Ceramic Kitchen Countertops

All of us probably have a variety of ceramic items that we have placed in strategic places throughout our Washington DC homes in order to add splashes of color and interest. We have vases, statues, dishes, mugs and even Christmas ornaments. However, did you know that ceramic can also be molded into tiles that can be used to create an inexpensive kitchen countertop?

The cost of a ceramic kitchen countertop is around $10 per square foot. This extremely affordable price makes it very attractive to many people who want to remodel their kitchen on a limited budget. Ceramic tiles are available in a vast variety of colors and designs; your choices are unlimited. Some people even pick out colors to match their floor pattern.

A ceramic kitchen countertop is probably the only countertop material that does not require professional installation. The important thing to remember is that ceramic wall and floor tiles are not suitable for kitchen countertop installations. You must use ceramic tiles that have been especially formatted for kitchen countertops. Ceramic tile countertops have many positive features. Kitchen ceramic tiles are fire and scratch resistant. The face of ceramic tile is very easy to wipe clean. However, kitchen ceramic tiles have a few negative aspects to them also. Even though the face of the tile is easy to clean, the surrounding grout is another matter. Small particles of food and bread crumbs that are trapped on the grout line can be a constant source of irritation. Some tiles may crack if a heavy object is dropped on them. The underlayment of grout, as well as the grout surrounding each individual ceramic tile, must be properly waterproofed or sealed to prevent moisture from leaking through the tiles, thus causing great damage.

Consequently, installing a ceramic countertop is inexpensive but it also can become very expensive if it has not been properly sealed.