Making Stone Counter Tops Extraordinary

One of the reasons people choose natural stone counter tops is that they are unique. In fact, each stone slab fashioned into a kitchen counter top is completely unique from every other counter top if the stone is a natural stone material. Still yet, some consumers seek to differentiate the stone they have even more. Are there ways to distinguish kitchen slabs from similar ones? What are some of they ways owners of natural stone surfaces can make their counter top stand out from the crowd? In this article, we will answer those questions and talk about making stone counter tops extraordinary.

Counter Top Basics

As previously mentioned, every natural stone counter top is unique. density of thee stone, the porosity, and even the color variations will work together like a fingerprint for a given natural stone slab. The type of stone also contributes to the unique appearance of the surface. And the finish that is put on the stone impacts the look of the stone's surface.

Material Choices

Every kind of natural stone has specific traits that make it stand out from other types of stone. For example, soapstone is a natural stone that, unlike other natural stone, is not porous. In this way soapstone is different from its peers. Along the same lines, travertine is a natural stone too. But it has the very distinct characteristic of being riddled with voids (also called pits or holes) throughout the surface. Like these two examples, each natural stone surface has distinct properties that make it identifiable. So, depending on the surface being covered, the stone selection plays a role in the overall appearance of that surface; counter tops included.

Color Selection

Some natural stone has a plethora of color options. Other stone types, not so much. Most of them though are somewhere in between. Choosing a natural stone that is available in many colors allows the buyer the opportunity to choose a color and/or pattern that is rare, or at least more seldom selected than are most.

Making Ordinary Surfaces Become Extraordinary

Now that we have talked a little bit about the basics that make a natural stone surface, and more specifically, a stone counter top unique, we will look at how to make stone counter tops extraordinary. By adding various treatments to an otherwise ordinary counter top, it is possible to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Getting Deeper, Richer Colors

One way you can make an ordinary natural stone become extraordinary is to enhance the color of the material. As we mentioned earlier, each stone type has specific colors in which it forms. And while there are a variety of colors and patterns of natural stone, enhancing the colors the stone has is an effective way to ramp up the stone's appearance. Using a color enhancing stone sealer or a stone dye to brighten up or darken up a slab really adds some pop.

Enhancing the Surface's Edge

Another way to put a bit of vibrancy into the surface of a stone counter top is to enhance the edges of the surface. This can be done by simply adding decorative edge. If the stone has enough thickness, you can simply use an edge profiler to add a decorative edge to the surface. Or, you can opt to laminate the edge in one of several ways. to achieve interesting effects. For example, putting a step laminated edge on a counter top adds a degree of flare that is difficult to achieve otherwise.

Adding Surface Texture

The last treatment you can add to a stone to make it extraordinary is to texture its finish. A textured finish on a stone adds depth, visual interest, and you might even say intrigue to a stone's appearance. Whether you elect to have a honed finish or antiqued finish, a texture on the surface of the stone is a real contrast to a common polished finish that is ordinarily seen on stone surfaces. Adding texture to a surface is done by treating the stone's surface using a kit designed for texturing stone surfaces.

Making stone counter tops extraordinary can be done a number of ways. We have looked at a few of them in this article. However, there are other ways that this could be achieved. Even though these methods are not required to have a completely unique stone. You may find that offering them if you are a fabricator, or asking about them if you are a consumer, might yield the benefit of a project that not only is unique, but also stands out from the crowd.