The kitchen countertops can make a huge difference in the overall look of your kitchen. Updating them can keep your kitchen from looking old and dated and can completely revitalize its look. There are a number of materials that can easily upgrade the look of your kitchen.

Soapstone: Stone surfaces have long been a favorite material for the kitchen, but soapstone has gained popularity in recent years. It is both heat and stain resistant, similar to granite, non-porous (making it water resistant) like marble, and has a softer texture than many other stone surfaces. There are two different materials on the market that are both often called soapstone. One is made of talc which will not give you the texture you are seeking. The soapstone you want for your counters is steatite and thankfully is more common when you are shopping for countertop materials. Always good to double check.

Leathered Granite: Granite has been a popular counter surface for years but it has always had the drawback of being a porous material lending itself to spills and staining issues. Leathered granite solves this problem while giving the classic look a new, modern update. The surface of the granite is gently roughed up by diamond-tipped brushes that enhance the stone’s natural color and dulling some of the shine in turn closing up those infamous pores. The end result with leathered granite is a durable stone countertop with a unique look and a slight texture that feels similar to leather.

Engineered Quartz: Like granite, quartz has been a common kitchen countertop material for years. But unlike traditional quartz, engineered quartz are made with ground quartz mixed with resins to create the very hard and natural looking surface. Colors can be added to create tints to match any decor style and it is resistant to staining, corrosion, and damage from most cleaners. Do keep in mind that like natural quartz, these countertops can still be damaged by heat.

Solid-Surface Acrylics: There are a few different brands of solid-surface acrylic countertops available, most notable including Corian and Swanstone. These countertops mix acrylics with resin to create a stain-resistant surface that’s available in a wide range of colors, and they can be sanded to repair scratches or other small bits of damage. Perhaps more importantly, the man-made nature of these countertops means that they can be easily customized to meet the specific needs of your home. Their main drawback is that they tend to be vulnerable to heat damage, given that they are still made of plastic.

Concrete: Over the last several years, concrete countertops have become popular in modern kitchens. They can be made on-site to ensure that they match your kitchen perfectly and their dense nature means your countertops can take a beating without suffering much damage. Textures, acid-stained colors, and more can be added to the countertops during the creation process, and additives or sealants can significantly reduce the porosity of the concrete itself. These countertops do occasionally have issues with cracking, through modern methods have reduced this significantly. Even when they do crack, however, most concrete countertops can be repaired on-site.

Countertop Installation: While some materials make for good DIY projects, many countertop revamps require a bit more experience to make sure that installation goes flawlessly. Fortunately, we are here to help with recommendations for contractors that can help get your kitchen into the modern age.