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Porcelain Countertops Pros and Cons

Porcelain countertops add color and style to any kitchen. Available in an array of shades, porcelain can provide an affordable alternative to marble.

Porcelain slabs offer the added advantage of being installed without needing to remove existing countertops, provided they are of similar dimensions. However, this only works if both sizes match.

Durability

Porcelain is a ceramic material created through high temperature firing in a kiln. As such, porcelain is extremely strong and durable for countertops, backsplashes and other cladding surfaces in the kitchen and home, and even offers heat resistance - helping homeowners avoid pots and pan stains! Furthermore, its sun damage resistance makes it perfect for outdoor kitchens.

Be mindful that porcelain slabs may crack or chip when dropped forcefully, which poses a major disadvantage of this countertop material. Therefore, professional fabricators are recommended when installing porcelain countertops as this could compromise its integrity.

Heat Resistance

People tend to associate porcelain with delicate figurines and fine china from grandma's kitchen, yet many homeowners don't realize its versatility and durability - both heat resistant properties make it perfect for use as countertops in kitchens.

Porcelain slab counters offer an ideal alternative to quartz surfaces that can become damaged from hot pots and pans, providing busy households with an ideal surface material choice.

Porcelain is nonporous and therefore doesn't need sealing, which helps maintain clean surfaces free from stains and other impediments to their use. Furthermore, they resist acidic liquids etching them or scratching over time making porcelain an excellent choice for kitchen environments.

Although this material is strong and resilient, its price can be on the higher side due to its complex fabrication process - specifically due to working with other dense materials that may require less attention for fabrication purposes.

Easy Maintenance

Porcelain is an impervious material, resistant to heat, stains, and scratches. When properly cared for and maintained, porcelain countertops can last long-term in both kitchens and bathrooms alike.

Quartz stone's durable nature and distinctive color options make it a highly sought-after material for countertop fabrication, while its ability to withstand high temperatures also make it perfect for cooking applications.

As opposed to natural stone, fabricators are able to offer more versatile and customizable products using this material.

Porcelain slabs can be fired to very high temperatures in a kiln, making them easy to form into many different patterns and designs - from concrete look, to the latest trend of linear veining and bold white hues. Their lightweight nature enables them to be installed directly over existing materials without removing existing countertops, which cuts costs and installation times down significantly.

Aesthetics

Quartz and granite still dominate the market, but more homeowners are turning to porcelain slabs for both their beauty and functionality. Porcelain is nonporous so it does not absorb liquids or stains and resists etching from various chemicals used to clean surfaces, as well as no longer needing sealing due to reduced risk of harboring bacteria than other materials.

Porcelain tile has another major advantage over natural stone in that it can be customized to look like other materials, including marble, wood grain patterns, concrete finishes or even rusty steel finishes. This provides you with a realistic stone aesthetic for less money and with greater durability.

One major drawback of porcelain countertops is that they're manufactured, so they lack the same depth as natural stone. This limits edge-finishing options and makes chips and cracks more noticeable; however, this shouldn't be much of a worry if opting for solid color options that use mitered edges; creating consistency is easy enough!

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Originally published: 

June 6, 2023

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Jason

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I enjoy designing and curating experiences both virtually and in 3-dimensional reality.
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