May

22

2025

Building Tips, Tips & Tricks

Making the Choice – Stone Benchtops vs Laminate Benchtops

Most homeowners will either be on team stone or team laminate. But if you happen to fall somewhere in between, we are here to help you in making the choice between stone benchtops or laminate benchtops, or maybe a combination of the two throughout your home.

For a long time, stone has always been seen as the luxurious option and overall, the premium choice. In recent years, thanks to the changes and concerns in engineered stone manufacturing and technology advances, laminate benchtops have been reinvigorated in the minds of homeowners.

Let’s jump into the two benchtop options and help you make this big decision.

Differences in benchtop manufacturing processes

Our stone benchtops choices are either mineral or porcelain based. Mineral based are crystalline silica-free surfaces that blend natural and recycled minerals. Porcelain surfaces are a blend of compressed clay and minerals.

On the other hand, laminate benchtops are made using high-pressure laminate. The process is intricate, so to keep it simple, different layers of resin-soaked paper are coated in a clear protective overlay. They are bonded at high pressure with high temperature to turn the paper sheets into a firm laminated sheet, making this the top layer of your benchtop.

Once trimmed, the laminated sheet is fixed to its base which is either particleboard or MDF, providing the thickness and stability we know in a benchtop. Being formed to fit the space requirements makes them flexible with fitting into most spaces.

All options have a range of pros and cons which we will touch on throughout this blog.

Durability for the life of your home

The kitchen is one of the highest traffic areas of our homes, especially if cooking is something you thoroughly enjoy. Our benchtops need to withstand heat, water, food and general wear and tear, all while being easy to maintain. Sounds like a tall order, but it is something that is absolutely achievable due to technological advances.

Stone is mostly non-porous, heat resistant, waterproof and scratch resistant. That doesn’t mean you can use them as a chopping board or leave hot pots on them for long periods. It just means they won’t damage as easily as laminate. Spills are best cleaned up as soon as they happen to avoid stains, and chopping boards are still recommended to limit heat and scratch damage.

Selected stone finishes, particularly satin and matte options that offer texture, do require ongoing maintenance. Our Construction Team will provide you with details to register for your warranty. As part of the registration process, you will receive a free cleaning kit in the mail.  This is a great place to start on your maintenance routine and it is recommended that you continue with this for the life of your stone. Chips in stone can generally be repaired. Although not covered in your warranty, there are certainly options.

Stone Benchtops requiring ongoing maintenance, Walker Flat

Laminate benchtops are non-porous, however, they are less waterproof, heat resistant and scratch resistant than stone. Any spills need to be cleaned up quickly with a soft cloth, never anything abrasive or with harsh cleaners.  We also don’t suggest placing hot items directly on the benchtop, like you can with some stones. This can cause burn marks and possible warping. If laminate is damaged, it is hard to repair. Meaning the whole benchtop will need to be replaced.

An aesthetically pleasing benchtop

We all have different style preferences, which is why each home looks unique. Being aesthetically pleasing largely comes down to your personal taste and the design you are going for in your home.

Something that can’t go unnoticed is that each piece of stone and laminate has a maximum size limit, meaning pieces may need to be joined together to fit a large bench space. There are no guarantees that each piece will match and the join be invisible.

To overcome this, joins can be planned at less noticeable places, like a corner or near your stovetop. Keep any potential joins in mind when selecting patterns, abstract colours or for laminate, timber prints. The good news is that each piece is completely unique, there is no copy and paste.

Mineral benchtops have more edge profile options than you ever knew were possible. To put it quite literally, we are talking over twenty options. Mind blown. Porcelain benchtops come with a handful of edge profile options due to the nature of how they are manufactured. There are currently eight finishes available, depending on your choice of mineral or porcelain benchtop.

Laminate provides plenty more finish options from gloss to woodmatt, matera and everything in between. Plus, there are lots of stone and timber looks, patterns, colours and edges available. New options are periodically being created to give even more choices. If matching benchtops with your cabinetry and wall panelling is your style, this is also an option as laminate and melamine work hand in hand to give you a uniform look.

Affordability for every budget

Laminate wins this choice, which is perfect for budget conscious homeowners, and why the appeal is so high. In fact, there are plenty of our laminate options included as standard for your kitchen, bathroom and laundry benchtops.

There are also plenty of upgraded laminate options to consider and more affordable stone choices too. Along with many pricier stone offerings, of course.

Stone, both mineral and porcelain, is incredibly different in price dependent on the range selected, thickness, edge profile and size of your benchtops. We have a large selection from all the different ranges available for you to see at our Selections Centre. This will be discussed with you in your selections appointment, or you are also welcome to view these any time before this appointment to get a better understanding of the possibilities.

Something else we thoroughly enjoy, is a coloured front door. It adds some personality and is incredibly easy to change when your taste does.

Sink cut out and mixers

There are so many factors when it comes to the sink you have selected. We have a whole blog post on this for you to read here.

Laminate benchtops with overmount sink, Mount Barker

As for mixers, the options are completely open for stone benchtops. For laminate, we suggest choosing a mixer and sink that are connected, commonly known as an overmount sink.  This will limit the amount of excess and unwanted water sitting on your benchtop, remembering that laminate is primarily made of paper and timber, reducing any issues with water damage over time.

The benchtop decision

The best choice is ultimately skewed by your preferences, home aesthetic and budget. If you have always wanted stone benchtops, there are ways to adapt your budget to make the additional cost work for you. Alternatively, splash on a fancy stone for your kitchen and keep the remainder of your wet areas with either a more affordable stone or look for a laminate option.

If laminate speaks your language, you have so many choices at your fingertips.

Looking for other selection assistance? Check out blog posts for everything from the best white paint for your home, to the benefits of building with bricks or creating the Hamptons style in your new home.

By Amy Rosendale