What's the Best Material for Outdoor Worktop?
Creating functional outside areas entails more than just planning a specific layout. Outdoor worktop surfaces often form the core of these plans, allowing designers to bring the indoors outside with easy to use elements where they can effortlessly prepare and serve food from. This is why choosing the best exterior worktop material is so important: you need to consider the benefits of each material, as well as the specific look you are aiming to create.
In this article, we highlight which materials are ideal to use for your designs, as well as which characteristics are key to ensure you create the best possible design.
Outdoor kitchen worktops: essential qualities
Outdoor kitchens require materials with specific characteristics, including durability, UV and stain resistance. Also, these items must adapt easily to temperature changes and be low maintenance. Furthermore, they must maintain colours for longer and not fade easily.
Keeping these qualities in mind will ensure that you choose the right project materials that will provide longevity.
Different choices for outdoor kitchen materials
Not all materials are perfectly suited for outdoor use. For instance, using traditional quartz worktops outdoors is not ideal as these elements can easily fade or be damaged due to sun exposure.
Here are some popular choices for outdoor kitchen materials:
- Granite: Granite offers a distinct natural effect to surfaces. It is durable and good stain resistant, and is available in several colour options. However, it can be prone to staining if not properly sealed.
- Concrete: Waterproof and sturdy, this material offers heat resistance and is weather resistant as well. However, it is not inherently waterproof and may require sealing. It can also be prone to cracking over time due to environmental stress.
- Soapstone: Being heat resistant is a key characteristic that makes soapstone stand out as a material for outdoor worktop designs. That said, it can scratch relatively easily and develop a worn effect.
- Marble: Marble offers a beautiful aesthetic, but you must remember that this material must be sealed to ensure water does not penetrate easily through the surface. When sealed, it offers durability and will maintain its beautiful character for longer. Even when sealed, marble remains sensitive to acidic substances, which can etch the surface
- Porcelain: Porcelain offers strength, durability and versatility, making it the best choice for outdoor layouts. Large outdoor porcelain slabs can be used to get different effects for your worktop designs, such as granite and concrete effects, without maintenance.
Porcelain slabs: the best solution for outdoor kitchen worktops
Both porcelain slabs and large format tiles offer great solutions as outdoor worktop materials.
Large format porcelain surfaces are some of the best materials for outdoor worktop designs. They are durable, UV-resistant, offer stain and heat resistance, and are easy to clean and maintain. Another reason why porcelain slabs are some of the best worktop materials for outdoor kitchens is that they can easily withstand outdoor elements. This means that your stunning porcelain kitchen worktops will not lose their beautiful aesthetic.
What certainly counts in slabs’ favor is that they have a smooth, sleek look with minimal grout lines. If you are designing large outdoor kitchens, slabs can also help you cover bigger surfaces with ease. Large tiles, of course, also come with the benefit of fewer grout lines, so consider the bulk of outdoor kitchen materials you would need for a project and whether you need to opt for tiles or slabs.
Now, let’s look at some of the effects you can create with porcelain materials.
Concrete effect outdoor worktops
Concrete effect worktops, made from porcelain stoneware, are great option for minimalist, classic outdoor kitchens. Their solid block colours make it easy to create exceptional design flow, as well as to make patios feel even more spacious.
Marble effect outdoor worktops
Beautiful marble effect worktops instantly give outdoor areas a chic, elegant look and feel. Thanks to these porcelain slabs being durable and low maintenance, they will not be ruined when exposed to weather elements.
Metal effect outdoor worktops
Looking for an industrial style material option for your outdoor kitchen design? Metal effect porcelain outdoor worktops are perfect for this goal. They perfectly match black faucets and other cooking elements, allowing you to create an edgy result.
Stone effect outdoor worktops
Match outdoor stone steps and floors with beautiful outdoor stone effect porcelain worktops. Durable and with a classic look, these surfaces make it easy to maintain a uniform look for outdoor surfaces.
Discover how Atlas Plan provides perfect outdoor kitchen ideas!
