Kitchen Counter Tiles

Countertop serves as the heart of a kitchen. Being the place where food is cooked, it assumes great importance inside a house. There is a large variety as far as kitchen counter options are concerned. Right from solid stone and wood to laminates and tiles, you can decide from amongst the numerous countertop materials. In the present times, people are opting for tiles as their preferred countertop materials. The reason for this is the low cost, easy installation and effortless cleaning that kitchen countertop tiles offer. However, even tiles suffer from certain disadvantages. So, before choosing tiles for your kitchen counter, you need to weigh the pros and cons properly.

Why Tiles for Kitchen Countertop?

People, these days, prefer tiles for their countertops. The reasons for this have been mentioned below:

Using tiles for kitchen countertops is a cheap option as compared to getting solid stone countertops.
Tiles come in many shapes and sizes. You can easily get them fitted even to pre-designed kitchen countertops. They can be cut and trimmed to fit even the bends and curves.
The flexibility provided by the wide variety of tiles cannot be had in case of solid stone countertops.
Countertop tiles come in a wide range of materials, right from ceramic and glass to granite and marble. Stone tiles like granite and marble can impart a very expensive look to your kitchen.

The Disadvantages

Tiles do suffer from certain disadvantages, as material for kitchen countertop. These are:

Ceramic tile, being quite porous, are prone to staining due to spills. Though sealing agents are available to prevent staining, you will have to take extra care of a ceramic tile countertop.
Glass tiles, though very attractive, are quite fragile and should not be used unless you have a mobile kitchen island, to do the heavy work on.
Grout is one of the essential elements of tiles, even in case of countertops. While it is being laid, make sure that there are no empty spaces, which can later become breeding ground for bacteria and fungus.
Tiles are prone to chipping and breaking and thus need replacement on a regular basis. This might prove to be a chore for some.

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