Natural worktops are a great admiration. Not only that, they are a great investment too because they last long — over 100 years or more which is twice longer than other materials.
However, how long your granite countertops in London, quartz worktops and corian kitchen worktops lasts depends on how well they are cared for or maintained. First, being absorbent materials, they can weaken when they absorb in water, food particles, and other debris over time. This weakening will finally lead to breaking of the stone. Most stones including marble, limestone and sandstone are also negatively affected by acid etching and degradation, in addition to being prone from scrapes and scratches.
Hence it is necessary to seal your granite worktops in London if you must expect them to last for longer. Sealing prevent them against all the agents that could affect them from the surface. Consider that it could be one way of ensuring that your countertops are naturally appealing because when the surface damages, it appears poor or unattractive.
Nevertheless, if you are looking for long lasting options for natural stones, granite and soapstone are the most durable and last longest. This is because they are strong, scratch-resistant, and resistant to thermal shock and are not susceptible to heat damage. Granite needs sealing unlike soapstone but is also more resistant to scratches and chipping.
Both of these can withstand heavy loads but will obviously damage if you for instance drop bowling balls or jump up and down on your countertops.
Granite is less porous compared to marble, limestone, and sandstone. Even though the resins used to bind stone dust or chips can make the countertop impervious to damage and make it nonporous, they are more susceptible to heat and sun damage and damage from strong household cleaners.
Marble is durable too although it is not great for a high-traffic kitchen countertop and requires more frequent resealing.
In comparison to the natural stones, partially-synthetic stone countertops like quartz and cultured marble have shorter life. This is a factor to consider when buying quartz worktops and Corian kitchen worktops.