The 6 Most Popular Countertop Materials in the Philippines
The Kitchen is the heart of every home. It’s where we prepare our meals and, at the same time, share stories with family and friends. It’s where we begin most of our days—be it with a cup of coffee or a bowl of cereal. Hence, it is essential to have a well-designed kitchen that fits our family’s lifestyle.
However, during kitchen remodeling, most of us tend to focus on our kitchen layout, appliances, and cabinetry. We often overlook the most utilized fixture in this space, our Countertop.
Frequently used, abused, and sometimes misused, our kitchen countertop takes a daily beating in a place prone to messy moments.
Cut, slice, and dice. Name it, and your countertop will bear it.
Every day, it endures all sorts of spills and drips during meal preps. It weathers the extreme heat from hot pots and pans straight from the hob. And to top it off, it gets soaked and splashed when were doing our dishes.
Hence, we can’t stress enough how vital it is to own a reliable countertop for the most passionate home cooks and cleaners.
Apart from its everyday function, your countertop is an integral part of your interior. It makes a great focal point inside the kitchen. It can set the tone for the overall aesthetic of the room.
Whether you want a trendy industrial vibe or a cozy rustic farmhouse, your countertop can be a blank canvas for bringing life to your dream kitchen.
Now that we’ve established the importance of form and function, let’s explore the pros and cons of the most common countertop materials here in the Philippines:
Table of Contents
1. Granite
Average Price: Php 1,800 per sqm. to Php 5,500 per sqm.
One of the most Popular Countertop Materials globally, granites were once only found inside high-end kitchens of the most luxurious homes. Today, it’s widely used by architects and interior designers, primarily for kitchen counters.
Natural and resin-free, granite countertops bring warmth and beauty inside the kitchen. It has a unique appearance that adds an exclusive touch to your kitchen’s design. No two slabs will ever look the same.
Apart from appearance, granite countertops are highly durable. It can even outlive your entire house itself. It resists heat, scratches, and sudden impact, making it an ideal countertop for most busy kitchens.
Advantages
- 100% Natural
- Has a Unique Appearance
- Unlimited Color and Pattern Combinations
- Works Well in any Kitchen Style
- Highly Durable
- Resists Chipping, Cracking, and Scratches
- Heat-resistant
- Can be used Outdoors
- Easy to Maintain
- Easy to Repair
- Provides a Lifetime of Service
- Cost-effective
- Increases Your Home's Resale Value
- Can de Downcycled
Disadvantages
- Has Natural Imperfections (Pits, Cracks, Etc.)
- Inconsistent Appearance
- May Look Outdated
- Visible Seams
- Porous (Some, but not all)
- Difficult to Replace
- Expensive
- Requires Professional Installers
- Feels Cold to Touch
- May Require Additional Structural Support
Curious to know how much will your counter cost?
2. Marble
Average Price: Php 8,000 per sqm.
Marble is elegance and sophistication combined. It’s the preferred finishing material of most high-end homes, five-star hotels, and exotic palaces.
Its shades of white, black, pink, red, brown, and green evoke pure luxury, while its contrasting veins add allure and refinement.
Its heat-resistant property makes it an ideal surface for baking and candy-making.
However, for all its elegant beauty, marble requires a little more care and maintenance to keep it looking new.
Marble countertops require regular sealing to protect them from staining. Moreover, you need to keep them away from acids, such as red wine and juice, to prevent etching.
While every slab brings a unique charm, this natural stone can easily be chipped, scratched, and cracked when neglected.
However, this does not mean that marble countertops aren’t suitable for the kitchen. It only means you need to add a little more care to your counter.
Among all other countertop materials, marble is the most beautiful. If you love its look and think you can handle the extra upkeep required, you don’t have to think twice about having it in your kitchen.
Advantages
- 100% Natural
- Unique Appearance
- Unlimited Color and Pattern Combinations
- Provides an Upscale Look
- Works Well in any Kitchen Style
- Heat-resistant
- Increases Your Home's Resale Value
- Ideal for Baking and Candy-making
Disadvantages
- Has Natural Imperfections (Pits, Cracks, Etc.)
- Inconsistent Appearance
- Visible Seams
- Porous (Requires Sealing)
- Susceptible to Etching
- Vulnerable to Harsh Chemicals
- Can Chip, Crack, or be Scratched Easily
- Requires Extra Care and Maintenance
- Very Expensive
- Requires Professional Installers
- Feels Cold to Touch
- May Require Additional Structural Support
The Parthenon without the marbles is like a smile with a tooth missing.
3. Quartz
Average Price: Php 5,000 per sqm. to Php 15,000 per sqm.
Engineered Quartz is a mixture of stone aggregates and industrial materials (like ceramic and glass) combined with polyester resin.
It is available in a broad range of designs, but the most common ones are:
- Solid Colors
- Monotones with Silver Flecks
- Marble-like Slabs
As an artificial product, slabs of the same design will have a uniform appearance. It offers a consistency that is impossible to find in any granite or quartz.
However, their appearance, especially those that mimic marble, doesn’t have the visual depth of the natural stone. Often it looks fake and cheap, especially when poorly made.
Engineered quartz is an incredibly non-porous surface. Its surface is impenetrable by liquids, making it an ideal countertop material for household kitchens.
Like natural granite, quartz countertops are highly durable. They don’t chip, crack, or scratch easily, unless done intentionally. If you’ve always wanted a marble counter in your kitchen but are hesitant because of its upkeep, then you should consider getting marble-like quartz instead.
Unfortunately, due to its resin component, engineered quartz also has drawbacks.
First, quartz countertops will “yellow” when exposed to direct sunlight. As such, their applications are limited to indoor use only.
Second, it is susceptible to extreme heat. Thus, it would be best to never put hot pots and pans directly on a quartz counter. Always use a trivet or hot pad to avoid warping or scorching your quartz surface.
Overall, engineered quartz is an excellent countertop material if you’re looking for a highly-functional surface with an aesthetically-pleasing design.
Advantages
- Consistent Appearance
- Broad Range of Designs
- Works Well in any Kitchen Style
- Hygienic
- Non-porous (Does not Require Sealing)
- Highly Durable
- Resists Chipping, Cracking, and Scratches
- Easy to Maintain
- Easy to Repair
- Provides a Lifetime of Service
- Cost-effective
- Can be Downcycled
Disadvantages
- Man-made
- Lacks the Visual Depth of Natural Stones
- Visible Seams
- Susceptible to Heat
- Discolors under Prolonged Direct Sunlight
