A stunning bathroom counter can immensely enhance the look of your bathroom. It’s a room you use on a daily basis, so choosing the right material for your lifestyle is important. Read on to find out which other factors you should consider when choosing a new bathroom countertop.
Edward Jones
Edward Jones, Managing Editor & Founder of the home improvement and garden publication, HomeCareHow
5 Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Countertop
1. Cost
When choosing the best countertop for your bathroom, take into account the cost of materials and the installation charges. You should also factor in the cost of transportation. It’s worth remembering that even if you’ve already decided which [one] you want, think of how much you can afford.
2. Sustainability
If you want an eco-friendly countertop, look for a sustainable material. Ask the supplier how the material is harvested. Picking a more sustainable option will give you a sense of pride in your choice.
3. Durability
You’ll be doing plenty of work on your bathroom console. You should choose a material that can stand up to the job. A countertop that’s also easy to clean would be beneficial.
4. Availability
How easy a material is to find greatly affects its cost. Find out if the countertop you want is available. If it’s not available to be delivered when you need it, it can also affect your installation schedule.
5. Installation
The size of a countertop can affect whether you’ll need a professional to install it or if you can do it yourself. Much larger materials would require a professional’s help. The difficulty of installation is also a factor.
Consider Your Daily Usage
When choosing the best type of countertop for your bathroom, consider how you use your bathroom daily. Do you need something extremely durable such as quartz where you never have to think about care and maintenance? Are you open to countertop surfaces that require a special cleaner such as granite? Perhaps you are someone who doesn’t mind taking the time to take great care of a porous countertop such as marble. Whatever you choose, choose it based on your daily lifestyle.
Kelly Marohl
Dan Wiener
Dan Wiener, Founder & Lead Interior Designer for Homedude
Choosing the Best Countertop for Your Bathroom
When it comes to choosing a countertop for your bathroom, there are many different types to choose from. Here are a few things to consider when making your decision:
1. The first thing to think about is the type of material you want your countertop to be made of. There are numerous materials from which to pick, such as granite, marble, quartz, and laminate. Each type of material has its benefits and drawbacks, so you’ll need to decide which one is best for you.
2. The next thing to consider is the size of the countertop. Make sure to measure the space you have available and choose a size that will fit comfortably.
3. Another important thing to think about is the look you want your countertop to have. For example, some materials like marble and granite come in a variety of colors, so use this to choose something that will go well with the rest of your bathroom decor. We recommend choosing one that matches the rest of your bathroom for a seamless look.
4. Another factor to consider is how much maintenance you’ll be doing on the countertop. Some materials like quartz are more resistant to stains, while others can develop scratches after extensive use. Talk to an installer about these issues and see which material will work best for your lifestyle.
5. A final thing to consider when choosing a countertop is your budget. When you think about everything that goes into having a countertop installed, it’s important to make sure you have enough money for the materials and workmanship.
Questions to Consider When Choosing a Bathroom Console
There are a lot of different countertop choices on the market for bathrooms today. And many of them can be very similar to one another in terms of appearance and cost. The good news is that in many cases, choosing “wrong” isn’t going to impact your bathroom’s function. It may however, impact how long the countertop or console lasts and how it looks during its lifespan.
So, to make the best choice, you first need to get honest with yourself and your bathroom needs.
Who is using this space? A toddler, a teenager, and a senior all have different space needs. Toddlers can make a mess, so you may want something easy to clean. Teenagers may use hair dye or makeup that can stain a countertop, so you’ll want something stain-resistant. Seniors may want something a little taller so they don’t need to bend over, but they’ll be less likely to stain or damage the countertop, so you can look at strength and durability instead.
Second, how often is the space being used? A powder room or a guest bathroom can get away with countertops that a busy main or master bathroom cannot. You may also want to impress guests with a gorgeous countertop in a powder room or guest bathroom that isn’t practical for daily use.
Finally, what is most important to you – how it looks, how easy it is to maintain, or its cost?
If looks are most important, you’ll want to tie in your countertop to the rest of the bathroom design. A super modern bathroom may do well with a backlit onyx countertop or a glass countertop with an integral glass sink. A traditional bathroom may look best with a China console on a pair of traditional sink legs. Something for kids or teens may be a brightly colored focal point for the room.
