Outdoor Countertop Materials That Will Be Super Trendy This Year

Outdoor kitchens have soared in popularity in recent years. Homeowners love the idea of turning their backyard patios into secondary hosting spaces. With so many new rising ways to convert a backyard area into a luxurious cooking oasis, you can jump on outdoor kitchen trends that look and feel good, all while impressing future guests. As 2025 unfurls, a few durable countertop options are rising to the top for the outdoor kitchen industry, including stone or concrete, wood, and recycled materials.

Before getting ahead of ourselves, though, remember that building an outdoor kitchen can be a huge endeavor. The cost of adding a kitchen to your outdoor living space ranges from $6,348 to $26,903, averaging out at $16,480. However, most agree that an outdoor kitchen adds to a home's value, including the National Association of Realtors, which estimates a 100% cost recovery for outdoor kitchens. You'll also be able to enjoy priceless moments, hosting your loved ones outside and jazzing up your parties with outdoor pizza ovens and Blackstones. Read on to discover how you can use trending countertop materials, such as granite, butcher block, and recycled glass, to elevate your yard, all while staying functionally outdoor-friendly.

Durability is obviously a huge draw for countertop materials, especially for outdoor kitchens that need to withstand all types of weather conditions. Granite is, therefore, a timeless choice many people are opting for; just be careful to avoid any super-dark granite colors that might overheat. Concrete offers similar durability and customization features and is typically a cheaper option. While granite countertops often cost $80 to $180 per square foot, concrete is typically installed at $50 to $100 per square foot. With any durable stone material, ensure your countertops are properly sealed to prevent stains. Keep in mind that you may incur high installation fees depending on the material's weight and specifications. 

One major bonus to opting for durable stone in your outdoor countertops — aside from the longevity and resilience of the material — is that they're well suited for an outdoor pizza oven. As outdoor pizza ovens become more and more popular, homeowners are leaning on durable stone countertops for simple prep stations that can withstand the heat and materials needed for a hot oven. Having fire-resistant materials like stone around your pizza oven is one of the most important safety tips to consider before installing a pizza oven in your backyard, as the ovens can reach 950 degrees Fahrenheit, which will damage materials like laminate. 

As with many other home decor categories, eco-friendly materials are on the rise in outdoor kitchens. This also coincides with the need for long-lasting and low-maintenance outdoor countertops, and recycled glass is a great way to check off all those boxes. These countertops bring a natural look and feel to your outdoor space while reusing materials to give them a second life rather than requiring more manufacturing. Because of that, recycled glass counters are also more affordable, ranging from $65 to $140 per square foot installed. 

Counters that feature recycled glass will often either be entirely made of glass, meaning they come in translucent slabs, or they will have glass chips strewn throughout other durable countertop blends. When glass chips are mixed into materials like cement or concrete, it can make for a shiny, colorful end product that even features spots of blue and green from the original recycled pieces. Recycled glass is also commonly used in tiling, so you can lean into the trend of tiling your outdoor countertops, but this time with recycled materials. 

Butcher block is a trending material for indoor and outdoor kitchens alike, offering a stylish natural wood surface that is both stylish and logical for cooking prep. The price of butcher block can range from $50 to $150 per square foot, depending on the type of wood you choose for your countertop materials. Red oak, a popular butcher block material, is at the lower end of the range and can even go as low as $15 per square foot, but it might not be suitable for outdoor use in your climate. Zebrawood, a striped grain wood, is at the high end, costing up to $300 per square foot. 

The advantages of using butcher block countetops range from their rustic aesthetic to the long list of affordable options. However, just like with many stone counters, the key is to seal your butcher block well and reseal it regularly to prevent stains and water damage. This material is also not resistant to heat damage, so it isn't a great fit near your pizza oven or for placing hot kitchenware onto once the cooking is finished. Once sealed, though, the counters will be incredibly easy to clean and will look great in any backyard space.