Tips for a Functional and Stylish Kitchen Worktop
This article will guide you in choosing a kitchen worktop made from porcelain stoneware, a material that is becoming more and more popular due to both its technical features and aesthetic qualities. On the one hand, it guarantees outstanding performance for a kitchen element that endures a lot of wear and tear; on the other, it offers a wide range of stylish options, from looks inspired by the most alluring natural materials, to more sophisticated and textured finishes. Furthermore, a kitchen worktop in laminated stoneware – currently the most widely used type of porcelain stoneware in the furniture and interior design industry – also stands out for its ecological virtues, as it is a much more sustainable option than many other materials.
The Importance of a Kitchen Worktop
A kitchen worktop is much more than just an essential work surface. Due to its central role in a home’s interior design, it is considered a true piece of décor. In fact, the chosen texture, colour, and finish greatly impact the style and atmosphere of the living space. This is especially true today, as the kitchen and living room are increasingly merging together to create a space in which one can quietly relax or entertain guests, grab a quick snack or sit down for a meal with the whole family.
The kitchen worktop can serve various purposes: from a work surface, perhaps with integrated burners, to a quick dining area… Its versatility makes it a key element in designing a modern and functional kitchen. But beyond aesthetics, a kitchen worktop must be practical and resistant to scratches, stains, heat, and impacts, while also being easy-to-clean and ensuring high standards of hygiene. The choice of material and design for a kitchen worktop reflects the individual style of the person who has chosen it. A marble-look kitchen worktop conveys timeless elegance, while a resin worktop could be better suited to a more modern and casual environment.
Laminated Porcelain Stoneware Kitchen Worktop
Stoneware kitchen worktops are becoming increasingly popular thanks to the many benefits they offer compared to other materials. This is basically because stoneware is able to perfectly combine aesthetics and functionality, thus helping to create a kitchen environment that is welcoming, practical, and personalised.
When talking about worktops made from porcelain stoneware, it is important to note that the kind of stoneware used to clad worktops, vanity tops, and entire work surfaces is a specific type of ceramic known as laminated stoneware. This material stands out for its size and thickness. It is, in fact, produced in remarkably large slabs (100x300 cm and 120x278 cm in the case of Slimtech, Lea Ceramiche’s laminated stoneware) which are also extraordinarily lightweight due to a thickness that ranges from just 3.5 to 6 mm.
Laminated stoneware is the product of a technology that laminates and compacts porcelain stoneware, revolutionising the traditional manufacturing process to create an entirely new product that is durable, lightweight, flexible, ductile, and versatile and fully meets the current demands of modern design, not only for interior flooring and coverings, but also for architectural cladding. The ease with which it is cut and handled makes it extremely adaptable, thus allowing a high degree of customisation, even for doors, cabinets, furniture, and – obviously – kitchen worktops, surfaces which were once off-limits to ceramic materials. The variety of available looks, thicknesses, formats, and finishes provides solutions for both new construction projects and renovations, including installation on top of existing floors.
Porcelain Stoneware Kitchen Worktops: Pros and Cons
As we’ve seen, thanks to its many qualities, laminated porcelain stoneware is becoming an increasingly popular choice for cladding kitchen worktops. As with any material, there are several factors to consider when making a well-informed decision. Let’s now take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of a laminated porcelain stoneware kitchen worktop.
We’ll start with the benefits:
- Durability and strength: Laminated porcelain stoneware is highly resistant to scratches, stains, heat, and impacts. It cannot be damaged by sharp knives, hot pans, or aggressive chemicals.
- Hygiene: The non-porous surface of laminated porcelain stoneware makes it very hygienic and easy to clean. It does not absorb liquids or bacteria, thus preventing the formation of mould.
- Aesthetics: Laminated porcelain stoneware offers a wide range of colours, finishes, and formats, making it possible to create customised worktops that adapt to any style. It can perfectly mimic the appearance of natural materials like marble, stone, and wood.
