A Guide to Choosing Natural Stones for Your Kitchen Remodel

Advantages of Natural Stone

There are several reasons to choose natural stone counter tops and floors for your kitchen remodel.

Stone is durable. It won’t crack, chip, or show knife marks. It doesn’t discolor with age. Stone comes in a wide variety of colors so you have plenty of selection.

Once it is in place stone surfaces are easy to maintain. When you have sealed the surface then damp mopping with soap and water is all you need to do.

Stone floors and counter tops are a great investment. When you go to sell your house, the return on your investment can be as high as 100%? You’ll be able to enjoy your beautiful stone floors and counter tops and get all your money back. Further your house will sell faster too.

Of all the surfaces, natural stone is the most aesthetically pleasing.
 
Disadvantages of Natural Stone

Stone is literally as hard as a rock. Thus, it is not a recommended surface for young children or senior citizens, as falls are issues. These age groups could get hurt if they fall on such a hard surface.

Stone is not an inexpensive material for us in counter tops or floors. If your renovation is on a tight budget you might want to look at something more economical than natural stone. Expect to pay anywhere from $100 square foot to $250 square foot for natural stone.

Natural stone also requires expert installation. It is labor intensive and costly to transport and install.

Natural stone surfaces are not ideal to work on as the stone will dull knives.

Natural stone surfaces need to be sealed annually.  If this is not done, the stone will begin to stain.

While beautiful natural stone surfaces are cold and can be slippery so they are not recommended for anyone with balance, circulatory, or fall issues.
 
How to Make the Best Choices in Natural Stone for Your Kitchen

If you have a busy lifestyle and kids, you may wish to choose a surface that has less maintenance and upkeep than natural stone.
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What do you personally like? The floor and counter material and color should reflect your personal taste. Be sure that what you choose is something you will be happy with for years to come. Stone surfaces are not something you change over quickly. You may want to try someone else’s natural stone flooring and counter tops before you decide it is what you want.