The best material for bathroom countertops

Overwhelmed by choice when looking for the best material for bathroom countertops? We’ve all been there and it’s easy to see why. With more choice than ever before, it’s easy to get lost in the world that is countertop materials.

The bathroom countertop is arguably one of the main focal points of the room and can help to tie everything together. But it’s not all about just looking good. The bathroom countertop needs to not only be stylish, but serve a purpose and withstand the daily wear and tear from water, makeup, and cleaning products.

We’ve researched the best material for bathroom countertops to curate this easy guide to help you to discover your new bathroom countertop material.

How to choose the best bathroom countertop material

Finding a bathroom countertop material that ticks all the boxes is fairly simple. Bathrooms are constantly exposed to moisture and bacteria, so be sure to choose a material that’s non-porous, easy to clean, and durable. With these 3 qualities alone, you can be assured you’ll have one of the best bathroom countertops that will last years.

So you’ve chosen your ideal countertop with the key qualities mentioned, the next big consideration is budget. You can spend as little as $5 per quare foot, or as much as $200 per square foot for the material itself, plus the installation costs, which typically range from $15-$30 per square foot depending on how difficult the material is to install.

With plenty of materials and thousands of colors and patterns, the style of countertop falls down to personal preference, so go as plain or as wild as you please.

Bathroom countertop materials

Let’s explore some of the most common surface types to find the right countertop material for your bathroom.

Laminate

Laminate countertops are composed of resin soaked kraft paper glued onto particle board, making it a great option for cleaning and maintenance. This budget friendly material provides plenty of style options to choose from. However, being an affordable option, laminate typically has a shorter lifespan when it comes to durability. We’d recommendthis material as a temporary fix or a budget friendly option.

Cost per quare foot: $10 – $50

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Non-porous (however, water may get into the particle board via the seams)
• Stain resistant
• Lots of patterns and colors to choose from

Cons

• Not heat-resistant
• Not scratch resistant
• Cant be refinished if it gets damaged

Quartz

Quartz is a man-made material made from around 90% stone and 10% resin. It’s natural and luxurious look, combined with its superb durability, makes it highly sought after among designers and is commonly regarded as the best material for bathroom countertops.

Not to be confused with its cousin, quartzite, quartz is non-porous, making it the ideal material for bathroom countertops.

Cost per quare foot: $60 – $150

Pros

• Scratch resistant
• Non-porous and doesn’t require sealing
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Resilient to stains
• Heat-resistant
• Lots of colors and patterns

Cons

• Expensive
• Not as heat-resistant as concrete or granite

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tiles are a great choice for those who want a budget friendly option, or want to play around with the unlimited tile and grout combinations available.

Made from clay and other natural materials, ceramic tiles are durable, non-porous and heat resistant. The big downfall for ceramic tiles is that they can be a little tricky to maintain due to grout being easily stained.

Cost per quare foot: $5 – $40

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Non-porous and doesn’t require sealing
• Heat-resistant
• Easy to repair/replace tiles and grout
• Unlimited options with plenty of shapes, sizes, colors, patterns, and textures of tile to pair with different grout colors.

Cons

• Harder to clean and maintain due to grout being prone to staining
• More easily chipped and cracked than other materials

Concrete

Concrete countertops have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. With their versatile look and heat resistance property, it makes for the ideal countertop for those with an industrial decor vibe.

While it may be tempting to take the plunge for a concrete countertop it’s worth considering the sacrifices that come with this trending material. Unfortunately this industrial material comes with a longer installation period due to the additional time needed for it to set. Meaning, this countertop will often come paired with a hefty price tag. For design choices you’ll still have some flexibility with lighter and darker shades, but you’ll be losing the abundance of style options that alternative countertop materials bring.

Cost per quare foot: $40 – $120

Pros

• Heat-resistant

Cons

• Porous and requires sealing to prevent stains
• Fairly expensive
• Can take a while to install as concrete needs to be moulded and takes time to set
• Difficult to repair if damaged
• Limited design choices

Solid surface

Solid surface is another trending bathroom counterop material. This man-made material is composed of a blend of natural minerals, acrylic, and polyester resins. The result is a sleek design and soft finish, often resembling stone. If you’re on the hunt for a stain-resistant, easy-to-clean countertop then we’d recommend a solid surface thanks to it’s non-porous quality.

Cost per quare foot: $30 – $80

Pros

• Easy to clean and maintain
• Stain resistant
• Non-porous and doesn’t require sealing

Cons

• Not scratch resistant. However, it can be sanded and buffed if the scratch isn’t too deep.
• Some may have a cheaper feel
• Not heat-resistant

Glass

Similarly to quartz, glass has all the right qualities to be the best material for bathroom countertops. Thanks to it’s reflective nature, it’s a sure winner to make your space feel bright and open, while being easy to clean and heat-resistant.

When it comes to glass countertops the benefits certainly outweigh the negatives but they’re worth considering before hunkering down on your decision. The main downside being it’s more prone to scratches and chips, however with light day to day use this likely won’t prove to be a problem.

