Ceramic tile countertops were, for many years, all the rage. I haven't been hearing much about them lately, but I have seen them used often in bathrooms and on kitchen islands. Sometimes porcelain tile is also used. There are a lot of pros and cons when it comes to this style of countertop. With the rise in DIY home improvements, they might be making a serious comeback!

Benefits and Care

The number one benefit of ceramic tile countertops is their ease of installation and low cost. If you know how to tile, then you can do this yourself. It's easy, takes only a few days (with drying time) and looks great. Tile and grout are fairly inexpensive, but of course that always depends on the type of tile you select. Another benefit of tile is that you have an almost endless selection of ceramic and porcelain tiles, as well as various sizes and grout colors. You can even add accent tiles to make it more personal.

Ceramic tile is made from a pressed clay that is fired and glazed. It is easy to clean, durable and fairly heat resistant. The one drawback about tile is that it can chip, so banging pots and pans on it is not recommended! It's a good idea to keep a few leftover tiles in case you have to replace them in the future.

Sealing and Cleaning

Ceramic tile countertops don't need to be sealed except with the usual grout sealer you would use if you were tiling a shower or floor. Ceramic tiles are a cinch to clean, but sometimes that pesky grout can be a little tricky. Just be sure to get in between the tiles with a sponge and you're all set. Easy peasy.

How Does It Measure Up?

Tile countertops are far less expensive than most every other countertop available. Plus, you can DIY them in a few days -- check out these DIY instructions from Hometime. Besides being budget and handyman friendly, these surfaces are durable and heat resistant, just like granite but at about half the cost. You are not limited in the selection of tiles, as you might be with natural stone patterns and colors, and the overall result is consistent.