Modern kitchen worktops are designed by interior

Kitchen Worktops or Countertops or Kitchen benches are the names given to work-tables used in the kitchen in different parts of the western world. Kitchen worktops allow the user or the cook to stand and perform all the coking activities which is much better than squatting on the floor and getting up whenever you need something.

Dimensions of Kitchen Worktops

The horizontal table-top is at a height that is most convenient and comfortable for the user to stand and cook and is usually 35 to 36 inches from the floor. This is the ergonomic or ideal height at which kitchen worktops are constructed. This height can vary if the user is particularly tall or very short. The other dimension like width is also standardized and is usually 25 to 26 inches.

Materials used for Kitchen Worktops

There is a wide variety of material available in the market to make kitchen worktops.

Those who prefer natural stone can use marble, granite, limestone, slate, soapstone or gabbro. Most stones are available in different colours or have streaks on them which make good design. Most stones after being quarried can be cut into slabs of thickness of our choice. Most stones also can be polished and cut and smoothened as per requirement. Quartz which is a silicate mineral is a material of choice for kitchen worktops.

Wood is also a versatile material and can be customized and used as required but it has its own drawbacks. It can be scarred by sharp knives and also by be scorched by very hot ovens or stoves. Wood can also catch fire. An ill maintained wood worktop is dangerous hygienically as well as aesthetically.

Metals such as stainless steel, copper, aluminium are used to clad kitchen worktops in commercial hospitals, restaurants and food manufacturing units. These metals are the materials of choice in these locations because they can be easily disinfected and are durable.

Synthetic or man-made materials are also popular options. Pre and post-formed countertops are made of composite layers of materials which are fused together by means of heat and pressure. These are mostly different kinds of plastics. Most of these kitchen worktops are mass produced in a factory and are available in standard dimensions. These are available in many colours, patterns and textures. Since they are mass-produced these are the cheapest alternatives.

Glass, cement concrete, ceramic tiles are other materials that can be used to make kitchen worktops.