Cost per quare foot: $50 – $120

Pros

• Easy to clean
• Stain resistant
• Non-porous
• Heat-resistant

Cons

• Prone to scratches and chips
• Fingerprints and streaks are easily visible
• Limited design choices
• Can be expensive

Wood

Wood brings a natural and earthy feel to your bathroom whilst still keeping with the times. With a variety of different species to choose from, you’ll have no problems finding the right look for your bathroom. Whilst there are thousands of different species to choose from, not all of them make for good countertops materials and come with their own pros and cons. White oak is a great choice for a bathroom countertop as its known for being naturally resistant to moisture.

Cost per quare foot: $50 – $150

Pros

• Easy to install
• Plenty of choice with different species
• Can be repurposed

Cons

• Porous and requires sealing and maintaining
• Easily scratches
• Not heat-resistant

Granite

Granite is a naturally occurring stone and is a popular choice for bathroom countertops due to its natural beauty and durability. Whilst scratch and heat resistant, it does need to be sealed to avoid staining. Granite is widely available with plenty of choice when it comes to colors and patterns.

Cost per quare foot: $40 – $100

Pros

• Heat-resistant
• Scratch resistant
• Wide range of colors and patterns
• Easy to clean (once sealed)

Cons

• Porous and requires sealing
• Expensive
• Repairs are expensive and won’t be a perfect match

Marble

Marble is a natural stone that is often unmatched by any other real stone in terms of beauty. With its luxurious look and natural veining, marble adds an elegant touch to any bathroom.

Marble does come with some downsides however. Its’ a relatively high maintenance material that scratches easily and requires sealing to avoid stains. But these minor downsides aren’t enough to deter most people and this countertop choice remains a favorite material among homeowners.

Cost per quare foot: $40 – $100

Pros

• Heat-resistant
• Easy to clean once sealed
• Lots of patterns and colors

Cons

• Porous and requires sealing to be stain resistant
• High maintenance
• Easily scratched
• Expensive

Porcelain

Porcelain is often overlooked when it comes to bathroom countertops. When selecting our countertop material most of us think of the main contenders such as marble, quartz and granite. But porcelain is actually almost as durable and solid as quartz. Made from a number of materials, including clay, feldspar, and silica, it makes for an incredibly strong and translucent material.

With it’s glossy, natural look, it’s a perfect choice for bathrooms due to its durability. And being non-porous, means it’s stain and water resistant.

Cost per quare foot: $40 – $100

Pros

• Scratch resistant
• Non-porous and doesn’t require sealing
• Stain resistant
• Easy to clean and maintain
• Heat-resistant
• Plenty of design choices

Cons

• Expensive

Soapstone

Soapstone is a durable, naturally occurring stone made from steatite. It has a natural look and is commonly available in darker shades of gray. Due to being naturally non porous, soapstone is becoming more popular in bathrooms. It’s also comparatively low maintenance, although will require oiling when the appearance starts to darken.

Cost per quare foot: $60 – $120

Pros

• Heat-resistant
• Non-porous and doesn’t require sealing
• Stain resistant
• Unlikely to crack

Cons

• High maintenance, requires regular oiling to maintain its look
• Limited color options
• Scratches more easily than other stone material

Quartzite

Quartzite is an incredibly dense stone formed from quartz sandstone. Similar to marble it has a natural look. Whilst Quartzite is just as elegant and beautiful as marble, it’s a harder stone that’s more durable and less likely to crack or scratch. Besides the high price tag, the only other downfall to this material is that it requires sealing to be stain resistant. For many of the benefits of quartzite but fewer negatives, Quartz is a great alternative that gives a similar look without needing to be sealed.

Cost per quare foot: $80 – $200

Pros

• Heat-resistant
• Scratch resistant

Cons

• Porous and requires sealing to be stain resistant
• Not main color options
• Although durable, not easily repaired
• Expensive

What is the best material for bathroom countertops?

With everything considered, the best bathroom countertop material that stands out the most is quartz. It’s a great all-rounder and offers fantastic functionality and style, with the only trad-eoff being the price. That being said, if you look after this luxury material properly, it could have a lifespan of several decades.

Bathroom countertop design considerations

Countertop thickness

It’s common for most stone slabs to have a thickness of 2cm (¾”) – 3cm (1 ¼”). The thicker the slab, the more durable it will be, but keep in mind the more material you use, the more expensive it will be.

Countertop corners and edges

When it comes to corners, you generally have two approaches; rounded or square corners. Rounded corners give a softer look, and are less likely to cause or take damage. Square edges give a more aggressive and modern look, but are more likely to be chipped or cracked.

There are also a number of different styles when it comes to countertop edges such as bevel, dupont and bull nose. Again, a rounder edge is less likely to damage, whilst those sharper and thinner edges such as knife and cove ogee can be more prone to chip and crack.

Countertop overhang

For the front of the countertop facing the room, add an overhang of 1-1¼”. For the sides of the countertop, a ¼” overhang is ideal.

Integrated sinks

For a minimal and clean look, you can choose to have an integrated sink of the same material as the bathroom countertop. Just keep in mind that whilst the matching sinks are a great statement piece, they can be very expensive to install, and repair.

Countertop back splash

Using the same material as your countertop, add a 4-inch strip on the wall to connect the countertop to the wall. Typically, a back splash of the same material would be used with stone and solid surface. For other materials including wood, glass and tile, a tile black splash is the go-to option.

For more bathroom ideas and tips, check out our related posts.

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