Bathroom Vanity Countertops

The bathroom vanity cabinets are important but the counter-tops attract the most attention. As shown in the adjacent photo, a counter top is the head of a bathroom vanity and it sits on top of the cabinet. It is the most noticed part of the bathroom vanity and hence the choice of the countertop would go a long way in setting up an attractive bathroom vanity. The countertop could well be the heaviest part of the bathroom vanity especially when made out of stone, it becomes pertinent then to have the base material of the cabinet strong enough to handle the load of the countertop. The countertop you choose for your bathroom vanity should either beld with the color of the cabinet or be a total contrast (usually in contemporary bathroom vanity style). For example a orange painted plywood bathroom vanity cabinet would go well with a pure white ceramic countertop, whereas a desert sand colored granite stone would go well with a wooden or brown colored cabinet. There is a tendency to spend more on the countertop than on the bathroom vanity cabinet per se, this is a logical more due to the fact that the coutertop would be the most evident feature of the vanity while standing. Counter-tops are available in several designs and materials, the main among them are

• Stone countertop
• Wooden countertop
• Glass countertop
• Ceramic countertop
• Stainless steel countertop

Lets take a look at each of them

Bathroom vanity with stone countertops

Voted the best material for countertops with respect to style and performance, the stone counter-tops give a very plush look to a wooden cabinet base on a bathroom vanity. Usually slate, granite, travertine, onyx, alabaster, limestone or marble stones are used to build the counter-tops. Most of these stone are not 100% natural, for example the granite which would act as the counter-top would not be 100% granite but would have certain chemicals added to it to make it less porous. Granite in its natural state is highly porous and so would not be suited for high moisture atmospheres like the bathroom. Marble on the other hand is highly dense and so is very less porous compared to natural granite. Green marbles are used on several bathroom vanities as counter-top material. Natural stone counter tops require taking care of, if maintained properly they will last long and would be extremely beautifying. Slate stone and granites of various kinds look spectacular as counter tops. Check up with the dealer of the bathroom vanity if the stone counter tops are well sealed. Most natural stones require a sealer (chemicals to reduce porosity) to be applied on periodic basis may be once in a year or so. The sealers perform the job of reducing the porosity of the stones by filling the gaps in the crystal structure. All stone are porous, the degree of porosity varies between stones, and they all require a sealing process to be performed before being subjected to a high moisture environment. There are several precautions you need to take while working with stone counter-tops as they are calcite stones. Calcite has the tendency to chemical react with several sprays and soaps so be careful not to spill perfume, liquid soap, glass cleaner, ceramic cleaner etc on to the stone. If you do spill it accidentally make sure you blot it out (don't rub it) using a blotting paper, tissue or soft cloth. Not all chemicals are reactive to stones, there are several glass cleaners and floor cleaners available which are stone safe. You can use these around your stone counter-tops of your bathroom vanity. You can also go for the quartz composite stone (mixed with colored pebbles and polymers), though its not natural it gives a great look. Stones usually sell at 50-100$ per square foot.

Bathroom vanity wooden countertops

Wooden countertops are very elegant and provide a soothing effect in your bathroom. Oak, cherry, pine, maple and even mahogany are used on countertops. The wooden surfaces require additional care in a high moisture environment. A good quality laminate is usually painted on top of the wood on a bathroom vanity to prevent moisture absorption. The laminate coat would need to be reapplied on periodic basis around once a year or so. With wooden surfaces it is important to be careful with hot water or hot objects being place atop them. There is also a tendency for damage due to soft structure, but a wooden countertop well maintained will last long and is extremely elegant on a bathroom vanity. Whether you are looking for the antique look or a pristine traditional feel, wooden countertops would be a good choice. Most traditional bathroom vanities use wooden countertops to match their antique look.

Bathroom vanity glass countertops

The concept of having a glass countertop installed over a wooden, metal or glass cabinet, is gaining popularity. Glass as a material provides several advantages as a bathroom material. When you look a glass countertop bathroom vanity the main advantage comes from the fact that glass is resistant to moisture. Moisture seepage on a glass surface is nil and tempered glass is heat resistant. Placing a vessel type sink over a glass countertop would be ideal. If you are looking to undermount a sink it would ideal to have a plastic laminate sink or a glass sink. The vessel sink looks stylish atop a glass countertop. Tempered glass is made to be durable and hence this material is long lasting. You would have the least of maintenance issues with a glass countertop bathroom vanity. If you go in for a ready to assemble type of bathroom vanity then installing a glass countertop is easily done. Glass counter tops look very stylish on a small bathroom vanity also, a bathroom vanity less than 30 inches would have spacious look when it is mounted with a glass countertop. There is an illusion of more space and light when you have a glass bathroom vanity installed, there reason is the light reflection and transperency property of the glass.

Ceramic countertops on bathroom vanities

Ceramic tiled countertops are high utility. Ceramic is one of the best material to use in a high moisture environment, that's the reason why most bathroom floor are lined with ceramic tiles. Ceramic tiled bathroom vanities are quite cheap compared to their wooden or stone counterparts. Ceramic countertops on bathroom vanities are low maintenance and long lasting. You don't need to go for a white tiled ceramic, instead go for different bold colors like black, orange or blue. The right choice of color can make a ceramic countertop look distinctly glamorous on your bathroom vanity. There can be dirt accumulation problem at the seams of the tiles, it is important to regularly wash the tiles to keep them looking bright. You can go in for longer tiles to short tiles as they are easy to clean and maintain. Ceramic is a very durable material and hence is the most used material in most bathroom accessories.

Stainless steel countertops on bathroom vanities

This genre of countertops is highly contemporary. There a several design of bathroom vanities with a wooden cabinet mounted with a stainless steel countertop. Stain less steel is chemical resistant and you can freely use any type of cleaner on it (including a bleach agent) without disfiguring it by any measure. Stainless steel mounted on top of a wooden base will ensure that there is no vibration or noise. Bathroom vanities with stainless steel countertops may work to be as expensive as their wooden or stone counterparts. Stainless steel also provides for long life and low maintenance. Stainless steel countertops go well with steel faucets and are light weight so it's easy to install. It might be a better option to use stainless steel countertops for your kitchen cabinets and go for ceramic, wooden or stone countertops for your bathroom, because they look more elegant. Using a stainless steel vessel sink or frame sink looks more stylish than to use a stainless steel countertop on a bathroom vanity. Stail steel is extremely durable and resistant to moisture, it makes for a good material to be used for bathroom cabinets. You can go in for a stainless steel bathroom vanity cabinet and a glass countertop giving it a teapoy look.