Due to how important the backsplash can be for a kitchen (it can also make or break a sale), you should always go with porcelain or ceramic tiles for it. It is a stunning feature of your kitchen, and the porcelain and ceramic tiles offer vast versatility in terms of design and colors, so you can truly customize everything to your liking.
Ceramic or porcelain tiles are very popular due to how durable and versatile they are, they are water-resistant, and they do not chip easily. So when you are choosing your backsplashes, make sure you look for the porcelain and ceramic tiles. If anything, you can forego the natural look and give some personality to your kitchen without worrying about the durability or potential wallpaper having to be replaced.
Cabinets
There are many things that will influence the durability and quality of the cabinets you are going to install in your kitchen, but the most important part is to decide what type of cabinets you will want: semi-custom or custom ones before you decide on the material. Obviously, the ones that are pre-made or come in ready to assemble packs will go easier on your budget, but they will also be of lower quality and may not last as long as you want.
There are a lot of engineered wood cabinets, such as MDF (which is smoother and denser), plywood, or particleboards, which are covered with a hardwood veneer or “thermofoil”. They are not bad and can be very durable, so if you do not want to end up spending way too much time looking for cabinets, they are all amazing choices.
Yet, the most durable material that you can ask for when it comes to kitchen cabinets is wood. They have been used for ages before engineered wood became an option and they are stunning. However, it can end up being more expensive and you have to take into consideration that you may have to paint or seal the wood or make modifications over time.
Sinks
Sinks are among the items that will get used in your kitchen no matter if it is in your nature to cook or not: you will rinse a cup or two, along with cutlery as well. So the sink needs to be durable, and be able to withstand continuous use and not corrode due to water. That is why it may come as a surprise that we are not nominating stainless steel as our most durable sink material, despite being practically indestructible.
We recommend you get a granite composite sink, as they are about the same price as a good stainless steel one but they are more durable, scratch resistant, and feel solid as a rock. Let’s be honest, the stainless-steel ones and ones made of other types of metal can feel hollow and some even flex due to how thin the martial is.
With granite composite ones, that cannot happen due to the nature of the stone. Moreover, they can be found in a number of colors, but many favor the darker one due to them being able to conceal any residue marks until you have the time to clean the sink. With how busy our lives have become, there will be times when you cannot clean the sink daily, and in time there will be stains that will remain on the steel, porcelain or enamel surfaces. Due to the nonporous surfaces and their easy to clean nature, the granite composite sinks are the best option especially if you are about to drop the same amount on a stainless steel one.
Countertops
Countertops are probably one of the biggest contenders to THE most used surface in your entire kitchen. It gets the most hits, scrapes, bangs, knife stretches, and potential scorches (please get some trivets for your pans, that way you will avoid accidentally hitting the countertop and you can prolong both the lifespan of the pan and the counter), so you know you need a material that will stand both the test of time and the immediate test of wear (if you have toddlers running around it will be a challenge).
There are a lot of beautiful countertops depending on what decorative theme you have for your kitchen: from beautiful wooden butcher blocks to spectacular quarried slabs of natural stones. Yet, none of these is as durable and long-term as the quarts material ones. They keep outperforming all the other ones on the market day after day, without any fuss.
The material is just anything you could look for: it can resist scratching, heat, and even acids, while being super strong and not needing to be sealed, like some of the others on our list! Another massive plus is that you can pick a pattern that will be indistinguishable from natural stone, or you can go for a more Avant Garde look and choose a monochromatic, minimalist shade. The world is your oyster with quartz countertops!
However, if quartz is a bit out of your budget (or does not fit in with your vision), the second-best choice would be wood (in particular cherry, maple. ash, or oak), as it is very versatile and you can even paint, seal or make any modifications you may desire to it.
Flooring
There are a lot of options for flooring when it comes to the kitchen, but some of the most durable ones are ceramic or stone tiles, Marmoleum, or hardwood. Each of them has its pros and cons, but generally, they are the ones on which you can count when it comes to choosing the best flooring for your kitchen.
Ceramic and stone tiles are very much appreciated by a lot of people for how versatile it is: it comes in a multitude of colors, sizes, and patterns so you are bound to find something that will speak to you, it is very easy to maintain and water-resistant. Between the two, ceramic is more preferred due to it being less likely to soak up water when washed, but the stone is also a really good option.
Engineered hardwood on the other hand is preferred as it is more durable than some other cheaper options such as linoleum or laminate. However, it is not as moisture resistant, especially if worn down or not treated properly, and once it soaks up water it can cause a lot of problems for you. Some people still prefer them over the cheaper options and just choose to be more careful, since if you choose something like white oak floorings, you can use it throughout the whole house (excluding bathrooms) and it would create a more cohesive and aesthetic finish.
Marmoleum is a type of material that is newer on the market, yet it is gaining a lot of traction and slowly becoming one of the ones that are appreciated and loved by buyers all across the country. It is made from linseed oil, limestone, wood flour, and jute, making it tough as nails and very eco-friendly. As with the ceramic tiles, it comes in sheets and in tile form as well, but with the same endless amount of patterns and colors to choose from.
However, what seals it in is the fact that is virtually impossible to crack, it has anti-static properties which basically repel dust and it is a dream to clean: easy and effective when it comes to cleaning, and extremely durable, if you can spare the money, Marmoleum is the best choice for kitchen flooring.
Faucets
You may have seen this one coming when we talked about the sinks, but at the same time, it may be a surprise that we ended up talking about the faucets at all. Well, if you stop to think about it, it’s not that surprising that the material from which your faucet is made is among the most important decisions you will make when remodeling a kitchen. Whether you cook or not, you will use the kitchen faucet to wash and rinse some dishes, or to wash your hands, the dog, etc.
It will be one of the most used items in your kitchen and not a lot of people give them enough attention. You will want to turn your attention towards brass faucets. Of course, a lot of people are looking at just metal faucets in general, but you must make sure they are brass. Compared to the other types of metal finish faucets (like chrome, stainless steel, bronze, etc.), brass is the most resistant to corrosion and it can take regular wear from handling and cleaning like a champ.
Brass has a lot of pros, besides being durable, like the satin finish which is sometimes dubbed as the “lifetime” finish due to being resistant to water spots and fingerprints. Whatever you choose, you have to steer clear of cheap zinc-alloy or, God forbid, plastic faucets: you are just asking for them to leak all over the place in a matter of weeks and they simply do not resist.
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