Your bathroom can be a sanctuary after a long day. Just think about relaxing in the master bath with some candles. Naturally, you want your bathroom aesthetic to reflect the calming ambience you envision and your bathroom countertops are a great place to start. Choosing the right ones can just help take your space to the next level. Marble, natural stone, laminate – there’s so many different types to choose from. So how do you decide?
While choosing the material purely based on the way it looks will make your bathroom look fantastic, the materials you love might not be within budget. They also might not be durable or easy to clean. For example, you might want your vanity top to be a bit more hardy so that it can stand up to scratches and stains.
Best Bathroom Countertop Options
Luckily for you, we’ve created a beginner’s guide to buying the best bathroom countertops so you can give your bathroom the best makeover! We’ll be talking about countertop types, their pros and cons of each, the costs, and different styles of bathroom vanity tops.
Laminate bathroom countertops
Laminate countertops used to be pretty undesirable. However, as of late, manufacturers have answered the calls of people who want style on a budget! Top manufacturers are producing items that look incredibly similar to wood, stone, marble and other materials so that you don’t have to pay a hefty price for the look you love.
Laminate countertops are made from multiple layers of plastic that have been bonded to MDF to create a solid surface. It is budget-friendly and can be found in a wide variety of colours and ‘materials’. You can also get laminate that is patterned if you’re looking for something bold on your bathroom countertops.
If you love a bit of DIY, laminate is much more DIY-friendly than, for example, natural stone. It is also easy to clean and you don’t need to worry about scratches.
One of the cons of laminate bathroom countertops is that if you want a custom specification, it becomes a whole lot less DIY-friendly. Another con of a laminate bathroom countertop is the perception of it. It can be seen as a budget countertop choice. This makes them an inferior option to other bathroom countertop types for the main bathroom vanity.
Ceramic, porcelain or glass tile bathroom countertops
If you have a traditional style, you’ll love these bathroom countertop materials. They also slot in beautifully with modern spaces, particularly the porcelain. Ceramic tiles are created by glazing clay and porcelain is a type of ceramic that features very fine clay.
However, if you’re looking for a hardy material, porcelain works better than traditional ceramic. Porcelain is also flexible in its style, as it can mimic other materials. This is why it is a great bathroom vanity material.
Glass tiles are installed in a very similar way and also offer a lot of vanity design options. These tiles work well as a DIY project and give off a premium look, even though they tend to be very affordable.
There are also lots of countertop surface design options available with tiles! You can use them to create patterns – from herringbone to subway tile bathroom designs. They are also available in a wide range of colours and sizes so you can create the bathroom you’ve always envisioned in your home.
Unfortunately, as a bathroom surface material, they are less durable than other products and can crack. The grout between the tiles is another factor to look out for as it can get discoloured easily.
Granite and slab marble countertops
Natural stone, such as granite and marble, is more luxurious than laminate and ceramic. These countertop materials are more premium and are on the pricier side of things. Natural stone bathroom countertops are usually thick slabs with holes carefully cut out for the sinks. However, these can also be created in a similar fashion to tiled bathroom surfaces by using stone tiles instead of slabs.
Marble countertops are heavily veined and can help to add a true touch of elegance to your space. This is one of the most beautiful vanity top options making it perfect for powder rooms!
There are a whole range of colours and patterns that you can choose from for your marble countertop. However, one of the cons of choosing marble is that you may need to reseal it every couple of years. The same goes for granite as these are porous stones.
Granite is fairly similar to marble. It features less veining but has more flecks of colour. Although granite can be pricey, it is the most popular countertop material for bathrooms.
Natural stone will allow your home to showcase unique countertops for a luxury look and feel. However, be prepared for steeper prices. Granite and marble also need more maintenance than, for example, engineered stone. If you have children, you might want to opt for less premium material for the countertops in your home bathrooms.
Quartz bathroom countertops
Quartz is a gorgeous material to use as a bathroom countertop. A quartz countertop is not made from solid quartz but from engineered stone. This stone tends to be a blend of ground-up quartz and other materials. This is then shaped into countertop slabs, often with integrated sinks, and look stunning.
Integrated basins make your bathroom choices easier, as you have less that you’ll need to choose for your new bathroom. Quartz countertops are available in many colours (which tend to be more uniform than natural stone) and styles. This material is also more resistant to stains than natural stone as it is non-porous.
These countertops can be very pricey, but they look beautiful and they’re incredibly durable! While the seams can be visible, overall, this is still a great material to use in a family bathroom given its hardiness.
The Best Bathroom Vanity Top For You
There are many different surface types to consider when it comes to choosing the best bathroom countertops. Ultimately, you want something that will last long but also fit in with the style of your home bathrooms.
If you need a bit of help deciding, give Renovation Capital a call today! Our team of professionals can advise you on the best countertops to consider, given your lifestyle, and what would be best for your home and budget.