If maintenance is most important, you’ll want to look at things like quartz or recycled glass, which are unlikely to stain, and can be washed with anything.
If cost is important, consider visiting a stone yard, and purchasing a remnant, or a leftover piece of countertop material for cheap. You won’t have the same amount of choices, but you’ll get a beautiful countertop at a great deal.
If your bathroom is going to get a lot of use, there are a few things to avoid, because they just won’t hold up no matter how hard you try. That includes green marble, which doesn’t like water very much, and very soft limestones like Lagos Azul, which also dislike water and can pit or stain over time.
Otherwise, most countertop materials can hold up well in the bathroom provided you maintain them well. Seal natural stone countertops, and consider avoiding them in a teenager’s bathroom, as they easily stain. Avoid solid surface countertops if you or someone else in the family likes to style with heat – this countertop can melt if a curling iron is left on it too long.
Finally, just make sure its color and texture match the rest of the room’s design – even if that means a plain white surface – to get the most cohesive look for the room.
Cristina Miguelez
Reed Johnson
Reed Johnson, Owner of Jackson Tile Installation
Choose a Countertop that Contributes to Your Desired Ambiance
To choose the best type of console or countertop for bathrooms, the homeowner should be clear with the goal of the bathroom ambiance he/she wishes to achieve. This is crucial since this decision will determine the type of material that is used and the amount of work and money is put into it. For instance, if the homeowner wants a flexible, easy-to-install material in terms of design, he/she can opt for a ceramic tile. On the other hand, if budget is not an issue, a marble or stone countertop can be a good choice.
Alternatively, concrete countertops are also trendy options these days for a more industrial ambiance. Bottom line, the choice will all boil down to what the homeowner wishes to achieve.
Look for Durability and Understand the Installation Process
Measure the Durability
A bathroom countertop is something you keep occupied from the early morning to late at night. It must stand up to everything from sticky toothpaste to dropped hair dryers. This is why you need to choose a material for your bathroom that is durable and easy to clean.
You must choose a countertop that is not only durable but also compatible with the right cleaning products.
Consider the Installation Process
Although small countertops can be installed quite easily by a single person, some people prefer to have professional assistance for the installation. However, you need to remember that hiring a professional installer will cost extra.. If you want to be cost-efficient, you need to choose a material that allows you to DIY.
However, it is important to remember that weight is not everything when it comes to installing your bathroom countertop. Even lighter materials like wood can be quite difficult to manipulate single-handedly.
Another important consideration is what is required for cutting holes in the sink and faucet. If you are dealing with marble or quartz, it’s better to let the manufacturer do the work so that you can enjoy the precise layout and avoid miscuts. However, if you want to do it yourself, it’s better to choose wood or laminate as these materials are more DIY-friendly.
Richard Fung
Aya Bradley
4 Questions to Consider When Choosing What’s Best for Your Bathroom
An important aspect of any bathroom design or build is its countertop. The investment is not just about practicality but needs to also be a fit for the owner’s sense of style. Different types of countertops all have their pros and cons, and there are a lot of choices.
Here are 4 questions to consider when choosing what’s best for your bathroom:
1. What is your bathroom’s design?
Consider the overall design of your bathroom. Are you going for a modern farmhouse look where a wooden countertop would be a better fit than quartz?
2. Will your choice of countertop work seamlessly with your cabinets?
If there are existing cabinets installed, this is necessary. While the visual characteristics and appearance of the countertop sitting on your cabinets are important, weight and balance should be factored in as well.
3. What’s your budget?
You might have your heart set on natural stones, but you need a more cost-effective solution. Granite, for example, has a more reasonable price tag compared to quality marble but still has a timeless appeal.
4. How do you react to minor damages?
Would a tiny crack bother you? How about scratches? Certain countertop materials are more resistant and hardy, while others are more susceptible to wear and tear. For example, marble is very vulnerable to etching and stains.
Answering these questions is a good starting point for choosing the perfect countertop for your bathroom.
Consider the Cost
When choosing materials for your countertop, take note of the cost needed to achieve it. Whether the cost of the materials used is too expensive or bearable, really depends on you. Be aware of the cost especially if you don’t have a large budget. If your budget is tight, set proper expectations and stay away from epsenvie countertops such as marble.
If you want a cheaper alternative, stick to tile or laminate. These materials are nice and elegant without breaking the bank.
Tommy Mello
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