Have you ever thought about using concrete for your home's kitchen benchtop? You might immediately wonder why anyone would use this material in their home, much less in their kitchen, but concrete is becoming more popular than ever when it comes to many home surfaces, including benchtops. Note a few things to consider about using concrete for kitchen benchtops and why it can be such a good choice in your home.

Concrete does not have to look like concrete

The concrete of your driveway may be very unattractive, but the next time you walk over a stone walkway outside an office complex, take a closer look at the material. Chances are it's poured concrete that has just been painted or stained. Concrete can be buffed to be very smooth before being coloured so that it can look shiny and polished and nothing like cement. It can also be shaped into any form; you can have it curve around the benchtops or even go up the wall for a backsplash or decorative touch to your kitchen.

It is hygienic and strong

The strong surface of concrete means that there is little chance of dirt and bacteria getting inside, making the surface a good place for food prep. You also won't suffer water damage or mould and mildew build-up with a concrete benchtop as you might with butcher-block or wood. You can use the surface of concrete for cutting and even put down a hot pan without worrying about scratching the benchtop or leaving behind burn marks. When properly sealed, it's also not going to hold food stains or marks of any sort, another reason to consider it for a kitchen benchtop.

It is cheap and easy to harvest

Drilling for stone like granite or limestone typically means a lot of blasting that is very harmful to the environment and a lot of waste after the job is done, as an installer will start with a larger stone that needs to be cut and trimmed to fit your benchtops. With concrete, the materials needed to mix it, including sand and gravel, are usually readily available and easy to harvest. There is also very little waste with the job, as concrete is simply poured over forms that are placed on the benchtops and not cut to fit. Any leftover raw mix can simply be added to a new batch of concrete, so nothing winds up in a landfill.