The Beautiful & Durable Natural Material You Should Consider For Kitchen Countertops

Prepare to meet the lesser-known countertop material that brings a stylish, durable, and eco-friendly edge to your kitchen: lava stone. That name isn't a misnomer, either — yes, it really does come from a volcano. Lava stone is a volcanic rock that's extracted from quarries before being cut into slabs, glazed in almost any color you can imagine, and then fired at a high heat.

Besides the coolness factor of knowing your kitchen countertops came from a literal volcano, lava stone comes with several benefits, one of the best being its durability. If we're ranking countertop materials by durability, lava stone comes in toward the top. Its extra-hard surface is resistant to chipping, corrosive chemicals, and fading from UV exposure, which makes it great for indoor and outdoor uses. Because it's volcanic, it's great at withstanding heat, and even naturally dissipates any heat placed on it. Are you the type of home cook who accidentally leaves hot pans on your countertop? That's not a problem with lava stone.

No need to worry about water, either; once lava stone is sealed, it becomes nonporous, which means water can't soak in to damage it, and neither can stains or bacteria. That makes countertop cleanup easy as long as you're not using abrasive cleaning tools. To sweeten the deal, lava stone is a naturally-occurring resource that won't need to be replaced like less sturdy countertops, and reduced waste means a more environmentally-conscious kitchen option.

Lava stone countertops aren't just functional. They're also a beautiful, unique, and highly customizable option for your kitchen. The secret to lava stone's near-endless color customizability is its glazing. Before the slab of stone is fired, colored enamel glaze is applied, and this is where you can let your creativity run wild. The leading manufacturer and supplier of lava stone countertops, Pyrolave, has over 6,000 references for custom color options. So whether you're designing a monochromatic kitchen or looking to add a pop of color, you'll be able to find the color option you're looking for. On top of those thousands of options, Pyrolave also offers a variety of finishes, from glossy to matte.

Lava stone's most unique visual characteristic is something called "crazing," a fun word that describes the small, textured cracks in the glaze that naturally form as the slab cools after firing. Your choice of color and finish will determine how prominently the crazing shows. And don't worry, though the texture may look cracked, your countertops will still feel smooth.

Like any kitchen countertop material, lava stone comes with drawbacks. Despite its durability and easy cleanup, it's not totally unscratchable – avoid knife marks by making sure you're always using a cutting board. And while these countertops are built to last, so is their color, because unlike more traditional materials, lava stone can't be refinished.

The most major drawback to lava stone countertops is how expensive they can be. They cost around $250-300 per square foot, while standard stone countertops typically cost $50-150 per square foot. Why the high price tag? Given that it comes from volcanoes, this isn't the easiest material to get a hold of. Because it's so specialized, there are very few manufacturers of lava stone countertops. The main manufacturer, Pyrolave, is a French company that sources its materials from the Nugère quarries in Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park. Some of the cost comes from shipping, and some comes from the amount of labor and artistry required in cutting the slab and glazing it. Lava stone countertops may be pricey, but they won't need to be replaced or resealed after installation, so they might still be worth the investment for the right kitchen.