They've always been popular, but zinc countertops are coming into a time of their own! Many people may think that zinc countertops are a simple new 21st century discovery, but Zinc countertops have been used extensively, mostly in pubs and bars of Paris, France and throughout Western Europe for the last 200 years.

In fact, zinc countertops were so common that in French, suggesting meeting at “La Zinc” implies meeting a popular restaurant. Today, many modern bistros use zinc countertops to create a warm feel in a dining area.

It would take a while to list all the reasons people use zinc, but there are a few big reasons that we'll touch on: first, it's a relatively soft metal which makes it fairly simple (compared to steel) to form and polish, so you can get a smooth, waterproof surface quickly; it's also easy to care for and won't corrode. Zinc was used as a popular roofing and flashing product all over because zinc ore is fairly easy to mine and not too difficult to find.

In today's kitchens, many designers and home owners are falling in love with this product again, mostly through exposure to modern-design, and re-discovering this fantastic product. At Leska, we love offering a a range of good choices, and this is a great option that we're proud to offer. Just like the past, today's homeowners and designers use zinc for the same reasons as previous generations. I can think of nothing better, especially to modern minimalist kitchens, than to add a zinc countertop. That warmth and character of zinc is due to the unique, rich zinc patina which will develop that will develop with use, giving each countertop a unique look. Zinc is not as hard as stainless steel, so if the countertop scratches it's easy to polish out, stainless is not.