Tile countertops are making a comeback in modern kitchen designs. The outdated tile countertops that we all remember from the past, can no longer be the reason to avoid tile on worktops altogether. But, what kind of tile is the best for kitchen countertops? The market offers a great variety in terms of materials, shapes, and surfaces. However, not all of them are suitable for work surfaces.
This article will guide you through the decisions you have to make in order to find the best tile for your kitchen countertops.
1. Material
When it comes to material, you have three main options: Porcelain, Ceramic or Natural stone tiles for the countertops. Each of them has its pros and cons, but the decision depends on your specific case.
When it comes to natural stone tile countertops, the most common options are granite, quartzite, marble, and soapstone. Obviously, the tiles have the same physical properties as the slabs – marble is not recommended for kitchen countertops due to its lack of etch resistance.
When it comes to granite, quartzite, and soapstone countertop tiles, are great options for the fraction of the price that you would pay for a slab. The downside is that you can’t get a seamless look with tiles.
When it comes to natural stone tile countertops, such as granite, quartzite, soapstone, or marble, they all share something in common – you are supposed to seal the surface, as natural stones are porous materials.
I recently wrote an article that is all about Granite countertops and another one that is all about quartzite countertops. Make sure to check them later.
When it comes to porcelain and ceramic tiles for kitchen countertops, they are both suitable options. However, porcelain is more durable, less porous, denser, heavier, and absorbs much less water than ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiles are easier to cut and install since they are less dense compared to porcelain.
The biggest difference between ceramic and porcelain tiles is the rate of water absorption: porcelain tiles absorb up to 0.5% of the moisture, while ceramic tiles’ water absorption rate ranges from 2 to 20%. That’s a huge difference when it comes to choosing tiles for kitchen countertops. Porcelain tiles would mean less moisture and less mold in the long run. If you are still going for ceramic tiles, at least, choose the glazed ones.
If you still decide to go for ceramic tiles, choose the glazed ones. I would recommend choosing the glazed option even for the porcelain tiles. The glazing makes the tile not only more water resistant but protects it from stains and scratches to some extent.
2. Color
When it comes to choosing the right color of the tile countertops for your kitchen, there are several details to take into consideration: the color of the cabinets, the color of the sink, and the backsplash (however, generally the backsplash is decided after countertops).
From a designer’s perspective, I would suggest choosing a color for the tile countertops that is very close to the color of the cabinet. Neutral tones work the best. The reason is that the division of the countertop surface due to grouts is already quite distracting. You don’t want to emphasize the countertop surface even more by choosing a color that stands out.
Here are some good examples:
The only exemption from this rule is if your tile countertop together with the backsplash creates a unified design element. In this case, you can go for vivid colors with distinct grouts.
3. Shape of the tile
As a rule of thumb, tiles that don’t overwhelm the space, work better. For example, square or hex tiles would be a better choice than rectangular ones when it comes to tile kitchen countertops. This applies to both, modern and classic-style kitchens. The reason is that the square or hex tiles offer a more homogenous less distracting pattern than the rectangular ones.
Both square and hex tiles work almost the same way. They won’t overwhelm the kitchen’s overall design, however, the hex tiles would still offer much more character and detail compared to squares.
4. Size
Choosing the right size tiles for your kitchen countertops is essential. Choosing tiles that are too small would overwhelm the space. Choosing larger tiles will have two biggest pros: they will make the space look larger, and larger tiles mean less grouts that need to be kept clean.
There is a number of great designs that I saw and they featured tiny tiles for countertops, but in reality, they do not necessarily work well because of maintenance difficulty. The kitchen countertop is a pretty busy place – moisture, food, and occasional oil splashes are the minimum to keep in mind. Each grout means the additional time needed to keep it clean.
However, this does not mean that you should necessarily go to the other extreme and tile up the kitchen with huge tiles. As a rule of thumb, 15X15cm is the size that you can safely go for.
5. Surface of the tile
When it comes to tile surface finishes for kitchen countertops, it can make or break the overall design. Take a moment and think about polished granite countertops. Outdated, huh? Now, let me surprise you by telling you that the same slab of granite countertops would look extremely modern if they got a honed or leather surface instead of a polished one.
When it comes to tiles for kitchen countertops, the surface options differ depending on whether this is a ceramic, porcelain, or natural stone tile.
Natural stone tiles mainly come in four types of finishes: polished, satin, honed, brushed, tumbled, and natural. As a rule of thumb, avoid polished stone tiles if the tile features any sort of pattern, and avoid brushed, tumbled, or natural finish altogether.
The reason is that the glossiness gives the natural stones (especially granites such as Santa Cecilia) an outdated look, and the brushed, tumbled or natural finish is just not suitable for a countertop, as it will make the cleaning duty a nightmare. Even though, you might come across to some gorgeous stone tile countertop designs that feature rough-textured finishes, such as this one:
The Socialite Family
Ceramic or porcelain tiles come in polished, glossy, matte, multi-fired, anti-slip, and textured finishes. As a rule of thumb, use polished or glossy finishes only if the tiles do not feature any sort of pattern, and avoid textured finishes due to cleaning difficulty.
Conclusion
We discussed different parameters of ceramic, porcelain, and stone tiles, and how to choose the perfect tile for your countertops. I hope, this article made the choice a little bit easier for you. Whether you go for porcelain, ceramic, or stone, remember that all of them need to be sealed properly, especially the grouts.
The grouts might not be cleaned with a single stroke of a sponge and you might need to use a brush and professional cleaning spray to clean and disinfect them.
Do not use any hard brush, such as metal – it will eventually damage the sealing and the grout, and loosen the tiles. Maintaining the kitchen countertop grouts includes yearly sealing combined with daily or weekly cleaning using a gentle brush and kitchen cleaner liquid.
