more intense, rich timbers such as black walnut or wenge, or a striking striped zebrano — all sit really well with glossy units.

Composites in stark, pure whites, blacks or punchy brights look great, too, as do slate, sandstone and chunky hunks of concrete work surface.

Classic Styles: Shaker-style kitchens and those with painted wood units, along with stone or wooden floors, suit timbers such as oak and beech, or wenge and iroko for a modern twist. Granite in muted tones, i.e. pale, creamy versions and greys, and stones such as slate, limestone and marble, also work well. Composites can work, but avoid anything sparkly or bright. Stainless steel sits well if combined with natural materials such as timber.

Popular Profiles

1. Double bevel
2. Single bevel
3. Bullnose
4. Standard
5. Double pencil
6. Pencil

Sinks and Splashbacks

You need to decide how your sink will sit within the surface before you order your worktop.

Contemporary kitchens suit integral sinks, where the sink is moulded into and made from the same material as the worktop. Composites and stainless steel are particularly well matched to this setup.

Sinks can also be undermounted into the worktop — once again leaving no joins with the worktop or, as is most commonly the case, overmounted, leaving the rim of the sink sitting on the worktop itself.

The size and position of your sink are details you will need if having your worktop pre-cut.

Choose splashbacks at the same time as your work surfaces as they will need to complement one another, whether you decide to simply use tiles all over, to use a separate splashback behind your hob, or to have upstands (smaller than splashbacks at around 4-5 inches high, all around your worktops). Choosing upstands in the same material as your worktop gives a neat finish.

Splashbacks, however, offer a nice opportunity to inject a contrast into the scheme, for example coloured glass with all-white composite worktops, or stainless steel against dark timber.

Advice from the experts

Trends for 2009
Stuart White, Managing Director, Bushboard (01933 232242)

“A strongly emerging look is the combination of white furniture with exotic-looking woodgrain worksurfaces; they give a softer aesthetic to the sometimes monochrome starkness of an allwhite kitchen. Aside from exotics, popular colours are black/brown/grey-based granites, contemporary neutrals and white.”

Mixing Materials
Lizzie Beesley, Conceptual Designer, Second Nature (01325 505555 )

“The answer for an increasingly busy kitchen arena is a material mix to create distinct zones. Areas for food preparation, eating, doing homework, catching up on office work require different surfaces, so the solution is to introduce a mix of materials, such as timber, granite and steel, resulting in great ergo - nomics and fantastic looks.”

On Granite...
Jo O’Grady, Managing Director, Stone Age (020 7384 9090)

‘’Granite is the most common stone for work tops, as the hardest and most practical. However, with modern sealing products, hard limestones, marbles and basalts are now popular — a welcome development as some granite is harsh in appearance, and these other stones offer more subtle tones and markings.’’

Note: Article updated February 2011 

Further Reading:

• How to Remodel Your Kitchen
• A Buyer's Guide to Kitchen Sinks
• A Buyer's Guide to Contemporary Kitchen Units