Marble

• Marble is the old-fashioned, yet ultra-contemporary countertop of kitchens built to last for decades. Because marble is a result of pressurized calcium carbonate, it reacts with water over time. The surface is porous and susceptible to acids. If you choose a honed surface, your counter will give you the old-fashioned look of an Italian kitchen where surface stains and dulled patches only add to the character. On the other hand, if you want a kitchen for entertaining more than cooking, a highly polished marble top will sparkle and shine under glass cocktail glasses like no other surface.
  
  

Granite

• Granite, a composition of pressurized sand, is rougher than marble and will not shine to the same sparkle. It will stay beautiful for longer with less work. It is impervious to hot-bottomed pots, acids and even the yellow stains from spicy curries. Quarries harvest granite in hundreds of color variations around the world with plenty of warm browns and reds to complement the color of wood.
  
  

Soapstone

• Soapstone is another natural stone formed when talc hardens under pressure. The surface is soft and susceptible to scratches. However, because it is soft, you can sand the surface with normal sandpaper. A simple waxing of the surface evens the tone of the soapstone as it ages into a soft dark gray. This is a more unusual material that someone who's going for a rustic look may not like.
  
  

Wood

• Wood is a continuation of the walls of the log home. Whether you choose to use sawed logs with a polished surface, rock-hard ironwood or maybe a butcher-block counter with a mix of hardwoods, wood is the clear choice of many log homeowners. However, wood is soft, compared with stone and will scratch, scar from heat and stain from foods. Wood counters need plenty of sealers and finishes. You can consider an unsealed wooden counter if you like the workbench-look of a well-used kitchen.