The best type of outdoor worktop for an outdoor kitchen: a guide
Contemporary gardens are multi-functional spaces we can use all year round so outdoor kitchens are becoming increasingly popular. In the past, whoever was cooking would end up stuck inside preparing food.
Today, with the right outdoor kitchen worktop installed you can ensure every member of the family is able to make optimal use of your time outdoors. With all sorts of great ideas around for how to fit an outdoor worktop into your outside space, this trend is here to stay.
If you’re thinking of installing an outdoor worktop in your garden, here’s your full guide to the best type of outdoor worktop to install in an outdoor kitchen.
The best type of outdoor worktop for an outdoor kitchen: a guide
What is an outdoor worktop?
An outdoor worktop is a worktop that’s installed in the garden to create an outdoor kitchen area. Outdoor worktops can be accompanied by all sorts of equipment including outdoor sinks, grills, barbecues, shelving and more.
It’s useful to think about how you and your family will want to use your outdoor kitchen in the years to come before you have your outdoor worktop installed.
The location of the outdoor worktop to your outdoor dining area, the kitchen inside your home and places like your next-door neighbours’ garden as well as how easy it will be to add further equipment in future, are all important things to consider.
If you don’t leave some time to give these practical considerations some thought, your outdoor worktop won’t achieve its aims because you’ll be back inside preparing the food because there’s either not enough preparation space outside, the outdoor dining area is too far away, it’s a long trek to carry heavy trays from the kitchen etc.
How to choose the best outdoor kitchen worktop
Material: For full versatility, the best type of worktop for an outdoor kitchen is granite. However that doesn’t mean quartz isn’t any good for use in outdoor kitchens, it’s just that granite leaves every option open for the design of your outdoor kitchen.
Let me explain.
Quartz worktops aren’t as good as granite for use as an outdoor kitchen worktop because a quartz outdoor worktop will need to be kept covered at all times and you won’t be able to place piping hot barbecue equipment onto the surface.
The reason for these restrictions is due to the differences in how granite and quartz worktops are made.
Quartz is engineered from quartz crystals which are hard minerals found deep in the Earth’s crust. The quartz crystals are crushed, mixed with polymer resins which act like a glue then compressed under intense heat. The new quartz produced is extremely tough and perfect for kitchen countertops.
Quartz and granite are the best two materials on the market for kitchen worktops. Quartz and granite worktops are highly resistant to scratches, stains, knocks and heat. However, you shouldn’t put boiling hot kitchenware onto a quartz countertop.
Part of the engineering process for quartz worktops involves the quartz and resins mixture being squeezed together under strong heat. That means if piping hot kitchen equipment is placed onto a quartz worktop, you could affect the internal structure of the countertop causing damage that may also be visible on your work surface.
Similarly, leaving a quartz kitchen worktop permanently outside in intense heat could affect the structure of the worktop and leave the countertop exposed to harmful UV rays which could cause some discolouration.
To avoid both types of damage, if you wanted to install a quartz outdoor countertop you would need to choose an outdoor kitchen design which would leave the worktop completely covered all year round.
Cooking in a fully covered outdoor kitchen probably isn’t what you had in mind when you decided to install an outdoor kitchen so it’s best to opt for a granite outdoor countertop.
Granite outdoor kitchen countertops are made from natural granite stone. Granite stone is a hardy type of stone, long prized for its hardwearing qualities and beautiful aesthetic. Each granite countertop is cut directly from enormous slabs of granite stone that are taken from deep in the ground.
For a worktop for use outdoors, a granite stone worktop is the perfect option. Granite is already made for the outdoors and can withstand heat so you don’t need to cover a granite outdoor worktop.
Additionally, as an organic product, the natural veining and colouring of granite stone will blend seamlessly into the natural environment of an outdoor kitchen.
Maintenance: When placed in an outdoor kitchen, an outdoor granite worktop is essentially back in its natural habitat so you don’t have to do much to keep an outdoor granite countertop in good condition.
To look after your outdoor kitchen worktop if it’s made of granite stone, clean your granite outdoor worktop in the same way you would clean a granite worktop in an indoor kitchen. Avoid harsh cleaning products using instead, a gentle washing up liquid and a soft cloth.
Browse our huge range of premium granite and quartz outdoor worktops at surprisingly affordable prices today. With our fast and efficient, tailored end to end service you can have your bespoke quartz or granite outdoor countertop installed within 5 days.
For the finest quality quartz and granite worktops at lower prices than national retailers, shop our enormous collection of worktops today or call 01924 903949