Whether glass, steel, solid wood or granite, a worktop is the crowning glory that brings your kitchen units to life.
There is no denying a worktop makes a big visual impact in the kitchen – but as well as looking good, it must also be practical. Surfaces take a lot of punishment and must be able to stand up to a daily battery of chopping, cutting, hot pans and spills. So it makes sense to choose a material that suits your lifestyle as well as your design theme. There is a bigger choice of materials for worktops than ever before – but not all of them will suit the less-than-careful cook.
All worktops measure a standard 600mm from back to front unless they are specially made, and are sold in varying lenghts.
Laminate
Laminate is the most popular material for kitchen worktops, and is available in a range of looks – from realistic stone effects to colourful abstract. Black granite-effect laminate is currectly the bestselling worktop finish, and is the ideal partner for stainless-stell appliances.
These worktops are made by sticking high-pressure laminate onto moisture and heat-resistant chipboard that comes in 30mm, 40mm or 50mm thicknesses. The 40mm thickness is the most popular, while 50mm is a recent introduction to complement high-gloss lacquer kitchens. Good-quality laminate wortops are sealed againts moisture on the back edge and underside, and have a drip groove under the front edge to prevent spills running under the surface. Many laminate worktop manufacturers now offer matching splashbacks for a smart, coordinates look. Also new are laminate tops with metallic-effect edging to match stainless-steel and aluminium-finished appliances.
