Materials matters anytime you are buying a new kitchen or rebuilding an old one. Materials matter a lot. A kitchen is not just a room that you cook in. The kitchen might also be the room where your family gathers during the day or where you entertain guests. So, instead of thinking about durability, most people focus on what they want their kitchen to look like. They also typically think about what that dream kitchen is going to cost.
So it is no surprise that most people don’t put durability first when they decide which items to purchase for their kitchen. But if you consider the fact that the kitchen is one of the most essential rooms in the house, durability should be your number one concern. Your kitchen should be equipped with long-lasting materials that can withstand everyday wear and tear. After all, it is the room that serves as the center of activity for everyone in the family.
Here are five areas of your kitchen where durability has to be the first thing you consider.
Faucets
The sink is an area of the kitchen that sees a lot of traffic, and of course, the faucet you choose has to be able to stand up to a lot of use. So what your faucet is made of is much more important than what it looks like.
When choosing the most durable faucet for your kitchen, the main thing you should look at is the material used in the body of the faucet. The body is the area on the inside of the fixture, rather than the exterior coating called the finish.
Many faucets on the market are cheaply made, even if they aren’t necessarily easy on the budget. Avoid anything that is made of zinc-alloys or plastic. These are the polar opposite of durable. Instead, you want to make sure that the body is made out of brass as it not only lasts longer but it also stands up to corrosion better.
Countertops
The material you choose for your countertops may be one of the most important decisions you will make in your new kitchen. Counters take a lot of abuse and are used day after day. There are a considerable number of options on the market. Quartz is the most durable of them all.
Granite countertops have been all the rage for several years now, but the tide is slowly turning toward quartz. It has a lot of the same features that homeowners love in the granite countertops, but it doesn’t need to be sealed, can’t be scratched, and remains super strong as it ages. Also, it is far more versatile than granite. If you still prefer granite, keeping it well-maintained is essential to preserve its beauty and longevity. Regular cleaning and sealing are crucial, and using a high-quality granite cleaner and sealer can help protect the surface from stains, scratches, and other potential damage. Furthermore, choosing the right cleaner and sealer ensures that your granite countertops remain hygienic and free from harmful bacteria, providing a safe and inviting space for food preparation and other daily activities.
Quartz is so durable that it is the only material currently available that can be used to create the wildly popular waterfall countertops. Not only do these cabinets look stunning, but they do an incredible job of protecting your base cabinets in the parts of your kitchen that have the most traffic. Quartz doesn’t chip or crack, so it can easily take the abuse.
If you haven’t seen this newest trend yet, visit this post.
Sinks
When most people think of durability in a sink, they immediately think of stainless steel. While stainless sinks are durable, they don’t stand the test of time as well as other materials. If you’re aiming to have only the most durable options make it into your kitchen, you have to consider a granite composite sink.
This manufactured stone brings all the things you’ve come to love about granite into your sink. These kitchen sinks, made from an engineered stone material, are not only easier to clean than stainless steel but also offer an added layer of protection against lingering germs due to their nonporous surface.
Cabinets
Not all kitchen cabinets are equal when it comes to durability. When you opt for premade cabinets, you indeed save a few bucks, but you also tend to receive lower-quality materials. They also often tend to be poorly constructed. While they tend to resemble solid wood, most often are made of various types of engineered wood or even particleboard.
Opt for semi-custom or completely custom cabinets from a company like custom kitchen cabinets, Neo Kitchen. While these often also contain engineered wood products, they tend to be made from better quality versions of those products. The real difference is how they are constructed. It would be best if you looked for dovetailed joints rather than simple glue or slide-on bottoms.
Floors
Of course, the flooring in your kitchen has to be able to withstand the massive amounts of traffic that most kitchens see. There is an incredible number of options currently available, so it can be hard to determine precisely what options offer the most durability.
Out of all of your options, the very best is currently Marmoleum. Marmoleum is made by combining oil from a flax plant, wood flour, and jute with limestone. This results in a tough-as-nails floor surface that is nearly impossible to destroy.
Marmoleum is remarkably eco-friendly and phenomenally versatile. It can be made in any color or pattern you can imagine, and it comes in either sheets or tiles, which makes it easy to get the perfect look in your space. It is ridiculously easy to clean, and it even has anti-static properties.
Of course, Marmoleum is the gold standard for floors in any high-traffic area, but new luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) offer the same level of durability. The advantage to the LVT that it can give you the look of hardwood planks. You literally can’t go wrong with either choice.
If you’re in the process of renovating or building your kitchen, it can be a real challenge to choose suitable materials. The choices are endless, and if you really consider all the time a renovation can take the process can be incredibly frustrating. If you’re going to be spending thousands of dollars on your kitchen, then you want to ensure that everything you choose lasts as long as possible. Otherwise, it could easily cost you even more money when you have to replace something later on.
More Kitchen Ideas
