It's funny really, but why do we so often overlook the idea of glass worktops, choosing instead materials which are either ideal for harbouring bacteria, difficult to clean, stain easily, chip easily, last only a short time and absorb most of the light in the room, making it feel smaller and darker? Glass worktops tick so many boxes when compared to other popular materials such as wood veneer, granite and quartz. Yet many people don't tend to think about glass as an option. Why is this?
Well in fact the tide is turning, with a growing number of people realising the huge benefits which glass has to offer, and as more and more people discover the benefits, other people are finding out that many of the assumptions they have had regarding glass as a worktop material are in fact not true.
For example, many people assume that glass worktops must be fearfully expensive. Yet windows don't cost much to buy, a mirror is fairly cheap, and even glass chopping boards are cheaper often than wooden ones. Glass is not an expensive material, and when compared to natural materials such as granite, it represents a much more affordable option. Of course, whereas wood veneer may be a cheap, budget option because it can be cut easily to size by anyone, and used in fitted kitchens, glass worktops are made to measure and built to order in most cases. Yet although this does increase the price, when you take into account that this effectively cuts down the installation time and costs massively, as well as improving the lifetime of your kitchen, and offering a whole range of other benefits, that extra expense soon pays for itself.
So in terms of cost, glass worktops are not an expensive option. What then of the other common myth, that glass is fragile? Well, this is easily disproved, with just two examples. First of all, you're quite happy to stick your face a few inches from a sheet of glass many times thinner than a worktop, hurling yourself at 70 miles an hour, with things hitting the glass quite regularly. If you have that much faith in the strength and durability of a thin car windscreen, how much stronger will the reinforced glass of a worktop be?
Then there's the glass chopping boards mentioned. Glass is a popular choice by professional chefs, and you'll often see glass being used as a food preparation surface by those cooks on television. Because it is so strong it's great for chopping even quite tough foods, and of course it is a smooth surface that won't chip, meaning that it can be washed and cleaned very quickly and easily. These are some of the same benefits which can be offered by worktops made from glass. They are easy to clean, don't stain, and can be made hygienic with just a quick wipe, as there is nowhere for bacteria and germs to hide.
Granite and other natural materials are rough and have natural fissures and pits which do allow bacteria and germs to hide, transferring to food easily. Wood veneer inevitably starts to peel, and once it starts there's no stopping it as the exposed wood absorbs moisture and expands, causing more damage. Glass lasts and lasts, offering cleanliness, hygiene and good looks for many years.
But there's another benefit - and that's the light. Most worktops absorb light, and don't give much back, resulting in the kitchen feeling darker and smaller. Glass worktops reflect light, and if you choose coloured glass then this light can be a wonderful hue that fills the room with colour and light, making it feel fresher, lighter and more open. If you're looking at worktops for your kitchen, then make sure you don't look straight through glass, but take a moment to consider the benefits it can offer.
For more information on affordable glass worktops visit Glass Logic, where you can browse a gallery of coloured glass splashbacks and worktops.
No comments:
Post a Comment