How to Select Countertop Material for Outdoor Kitchens

An outdoor kitchen lets you make the most of the unconstructed space of your property. Hosting backyard parties and spending quality time with family becomes more convenient when there is a kitchen out there to cater to everyone’s food indulgences.

Outdoors kitchens are open and usually boast a single piece of construction i.e. countertop. If you are building an outdoor kitchen, the material for its countertop will be your biggest investment. In this post, we will help you out in selecting the countertop material for your outdoor kitchen based on different factors.

Durability

An outdoor kitchen, like any other outdoor fixture, has to withstand rough and tough weather conditions. Therefore, when you are choosing the material for its countertop, durability should be the main quality to consider. Quartz and polished concrete are the best options based on durability. Meanwhile, granite and marble are on the second rung of the durability ladder.

Aesthetics

If you are setting up your outdoor kitchen in a spruced-up backyard or lawn, you will need to make it easy on the eyes. In fact, you might want to turn the kitchen island into a focal piece of your outdoors. For that, you need to pick materials that are heavy on aesthetics. Granite, marble, and terrazzo are the best options for kitchen countertops when it comes to aesthetics.

If we have to rate those materials based on their visual appeal, the list will go on as follows:

  1. Terrazzo
  2. Marble
  3. Granite

Cost

How much you are willing to spend on your outdoor kitchen will also determine what type of countertop you can get. If budget is your main concern and you are not too picky about the looks, you should go with polished concrete. It will remain easy on the pocket and give your outdoor kitchen a sturdy countertop that won’t grind down for years. If you are working with seasoned kitchen countertop experts, you can get a polished concrete countertop that will also boast a good visual profile.

If you need a good visual profile and also have a reasonable budget, you can go with granite or some marble options. They boast stunning natural patterns and are also durable for outdoor installations. If cost is not an issue and you want to strike a perfect balance between looks and durability, go with top-quality terrazzo countertops.

Cleanliness

An outdoor kitchen countertop doesn’t only get dirty due to cooking spills and grease. Bird droppings and other baked-on dust also turn them ugly real quick. Therefore, you should pick countertop materials that are easy to clean so that you don’t have to think twice before cleaning/washing them. Polished concrete countertops are the easiest to clean. Meanwhile, quartz, marble, and granite are not difficult to clean either. However, regularly cleaning the patterned and textured surface of terrazzo for cooking and outdoor messes can turn into quite a hassle.

If you need any further guidance on picking the right material for your outdoor kitchen countertop, you can get in touch with experts at F & M Tile and Terrazzo Company. The company has been operating for more than six decades, offering first-class hard-surface solutions for flooring, wall tiles, and kitchen countertops.



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