Stainless Steel Countertops

For a more professional look and an easy surface to clean one should consider the advantages of a stainless steel kitchen countertop. Using stainless steel for the work surfaces in your home gives you the same advantages that make it the number one choice in restaurants. For a start, stainless steel is a neutral color and will blend with and compliment almost any decor. You can even match your countertops with a stainless steel microwave for that integrated look. Stainless steel countertops are non porous and therefore inhibit any bacterial growth for a more sanitary work surface.

Stainless steel kitchen countertops can withstand any extreme of heat or cold that your kitchen may create without dulling or staining the surface. Probably the greatest danger of damage to a stainless steel kitchen counter would be getting a dent in the surface from an impact. The stainless steel kitchen counter is easy to clean and requires only soap and water. You will have to avoid abrasive cleaners as they will mar the surface.
You can purchase do it yourself kits to smooth out and remove surface scratches in stainless steel kitchen countertops. Stainless steel can be integrated with a stainless steel sink so that it is a single unit. This makes it not only look better but avoids any small areas where dirt can collect. If you are afraid that too much steel will give your home an industrial look, you can get the backsplash panels of your stainless steel kitchen counter done in a patterned effect to offset the plain flat work surfaces.

On the down side, stainless steel kitchen countertops do show fingerprints. If you have children or don't want to be cleaning the kitchen counter all the time, you might not want to go with stainless steel. Stainless steel will dull knives if you cut on the surface of the countertop. However, there are several brushed finishes you can get for the stainless steel that minimizes their appearance. Stainless steel kitchen countertops are not cheap. Running between $100 and $200 per square foot depending on the thickness and finish of the steel, it is comparable to the granite and marble countertops in price.

The best way to avoid the noisiness of stainless steel countertops that is often encountered in restaurants and institutional kitchens is to attach the stainless steel countertop top a wooden substrate to absorb the sound from the metal. You can maintain your stainless steel motif even into the bathroom and add an integrated stainless steel sink into the countertop. This facilitates cleanup and provides a reflective surface that will brighten a small room and give it a more open appearance.