Today, the countertop is an indispensable element of the kitchen space. Its design, of course, is important, but it is a functional element of the kitchen, so the countertop should be comfortable in the first place. For ease of use, it should be located at the optimum height suitable for the growth of the hostess, and have a practical depth.
A worktop is a kitchen surface in the form of a stove, which is mounted on the floor module and is the main working element. It is frontal and angular. Almost always angular and less often - frontal countertops involve the combination of two or more parts.
And if the front countertop has the same width of the canvas along its entire length, then the width of the angular parts can be different. For example, one part has a width of 40 cm, and the second - 60. The length of the parts can be different, and the corners can be either rounded or straight.
The main aspects when choosing a countertop
There are several fundamental principles that allow you to choose the optimal size of the countertop. It is advisable to decide on them in advance, in order to facilitate either a shopping trip or an order in a furniture salon. So, the main aspects are as follows:
- installation method,
- material features of the future countertops,
- the length, height and depth of the enclosed space ,
- comfortable use,
- aesthetic parameters (color shades, style, etc.).
Color scheme and visual space
The material from which countertops are made can affect the visual perception of their size. The color scheme can expand the space, and can make it visually narrow or short. Therefore, you need to consider the style of the kitchen when choosing a material for the countertop.
High-tech style, for example, does not impose special requirements on the material of the countertop. Glass, metal and any other surface can easily fit into it. The dimensions of the wood worktops do not affect the perception of space.
Features of material for kitchen countertops
The main parameters of the kitchen worktops are the depth (or width of the canvas), the length and thickness of the material. What sizes of countertops are considered standard? The thickness of the web, adopted as a standard, is 38 mm. The width of the canvas, depending on the material, ranges from 70 to 80 cm.
Acrylic surface
The thickness of the acrylic plate does not exceed 12 mm. Therefore, to bring the thickness of the countertops to normal (38 mm), chipboard or a plywood sheet is placed under the acrylic.
The acrylic kitchen worktop has virtually no size restrictions. A standard kitchen sheet has dimensions of 3 m by 80 cm, but you can connect them together as much as you want and as you like. Joints are processed with a special compound and become invisible. Acrylic surfaces are often confused with artificial stone countertops.
Artificial stone in the kitchen
The main plus of this surface is durability. The countertop made of artificial stone is not subjected to mechanical stress, is not afraid of moisture and high temperatures. It does not deform, the joints between the parts of the countertop are almost invisible. The standard sizes of countertops made of artificial stone at a depth of 60 cm are as follows: length - 75 cm, 80 and 240. The countertop made of artificial stone can be made up to 4 meters or more.
Chipboard kitchen surface
The technology for the production of chipboard is such that the length of the tabletop from chipboard is limited to four meters. Imported tabletops made of chipboard have standard sizes: with a width of 60 cm, length - from 3.6 to 4.1 m. Moreover, surfaces up to 3.6 m have a thickness of 28 mm, the rest - 38 mm. This indicator depends on the manufacturer. In addition, the size of the chipboard countertops is dependent on the shape. Manufacturers prefer round, square, oval and rectangular shapes of countertops. Each of them has its own standards. For example, round worktops will have a diameter of 40 to 65 cm, while square worktops will have edges from 0.65 to 0.78 m. Most of the options are possible with rectangular worktops: from 0.60 to 0.78 m with width from 0.9 to 1.18 m. The number of combinations is practically unlimited. The length of the coating from Russian-made chipboard is three meters.
The advantage of this countertop is its low cost.
On sale you can find a kitchen cover made of chipboard with a width of 80, 90 and 120 cm. Worktops made of this material are difficult to assemble. Therefore, increasing the depth or length of the countertop will be quite expensive.
Natural stone countertops
Countertops for size are usually made to order, especially if the kitchen has a non-standard layout. Natural stone coatings are 60 cm wide and 2400, 800 and 750 cm long. Natural stone worktops look good in a p-shaped or l-shaped form. Their polished sections are pleasant to the touch and pleasing to the eye.
The disadvantage of this material is one, but very significant: weight. Countertops made of natural stone weigh quite a lot, which greatly complicates their delivery and installation.
