Kitchen countertops are built on many expectations:

• Resistance to heat and scratches
• Stain-proof
• Durability

Not to mention, aesthetically attractive and budget-friendliness are two other additions that help decide the course for choosing the right fit for your kitchen countertops.

Here’s where it gets even better – the Kalinga Stone ticks off all the items from the above checklist.

While amplifying your lifestyle quotient, it commands the top spot for low-maintenance and modernity. No wonder it became the trendiest choice for Indian kitchens, apart from being an absolute favourite among architects and designers.

The rest of the article will explain everything you need to know about Kalinga Stone and Kalinga Quartz.

• The reason behind Indians opting for Marble and quartz
• When and how to use Kalinga stone in Indian kitchens
• Pricing of marble and quartz

Why use Kalinga stone marble and quartz in Indian kitchens?

Selecting the appropriate material for the kitchen countertop defines your dream space that coincides with your interests. However, striking the perfect balance between a functional and elegant kitchen is equally important.

Marble and quartz are two stone ranges from Kalinga that bring consistency, durability, and aesthetic appeal. Here’s how the two ranges make an ideal addition to your sacred place.

Kalinga stone marble

Source: Pinterest

Strongly inspired by Italian marble, the Kalinga marble range offers better durability and usability. The combination of patterns and series of natural marble with specialised engineering makes Kalinga marble more consistent with Indian kitchens.

Here’s the kicker. Sourcing and installing Kalinga marble can help you save costs compared to natural marble.

Kalinga stone marble: Natural aggregates

Indian kitchens have had a long love affair with heavy cooking. And serious cooking needs a solid foundation like Kalinga stone marble, which has the toughness required to resist stains. Compared to regular marble, Kalinga accentuates the resistance to damage with its natural aggregates of resins and binders.

Kalinga stone marble: Low porosity

Kitchens are also prone to many spills and breaks, making stone marble a suitable option due to its porosity levels. Why? Low porosity is an essential criterion that makes marble less absorbent of water and liquids. Eventually, it makes it easier and quicker to wipe off the stains, leaks, and spills.

Kalinga stone marble: Upscale look

Kalinga stone marble consists of veined patterns, providing a lavish design and luxurious feel. Moreover, it gives you the option to choose from over 150 designs and shades. And get this: natural marble lacks uniformity in colours, sizes, and patterns because they are not engineered. However, this is not the case with Kalinga marble, making it cost-effective in the long run.

Kalinga quartz

Source: Pinterest

The quartz range of Kalinga has the sustainability and eco-friendly edge that makes it a go-to option for many Indian architects. Made with recycles of granules, colours, and resins – quartz has the graciousness to throw off that natural stone look and feel.

Kalinga quartz: Stronger resistance

It contains approximately 94% of the most potent natural mineral found in the earth – ground quartz. The resins are a significant ingredient of quartz, which makes the countertops resistant to stain and scratches. It doesn’t remain porous when mixed with resin, making it an ideal option for a bustling Indian kitchen.

Kalinga quartz: Alluring appeal

The non-porous nature of Kalinga quartz also eliminates the need to seal them, giving quartz an edge over granite that needs a protective cover once a year. Ultimately, it allows manufacturers to enhance the appeal by adding slabs with multiple hues, swirls, dots and patterns.

Kalinga quartz: Antibacterial

The antibacterial properties of quartz give two-fold advantages. 

• Grease and dirt can not penetrate the material
• It helps maintain hygiene levels.

Consequently, it is easier to clean quartz, saving valuable time, money, and effort.

When and how to use Kalinga stone?

Marble is a delicate material that liquid stains can easily damage. Hence, it requires a professional sealant to cover the stone’s surface to avoid liquid staining upon installation. White marble is a more practical choice for kitchen countertops because acid etching leaves a light trace of white on coloured marble.

Source: Pinterest

Consider the location

Picking out stone countertops can be an art. Every slab is different, and you want to find the exact piece that will look best for your counters. It’s essential to account for how the markings look when placed according to your kitchen. You’ll want to select pieces that complement one another and match your tastes.

Notice the viewing patterns

Nowadays, you can use different ways to finish a stone, for example, different brushing and polishing techniques. In every quarry, the processes will be a bit different. More than ever, marble can be finished in several ways. Cross-cut or fleuri cut results in stone slabs with an open flower pattern, and vein cut, or striato, creates a linear striped pattern.

Adding curves to the edges

Today, marble applications are for more than just decoration. It’s easy to work with, and the addition of computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines makes it even easier. The possibilities are endless with marble; you can engrave the edge of a white marble kitchen countertop with any pattern you want. While the polished marble can make etching visible on the surface, honed marble disguises it.

Differentiate between fissures and cracks

Marble can have either cracks, fissures, or seams. Cracks are the most common type of injury to marble, while fissures are a natural occurrence in the stone that does not change the marble’s surface. You can identify a fissure while sliding your nail across it without catching on the surface. Seams are not usually visible in the stone, but they occur while joining two hunks of marble together.

Authenticity and maintenance

When finishing marble countertops, it’s vital to seal the surface with a penetrating sealer. Otherwise, it will be susceptible to acid etching and require more care. However, if it’s a honed surface, you can usually scrub off the etch mark. On the other hand, If it’s a polished surface, you’ll need different abrasives and technical skills to remove the etch marks.

What is the pricing range for Kalinga stone and Kalinga quartz?

Kitchen countertops are a vital part of the kitchen, and they need to be in a style that you enjoy. Hence, it is equally crucial to note that the layout of your kitchen plays a significant role when deciding the price range. Thus, Kalinga stone prices depend on parallel, U-shaped, and L-shaped kitchens.

In the past, granite was the only material for countertops. Durable and heat-resistant, it was a cost-effective solution. Today, this is no longer the case. Granite is still a good and cost-effective solution, but it also has disadvantages. On the other hand, Kalinga stone has antimicrobial properties, higher durability and is food-grade certified. Not only that, but its aesthetic beauty makes it a clear winner over granite.

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