The History of Countertops

Natural stone has been used for centuries in architecture. From the Pantheon in Rome, the Washington Monument in D.C and the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, natural stone has been known for its luxury and true beauty. 

In modern times, natural stone has made its way into the American kitchen! Although natural stone has been used for thousands of years, prior to the 1980’s, most home countertops in America were made of vinyl. But the natural stone boom in the ‘80s made countertop materials like marble and granite grow in popularity, and more and more homeowners were creating a sense of luxury in their kitchens! 

At GMS Werks, we have been meeting the needs of our customers for over 100 years! When it comes to natural stone, we provide countertops Omaha homeowner value. Below, we discuss the history of stone countertops and how they have innovated the modern kitchen design!
 

Natural Stone

Natural stone countertops bring so much beauty to any home. The first natural stone that was used for countertops was marble, dating back hundreds of years ago. Marble was, and still is to this day one of the most luxurious countertop materials available. Marble is certainly a timeless material that will be used for many, many years to come.

Granite is a relatively newer countertop material. When it first appeared in the early 1900’s, there were only a few color options available to homeonwers. Today, granite is available in a variety of colors, including white, black, brown, beige, blue and red! 

Quartzite is another natural stone that is commonly used for kitchen countertops, but only more recently compared to marble and granite. Quartzite countertops are similar in name to quartz, however, these materials are much different. Learn the difference between quartz and quartzite here! 

Manufactured Stone

Man-made stone countertops are much newer to the industry than natural stone. They were first introduced in the 1960’s. Quartz is the most popular material when it comes to manufactured stone countertops due to its  look and the variety of colors and designs to choose from! The personalization factor has made it a top man-made kitchen countertop choice in the United States!

There are also other man-made stone countertops available in the market today! Most of these other man-made stone materials were designed to look like their natural stone counterparts. Man-made marble and man-made granite are among the other popular choices as these materials look almost identical while also being much cheaper! 

As natural stone has been used in architecture for years, it’s still relatively new to the American kitchen. As technology continues to innovate and more man-made materials are being produced, homeowners continue to choose the luxury and beauty of natural stone. 

At GMS Werks, we provide service on stone countertops Omaha homeowners can trust. We are the experts when it comes to installing the highest quality of natural stone. To learn more about our products and services, visit our website. We are your trusted countertops Omaha company!