#6 Great Countertops: How to Choose the Best Material

Get beyond the brand names and your countertop options really just come down to a handful of materials. The choices can seem overwhelming, but the truth is that there's never been a better time to be in the market for a new counter. Once upon a time, you were lucky to have some faded laminate as a small prep area beside the sink. Today, you can choose from hundreds of colors, patterns and textures, in materials ranging from natural stone and acrylic sheets to quartz composites and stained concrete. Here's a detailed look at the six most popular countertop materials: natural stone, solid surfaces, plastic laminate, ceramic tile, wood and concrete.

Solid-surfacing materials--such as Corian. Wilsonart's Gibraltar and Avonite --are made of 100% acrylic, 100% polyester, or a combination of acrylic and poly. They're highly resistant to stains and scratchs, and completely renewable and repairable. Scratches and burns can be sanded out; deep gouges can be filled. Seams are fused together to create undetectable joints. And the material comes in literally hundreds of colors and patterns, many of which resemble natural stone. Solid-surface sinks are also available.

Detractors dismiss solid-surfacing materials as being nothing more than imitation stone, which is a bit unfair. Solid-surface counters have been around for nearly 40 years and have performed admirably in thousands of kitchens. A unique characteristic of solid-surfacing material is that the design possibilities are virtually limitless. From intricate inlays and custom backsplashes, to elegant edge treatments and colorful pinstriping, if you can dream it there's a good chance the fabricator can create it. Consider quartz composite, a newer type of solid surfacing material. Also known as engineered stone, this unique material is composed of about 90% quartz and 10% acrylic or epoxy binder. DuPont's Zodiaq. Silestone. Cambria and CaesarStone are a few of the many quartz composites now available. The main differences between engineered stone and traditional solid surfacing materials are that engineered stone is much harder and has a depth, clarity and radiance not found in other solid surfaces. Quartz composites cost slightly more than traditional solid surfaces, but both materials are comparable to granite; expect to pay $150 to $200 per sq ft for a solid-surface counter.

Ceramic tile is often applied to a plywood substrate or directly over existing plastic laminate countertops. However, to ensure a rock-solid, long-lasting installation, Tiganella prefers using 3/4-in.-thick plywood topped with 1/2-in.-thick cement backerboard. It's difficult to estimate the cost of a tile countertop since much depends on the tile chosen and complexity of the installation. Simple solid-color tiles cost as little as $1 per sq ft, but the average cost is more in the $3 to $5 per sq ft range. A pro installation will cost between $30 and $50 per sq ft, plus the cost of the tile.