Kitchen Countertops

Both marble and onyx countertops come under the category of most costly countertop materials. Onyx countertops range from $40-$250 per square foot whereas marble ranges from $125-$250 per square foot in US stone market. But Marble requires little less maintenance than onyx.

Sandstone is a wonderful and unique choice for your kitchen countertops. It gives your kitchen a beautiful, natural aesthetic. However, Sandstone has lower hardness than granite, basalt, marble and quartz and is an easily scratchable material. The biggest concern about sandstone is that it is very porous. This means Sandstone will quickly absorb oil, juice and other liquids that may stain it if the stone is not properly sealed as it should be. Sandstone should be sealed very well and should be used carefully and maintained over time.

Used extensively in construction, basalt doesn't normally feature as a countertop material. Despite its strength, basalt is still a very porous stone. Some homeowners who've installed it as a kitchen surface say it's soaked up stains despite careful sealing, causing the worktop to look aged. But some dense and less porous basalt stones can be used as countertop material after they are sealed very well. However, it should not be forgotten that it will require maintenance over time, and perhaps even renewal.

Soapstone is both chemical resistant and heat resistant, so you can set hot pots and pans directly on soapstone without risk of cracking or scorching.

Soapstone is much softer and more prone to scratching than granite or quartz however, so preparing food directly on your soapstone counters could easily scratch it.

The cost of a granite countertop will, of course, depend on the size of your surface area. However, the average granite countertop will cost approximately $50 to $100 per square foot.

The industry standards typically hover around 1 and 1/4 inch (or 3 centimeters) for granite and marble kitchen island countertops and 3/4 inch (or 2 centimeters) for bathroom granite and marble vanity tops.