The Benefits of a Stainless Steel Kitchen Countertop

Whether you're planning a kitchen remodel or you're refreshing your existing décor, a custom stainless steel countertop can dress up the space in a contemporary way. Even a minor kitchen remodel can bump up the resale value of your home, making the cost of a new countertop worth it.

Even if you're not planning on selling your home, replacing the countertops breathes new life into a worn, dull kitchen. If you're considering stainless steel, understanding the benefits of this type of custom countertop can help make a tough decision easier.

Think about what a commercial kitchen looks like. What types of countertops would you see? Even if you've never been in a real-life commercial kitchen, chances are you've seen at least one in a movie or a reality TV cooking show.

When the pros cook, you're likely to see plenty of stainless steel around. Putting one of these countertops in your home's kitchen gives that professional look—even if you're not exactly a Top Chef-caliber cook.

There's a reason why they call it stainless steel. This material is durable and stands up to spills, splashes and messes.

Cooking isn't always clean. Having to cover your countertops just to make sure the tomato sauce you're pouring doesn't accidentally splash onto your work surface and stain it adds extra steps and time to your meal prep. Even though you aren't trying to make a mess, it happens. A stainless steel countertop provides a sense of comfort in knowing that you wouldn't ruin your custom kitchen every time you use it.

The sauce you may have splashed all over your countertop is now on the stove. It's heating up and starts to bubble. Before burning it, you grab the pot off of the stove and quickly transfer it to your countertop.

If you have a stainless steel countertop, then you really have very little to fear here. Stainless steel is fire and heat resistant, meaning it won't char, burn or warp when you put that hot pot down on it. This adds to the counter's durability factor. Unlike other materials that are less heat resistant, stainless steel will stand the test of time when it comes to real-world use.

Do you really want to spend your precious time oiling a wooden countertop or scraping goop out of a tiled counter's grout with a toothbrush? Of course not. You're looking for something that doesn't require a bucket of cleaning products and an entire afternoon to clean.

Here's where stainless steel really shines. A sponge with some warm sudsy water or a sprinkle of baking soda and vinegar will get the counter clean and keep it looking new.

Not only can you create a stylish contemporary look using stainless steel, but these countertops are also good for the planet. Beyond the benefits that stainless steel offers you directly, it's a material that's sustainable. What does that mean? Stainless steel has a long life. It's highly durable and you won't need to replace it for years. Choosing a long-lasting material means you won't have to scrap your countertops and replace it with something new. When it comes to being eco-friendly this equals less construction waste, less need to create new materials and less energy use.

Along with its long lifespan, this material is 100% recyclable, according to the Bureau of International Recycling. Stainless steel also doesn't lose any of its physical properties during the process. Instead of ending its life in a landfill somewhere, your stainless steel countertop can live on as a new recycled counter, a fixture, part of an appliance or even a piece of art.

If your kitchen renovation project includes a stainless steel countertop, contact the experts at Colonial Kitchen Fabrication & Sheet Metal for a professional, custom design.