Glass kitchen surfaces
Worktops made of tempered glass, especially with a substrate pattern, look very impressive. This coating has many different shapes, colors and patterns. Usually it is possible to pick up for every taste and a purse.
Tempered glass worktops fit well into small-sized kitchens, visually expanding the space. And to give originality to the kitchen space, LED strips (multi-colored or with a soft monophonic glow) are passed under the glass surface.
Dimensions of tempered glass countertops depend on the installation and purpose. If the basis is a wooden surface, then the glass can be taken with a thickness of 5-8 mm, if there is no base, then the glass should be 15-20 mm.
Glass surfaces are made of tempered glass or triplex. This is a multilayer material in which each layer is separated by an EVA film (it melts and a single structure is obtained).
Individual comfort factors
The cooking process almost always takes a sufficient amount of time. Therefore, the kitchen worktop, in addition to the main functional purpose, should be convenient. To do this, it must be installed at a height comfortable for the hostess. It is also necessary to consider the width of the canvas.
And be sure to consider the needs of the family in kitchen assistants. Domestic appliances always need enough space for installation and cooking. In this case, the countertop should be long.
Easy-to-use cutting worktops
There are many options for placing cutting tabletops. In the large kitchen, the cutting table is a separate module. In small kitchens it is combined with a countertop. Cutting surfaces are made of:
- Postforming . It is resistant to mechanical damage, aggressive chemistry and is afraid of moisture.
- Acrylic stone. It is not afraid of water, easy to recover, but sensitive to some household chemicals.
- Natural quartz. This cover is not cheap. There are two main advantages: it is very durable and beautiful.
But the most important indicator is the size of the tabletops. Experts believe that the optimal height of this table is 85-100 cm.
Here it should be noted that due to the difference in the growth of residents of different countries in Europe, for example, 90 cm is considered the standard height for the cutting table top, in Russia this standard is 85 cm. The depth of the surface for cutting can vary from 60 to 80 cm.
DIY kitchen worktop
The manufacture of countertops in size, especially from expensive materials, begins with calculations. The surface size is easily determined by the formula:
A = B - 4, where A is the depth of the storage module, B is the depth of the countertop.
To independently cut a countertop from wall to wall, you need to know a few subtleties.
After you have decided on the height of the installed surface, you need to measure the distance from wall to wall in two places - in the corners near the wall apron and, measuring the width of the countertop, in the resulting points. These measurements will show the external and internal length of the coating. For accuracy of measurements, you need to use a corner to check the presence of a right angle between the wall with the apron and the side walls.
If the corners are really right (the inner and outer lengths must match), the countertop can be safely cut out.
Otherwise, you must use the advice of specialists.
- Draw a sketch on which to accurately indicate the size of the kitchen worktop (length, internal and external, width and angles).
- At angles (or angles) that are not 90 degrees, make a pattern. To do this, you can use any dense material (hardboard, cardboard, fiberboard, drywall, etc.). Cut a square from it, the side of which is equal to the width of the countertop. Then attach it to the installation site of the countertop. It should fit snugly to the apron, and a clearance is obtained with the second wall. It must be measured. The angle of the template, which abuts against the side wall, must be shortened by the width of the measured gap. Then check the resulting pattern: it should fit snugly against both walls of the corner.
Optimum tabletop dimensions are easy to determine
The countertop is an important functional element of the kitchen space. It should be convenient to stand or sit behind it (depending on the destination). Therefore, the dimensions of the countertops are of particular importance.
The height of the kitchen surface is determined taking into account the growth of the user. With growth below 150 cm, the height of the countertop should be 76-78 cm. If it is 160 cm tall, then the countertop should already be 80-82 cm. And with growth over 170 cm, the kitchen surface is installed at a height of 90 cm and above.
The width is selected relative to the height of the wall cabinets and the length of the countertop. With a kitchen surface width of 65 cm, the bottom of the wall module should be no higher than 50 cm from the countertop. If you do not allow a wide worktop for the dimensions of the kitchen, then you need to reduce the width of the hinged module.
The thickness of the kitchen cover varies from two to six centimeters. The most popular chipboard worktops have a standard thickness of 28 mm. Moisture resistant surfaces are 38 mm or more.