10 Fantastic Alternatives to Granite Countertops
Had enough of the usual granite surface and looking for a change? Here are some refreshing options
Paul Anater
13 September 2017
I am a former designer, past Houzz contributor and current Marketing Director at The Reclamation Project, a reclaimed lumber flooring and furniture company in Pennsylvania.
I am a former designer, past Houzz contributor and current Marketing Director at... More
As a kitchen and bath designer, I get asked about countertop materials often, usually in the context of “I’m looking for something other than granite to use for my counters – what are my options?” While it’s true that the majority of my kitchen and bath projects get granite counters put in them, there are times when granite just won’t work.
Granite’s a great counter material but it has a tendency to hog the spotlight. The mirror finish on most granites makes it difficult for granite to be subtle. There are times when this works, but there are plenty of other times when it doesn’t.
Fortunately, there are a good number of options out there and their number just increases over time. Here are some of great, non-granite surfaces to use for counters. All of them are readily available. Combined, they add up to a trend that’s pushing back against granite’s dominance.
Granite’s a great counter material but it has a tendency to hog the spotlight. The mirror finish on most granites makes it difficult for granite to be subtle. There are times when this works, but there are plenty of other times when it doesn’t.
Fortunately, there are a good number of options out there and their number just increases over time. Here are some of great, non-granite surfaces to use for counters. All of them are readily available. Combined, they add up to a trend that’s pushing back against granite’s dominance.
Hands down, my favourite counter material is Cararra marble. Marble is not for everybody though. It is a softer stone than granite is and it scratches and stains. It’s an inherent characteristic of the material and frankly it’s part of why I like it so much. I like materials that age and show wear. If you don’t, then you are not a candidate for marble counters.
Find out the difference between Cararra and Calacatta marble
Find out the difference between Cararra and Calacatta marble
This is soapstone. Soapstone is a soft, non-porous, natural stone. Despite its softness, it’s some pretty resilient stuff. It is always a dark stone, very nearly black and it always has a honed surface. People who cook love it because it’s an excellent heat insulator.
Wood counters have never really gone away and are currently enjoying a bit of a renaissance. Adding a wood top to an island while using a different material for the perimeter counters is a terrific way to add some interest and function. Wood counters require periodic oiling to prevent them from drying out but they add a warmth no other material can.
Wood works in bathrooms, too, as this mahogany beauty shows eloquently. This is a beautiful bathroom for any number of reasons, but I love that the designer used wood for the counter and sheathed the wall in quartzite. That quartzite makes an attractive counter as well but on a wall it takes on the air of a landscape painting.
Quartz composites are a newer and growing category in the countertop world. Composites are made from stone aggregate and polymers that are compressed under high pressure. The resulting material is practically non-porous and just as strong as most natural stones. Since it’s a manufactured product, it has consistent colours and patterns.
Concrete is a growing segment of the countertop market as well. In the hands of a skilled craftsman, there is practically no shape, colour or finish it can’t transform into.
Learn how to embrace concrete in homes
Learn how to embrace concrete in homes
Patricia Benson
This is another concrete counter, though the addition of glass aggregate gives it the appearance of terrazzo. Because all concrete counters are one-of-a-kind, adding different coloured glass or stone to the mix while it’s being made can be just the thing if there are specific colours you’d like to integrate into a design.
The counter shown here is made from glass that’s been painted on the back side. Glass is a great counter material, and the thickness of glass used as a counter gives it a strength that’s difficult for other surfaces to match. It’s such an unexpected material for this use that it never fails to get a positive response.
The counter in the foreground of this kitchen is a green product made from post-consumer recycled paper mixed with resin. The material is called Paperstone and it’s a strong, waterproof option if sustainability is one of your renovation goals.
Wondering what colour to choose for your kitchen countertop?
Wondering what colour to choose for your kitchen countertop?
Stainless steel was invented in the early 1900s and made its way into commercial kitchens shortly after that. It was a short step from commercial to residential kitchens and it’s been a standby ever since. Stainless steel is a classic, though one with an industrial edge.
Solid surface is the product category, and Corian is the brand. All solid-surface products are made from mineral powder blended with acrylic and sometimes polyester binders.
Before the big move to granite and natural stone 10 to 15 years ago, Corian was the go-to counter material. It’s making a comeback with new colours and textures and as always it can be formed and shaped into anything someone can imagine.
Corian and the rest of the products that make up the solid surface category remain the only material that be seamed invisibly. In its newer colours, this is a category that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Read more:
What Colour to Choose for the Kitchen Countertop?
Tell us:
What do you think? Does the kitchen of your dreams have granite counters, or is it time for something new? Tell us what you think in the Comments below.
Before the big move to granite and natural stone 10 to 15 years ago, Corian was the go-to counter material. It’s making a comeback with new colours and textures and as always it can be formed and shaped into anything someone can imagine.
Corian and the rest of the products that make up the solid surface category remain the only material that be seamed invisibly. In its newer colours, this is a category that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Read more:
What Colour to Choose for the Kitchen Countertop?
Tell us:
What do you think? Does the kitchen of your dreams have granite counters, or is it time for something new? Tell us what you think in the Comments below.
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Something to be aware of: some of these materials (especially engineered ones) come with hidden risks, especially to the workers who cut and install these products. https://www.wbur.org/npr/766028237/workers-are-falling-ill-even-dying-after-making-kitchen-countertops
jenm38, thank you for this article link. Very sobering. Another reason to get granite and not engineered stone! The company that did my granite counters is small and not on the list of "approved" companies. I've been to the company and have seen where they cut the stone. I don't recall anything dusty. So I guess each person just needs to carefully check out the company to insure that they are doing all they can to minimize the silica flying through the air, as did the one company described.
Thanks.
I have white Corian with a "Dupont " edge in the bathroom. It is very pretty, does not get stained. And it does not make the bathroom feel colder. I also have white Corian in the kitchen. Other owners put the Corian in during a 1990's era remodel I love it. Wine, tomato sauce, oils, grease do not stain it. Water does not hurt it. Only a fool puts a hot pot directly onto a countertop so I am not concerned that it is less heat resistant than stone. A careless teenage child ( mine) cut directly on it leaving scratches. Some years down the line they are pretty buffed out just from continued cleaning. I once had marble in a bathroom in a different house. Water, if it stands, will stain marble. So will soap. These are unavoidable in a bathroom. It never looked good to me as it was stained when we moved in and could not be fixed. I love all stones. My father was a geologist and he always took us on field trips. That Portuguese bathroom wall was stunning. Granite is lovely but it is overused. I don't understand the use of the term " quartz" in this context. It seems they are talking about quartz dust and a resin-it is engineered. A geologist would not accept it as quartz. I have always liked concrete. It is a very honest and versatile material. I love slate and had a house with slate floors that I was very happy with. I don't think it would make a good countertop though as true slate has a bumpy surface. Terrazzo is beautiful. I have read, contrary to what is written here, that the paper stone will wear badly and absorb water in a normally busy kitchen. I agree that a wood surface is warmer and have seen very nice butcher block counters and I loved those zinc ones with the beautiful edges. So elegant. I can also see a use for the glass countertops wherein you could have something lovely painted upon the reverse. People should be mindful of sharp edges for the sake of the very young to the very old. Those straight edges and sharp corners on some islands worry me. This was a great article. And it is fun to read all of the opinions.