If you plan to remodel your master bathroom or simply replace your old, outdated bathroom vanity countertops with new ones, then learn about your new bathroom countertop options. The right countertops can greatly improve the appearance of your bathroom, provide the countertop space you need, and make bathroom cleanup easier.
Learn about a few of your bathroom vanity countertop options and the unique advantages of each.
Material
While your new bathroom countertops can be from a variety of materials, marble, granite, soapstone, and quartz are popular countertop material options.
Marble
Marble is an attractive natural stone available in a virtually endless array of colors and patterns due to this stone's unique veining. When you install marble countertops, you not only enjoy their beautiful appearance but also potentially see a good return on your investment when you sell your home.
However, since marble is a porous stone, you must seal it every one to two years. This stone is also slightly less resistant to staining than some other natural stones.
Granite
Granite is similar in appearance to marble, yet patterned stone slabs tend to have flecks of color instead of veining. This stone is also slightly more affordable than marble and resists common bathroom stains better. Some granite slabs are more porous than others; seal more porous granite slabs every several years.
Soapstone
Soapstone is typically more affordable than both marble and granite, yet this stone is available in fewer colors. Soapstone is typically white or grey, although some soapstone is patterned. Since this stone is nonporous, it does not require regular sealant.
Quartz
Quartz is an engineered stone from combining ground-up quartz stone with super-tough resins and attractive pigments. Quartz colors and patterns are virtually endless, and this engineered stone is stronger than natural stone. In addition, no regular sealing is necessary after installing quartz countertops.
However, engineered quartz is less heat resistant than most natural stone types, so keep this fact in mind if you frequently use heated hair styling tools.
Overhang
Another option you have when designing your new bathroom vanity countertops is the amount of overhang you desire on the front and sides of the counters. Countertop overhang is the distance the countertop material projects in front of the surfaces of the cabinets below them.
A
standard bathroom cabinet overhang is about 1 to 1 1/2-inches. This slight overhang is attractive and helps protect the cabinets below the counters from spills. However, some homeowners desire a larger or smaller overhang due to the benefits each can offer.
If you opt for a larger countertop overhang, you can look forward to slightly more counter space and greater protection for vanity cabinets. On the other hand, eliminating the overhang completely can provide your bathroom vanity a sleek, modern appearance. Of course, if your countertops edges lie flush against walls, then countertop sides will require no overhang.
Edge Style
When installing new bathroom countertops, you also have your choice of countertop edge styles or shapes. While bathroom countertop styles are virtually endless, a few popular styles include straight, round, beveled, and bullnose styles. Unique edge styles include waterfall, dupont, double-bullnose, stair tread, and platner edges.
While you can choose your countertop edge style with the style of your bathroom and your personal tastes alone in mind, some edge styles are inherently more difficult to clean and keep clean than others - dirt, debris, and personal care product residue can build up in the nooks and crannies of more intricate edge styles.
For this reason, bullnose countertop edge styles are popular in bathrooms today. This edge style is curved with no notches or crevices where bacteria and debris can build up.
If you plan to install new bathroom vanity countertops, then keep these countertop options and each of their benefits in mind as you make your final design decisions. Contact the countertop design and installation experts at Best Marble & Granite Company for all of your
bathroom vanity countertop needs today.
