When deciding on fitting new kitchen worktops, most people consider the style, durability and maintenance of the different materials on offer. However, finding a heat-resistant kitchen surface is just as important, due to the nature of tasks in the kitchen. Day-to-day baking and cooking mean hot pans, baking trays and steaming mugs of tea and coffee will often end up on your worktops, so you need to know how to stop heat damage from occurring, like scorches, cracks and discolouration.
Choosing a kitchen worktop brand? Find out whether your counters can handle the heat.
What counts as a heat-resistant surface?
Heat-resistant surfaces are those which can tolerate high temperatures without being damaged, stained or weakened. In terms of kitchen worktops, this means being able to withstand contact with hot pans, pots or appliances. While no domestic surface is completely heat-proof, some materials are designed to handle short bursts of heat better than others. It’s about knowing your worktop’s unique limits while always using trivets and heat pads for extra protection.
What kitchen worktop is heat-resistant?
At Olly London, we can talk you through the benefits of all the different worktop materials available. Of course, some materials are naturally more resilient against heat. For example, granite worktops are popular, as this material is naturally created under intense heat and pressure. Engineered stone like quartz is also highly heat-resistant, because it contains resins to help with this. However, prolonged heat exposure can cause marks.
If you choose a solid surface, scorching and warping are a risk if you don’t protect the surface with products like heat pads to put under pans. Laminates can also get burns and blistering if exposed to direct heat for too long.
What worktop can you put hot pans on?
If you want to put hot pans directly on your kitchen worktop, granite is one of the safest options. This material is strong enough to take the heat without burning or cracking. That said, most manufacturers would recommend using trivets to keep your surfaces in good condition for longer, as nothing is guaranteed. Quartz, wood and solid surfaces can often tolerate warm dishes and cups, but they aren’t suitable for piping hot pots fresh off the hob.
Can you put hot things on laminate worktops?
The benefits of laminate worktops are endless. But as they’re made from layers of paper and resin bonded to chipboard, so they can blister or scorch under heat if you put a piping hot dish directly on the surface. Always use trivets and heat mats to protect your laminate surfaces.
Can you put a kitchen worktop over a radiator?
Fitting kitchen worktops over radiators isn’t recommended, as constant heat can dry out or warp materials. Even stone surfaces can suffer from repeated temperature changes. If space is tight, it’s best to move the radiator or fit a heat-resistant cover, rather than risk damaging your new worktops.
Want to fit heat-resistant kitchen worktops? Contact Olly London today
Olly London is your local worktop installer in the South East, coming out to East Grinstead, Farnborough and beyond. For a free estimate, get in touch.
