Outdoor kitchens are all the rage these days, as everybody seems to be getting into the act of cooking while enjoying the outdoors. An outdoor kitchen carries with it many benefits. Cooking outdoors not only lets you enjoy a more natural setting while preparing meals, but it also keeps heat and cooking smells outside the home rather than indoors. Also, there’s no better place for entertaining friends and family when the weather is fair than the great outdoors.
While many homeowners focus on cooking hardware and appliances when planning their outdoor kitchens, there’s another important consideration to factor into your design. Countertops are important to both the form and function of your outdoor kitchen, and countertop suppliers in Duluth, GA, have a wide range of materials from which to choose. From sleek quartz to classic granite countertops, each countertop material has its own merits and drawbacks. Therefore, it’s up to the consumer to become armed with knowledge before settling on a countertop material. Whether you are considering marble, quartz, or granite countertop installation in Duluth, GA, make sure you understand the pros and cons of each. Read on to learn more about how to choose the best countertop material for your outdoor kitchen.
Granite Countertops
Granite is an ideal material for outdoor countertops for several reasons. It offers a wide range of colors and patterns, is simple and easy to maintain, and is resilient to most of the conditions it will endure in an outdoor cooking environment. Granite isn’t impacted by temperature or moisture, and it won’t etch, color, or surrender its shine to the effects of the elements. When properly sealed, it can even be highly stain-resistant, which is important in any kitchen countertop application but more significant in an outdoor kitchen set-up. For these reasons, granite is the perfect material for an outdoor kitchen countertop.
Quartz Countertops
Quartz is an incredibly durable countertop material when used in an indoor kitchen, and many of those traits carry over to its use in the outdoor kitchen as well. Quartz is made from quartz stones that are bound together with resin, pigment, and glass to create slabs using a manmade process. Quartz comes in a wide range of colors and patterns and is resistant to many factors that are routinely encountered outdoors, such as exposure to rain. It’s also dense and non-porous, which means it won’t stain and can be fully sterilized. However, because of the resins used to bind the other materials, it can be somewhat sensitive to temperature extremes, so it may not be ideal for all outdoor kitchen applications.
Quartzite Countertops
While the names may be similar, quartzite and quartz are two different types of countertops. Unlike quartz, which is manmade using quartz stones and resin, quartzite uses the same quartz stones but binds them together with sandstone under tremendous heat and pressure. Quartzite resembles natural stone countertop materials such as marble or granite. However, quartzite may not be ideal for outdoor kitchens because it is more porous than quartz and will stain more easily. It must also be sealed regularly, like granite, to preserve the finish.
Marble Countertops
Marble is another natural stone option that brings a classic beauty to an outdoor kitchen. However, marble is more porous than other natural stone materials and can be etched by even mildly acidic liquids. Therefore, if marble is going to be used in an outdoor kitchen, it’s best to get a honed or polished finish, as that will make the surface of the stone less porous and more resistant to staining and etching. Marble will also age and weather beautifully in an outdoor kitchen, which can minimize the appearance of stains and etching.
If you are planning to build an outdoor kitchen, consider the pros and cons of these countertop materials before deciding which one best fit your needs. To learn more about countertop materials for outdoor kitchens and how to choose the right one, contact Legacy Granite Countertops at (678) 867-0100.
