Advantages & Disadvantages of Ceramic Countertops

Advantage: Durability

• Ceramic countertop tiles are fairly durable. They're more resistant to scratches, burn marks and stains than stone countertops. One obvious advantageous result of their durability is the fact that you'll have to repair and replace them less often -- saving you money in the long run. However, if you did need to replace them, it would also be less expensive than stone, laminate or stainless steel countertops.

Disadvantage: Grout Stains

• In order to place ceramic tiles onto kitchen countertops, you must use grout. This is the white material that appears in between each ceramic tile. While the countertops themselves are fairly resistant to stains, the grout can become stained relatively easily, and it's quite difficult to clean.

Advantage: Resists High Temperatures

• If you've ever moved a hot pan or pot onto a marble countertop, you may have noticed that it left a burn mark on the surface. These marks are often difficult to remove and may even require that the slab be replaced. Fortunately, however, you'll rarely run into that problem with ceramic tile countertops because ceramic is very resistant to high temperatures.

Disadvantage: Dulls Kitchen Knives

• Because ceramic tiles are so tough, they can dull -- or even chip -- kitchen knives. When slicing, dicing, mincing and chopping, be sure to use a cutting board as a buffer between your knife and the kitchen countertop.

Advantage: Easy to Install

• Most DIYers can install a ceramic countertop themselves. Unlike marble countertops -- which come in large, heavy slabs that require multiple professionals to lift and install -- ceramic tiles come in many small pieces. This feature makes it simple to lift, move and adjust the tiles into an easily formed pattern.

Disadvantage: Crack and Chip Easily

• While ceramic countertops are strong in the sense that they can resist scratches, burn marks and stains, they can chip or crack fairly easily. It's important to be careful when placing heavy objects on ceramic countertops because this can cause damage to the tiles. If, however, the tiles are damaged, they're less expensive to replace than stone countertops or laminate countertops.