- The large format of laminated porcelain stoneware makes it possible to create very large kitchen worktops and work surfaces before a joint becomes necessary.
- Maintenance: Maintenance is extremely simple. In fact, all you need to keep it clean is a damp cloth and a neutral detergent.
- Eco-sustainability: Laminated porcelain stoneware is a recyclable material with a low environmental impact. In the case of Slimtech, Lea Ceramiche’s laminated stoneware, it is even carbon neutral.
- Added property value: A porcelain stoneware kitchen worktop increases both the aesthetic and functional value of the kitchen, making it more attractive to potential buyers.
Among the drawbacks, the cost is certainly worth mentioning. In general, a porcelain stoneware worktop is more expensive compared to other materials, like laminate. However, its durability over time makes it a worthwhile long-term investment. The joints are another aspect to consider. Although the slabs are quite large, joints are still required during installation. If not properly maintained, these joints can trap dirt and require extra attention during cleaning.
Some Tips for Creating a Stoneware Kitchen Worktop
Though the end result has a seductive monolithic appearance, laminated stoneware is merely a surface finish applied to a hard support with specific characteristics. This substructure must be dry, level, stable, clean, and free of cracks.
The following are the most commonly used materials for a work surface:
- Resin marble slabs. This material is created by mixing natural marble, which has first been crushed, with special resins. The mixture is poured into moulds to form blocks that are then cured, cut into slabs, and finished.
- High-density polystyrene. A rigid insulating panel made from high-density polystyrene. Its high performance, stability, and ease of installation make it one of the most commonly used materials.
- WEDI-type board. These are panels made from extruded polystyrene foam with a hardened layer, containing no cementitious materials, on each side, covered by a non-woven fabric.
- Marine plywood panels. Made up of multiple layers of quality veneers, these rigid and lightweight wood panels are highly resistant to moisture.
- Various composite boards: These panels are made from lower-quality materials that have been shredded, mixed, and then compacted using specific binding agents.
Building a stoneware kitchen worktop is quite complex as it requires specific cutting and finishing tools and entails a delicate installations process. As mentioned, the strength of a laminated porcelain worktop is its monolithic appearance. Special attention must be paid to the edges during installation, not only because they are an aesthetic detail that elevates the quality of this piece of décor, but also because edges are the most vulnerable to impacts. Therefore, it is essential to entrust the job to specialised companies and highly qualified installers.
For more tips, you can download our technical manual specifically dedicated to laminated porcelain stoneware kitchen worktops.
Marble-Look Kitchen Worktops
In the world of interior design, there’s one category of kitchens that continues to be a favourite: modern kitchens with marble worktops. The reason for their popularity lies in the striking – though only apparent – contrast between the contemporary design of the furniture and the classic elegance of the worktop’s marble texture.
Marble is not, in fact, just a symbol of luxury and sophistication. Its ability to transcend styles and trends, thanks to the innate creativity of nature, with its elegant patterns and mysterious beauty, allows for truly original combinations. Marble-look stoneware is able to replicate the veining and shades of this natural material with astounding accuracy, bringing timeless elegance to the kitchen. With all of the benefits we discussed, a marble-look worktop is not only the ideal choice for those looking to combine the eternal beauty of marble with the practicality and durability of a high-performance material like laminated porcelain stoneware, but also a smart long-term investment.
Lea Ceramiche’s ceramic marbles are now gathered together in a large collection called Noblesse. Carefully selected over the years thanks to the brand’s keen sense of design, these 12 marble looks celebrate the timeless beauty of the most noble natural stones, offering a mix of vibrant and innovative colours as well as revisited classic nuances. The collection is a treasure trove of colours and textures that are true works of art. With Noblesse, Lea Ceramiche brings an innate sense of design to exclusive living spaces, in which elegance and comfort come together, redefining the concept of luxury.
The ceramic marbles in the Noblesse collection are available in slab form with three different surface finishes, all featuring the benefits of PROTECT® antibacterial technology, ensuring marble-look kitchen worktops that are healthy, safe, and protected.
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