countertop suggestions

[JerseyMike]

i'm somewhere between 8-16 months from redoing the entire kitchen. i don't necessarily need to "break the bank" and go high end on everything, but i don't want formica countertops. the time frame on doing the kitchen over isn't a pressing situation where it has to be done ASAP but we've been in the house 14yrs and it's still origional, early '60's but w/ new appliances

6 yrs ago. i'm looking for the best bang for my $$ on countertops and i like the smooth look and feel of Corian and similar tops but looking for the best of both worlds....good price, long life and durability to usage. is waiting on newer products advisable??? or are the products ouit there now the best to offer??

thanks for any tips and advice,

mike.........

[dermy]

Wilsonart do a product called SSV (in Ireland) - it is a 3mm solid surface (Corian type) product and it can be bonded onto mdf, particleboard or other stable substrates. It gives you the look and feel of Corian but at a much reduced price. Very good range of colours

- have used it myself and it is exactly like the real thing - you use built up edges to give the look of inch and 1/2 material. Check it out on their web page to see what you think.

Good Luck

JerseyMike wrote:

[Steve B]

Shop around and go granite. Do it once, do it right. Corian is too soft, and knives cut it easily no matter what naysayers say.

Go the extra and get granite. You'll be glad you did.

Steve

[Art]

Except my wife hates seams in the countertop.

[Chris Friesen]

Granite has its own downsides. It needs to be sealed so it doesn't stain, and it can crack with sudden heat.

The synthetic quarz-based stuff doesn't need to be sealed, but whether that's much of a factor depends on the person in question.

Chris

[JerseyMike]

i've heard that and small cut marks can be fine sanded out w/ no noticable distortions. am i misinformed?? my mind is NOT set on Corian i'm just using it as an example of the type of surface i'm looking for.

mike............

[Todd H.]

Are you certain yet you'll have seams though? Before assuming, rough sketch up your kitchen and fax it in to a granite fabricator asking if it'll be possible for that layout to be done from a single piece of granite without any seam joints.

FWIW, my granite countertops have 0 seams. They were 43 square feet total. Longest piece of my counter was 105" (25" deep through most of it, but a J shape at the end/corner that goes out to 36"). The other pieces were a 47x26" island, a 13x25 and a 40x25 in there, and the 4" backledge all around all from one hunk of granite with no seams.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

[Todd H.]

LOL--I love how folks bring this up (important though it is), but it's listed as a downside, as though it's so hard to spray sealer down and run a rag over it once every few months.

The reality is that it's as easy as dusting a wood table, and takes about 45 seconds for the whole kitchen.

GRanite, pardon the pun rocks. Can't imagine having a synthetic material in my kitchen instead, especially when really nice looking granite can be had for 55/sf installed with haul away, edges, sink cutout, etc included.

Best regards,

-- Todd H.

[Sacramento Dave]

Your right Most people that bring up the issue of sealing Granite have there heads up there ass so far, they don't even know anything about it, spout off second hand information. Well hears the facts clean the counter tops off do a really good job the same principal to clean any counter material , Now the hard part put the sealer on a rag spread around let it dry ( doesn't take long) Now how often about every seven months to a year, If you seal it to often it can dull the finish. I've had Granite in my house for three years not one stain not one problem beyond a doubt the best counter top I've ever had. Most people that find the faults in Granite are basically to cheap to buy it.

[Steve B]

Can you believe the post about how his wife doesn't like seams? What, Formica comes in endless sheets now with no seams?

Anyhoo, my point .........

Downsides to granite ...............

Yeah, you have to seal it every six to twelves months, amounts to wetting a rag and wiping down the whole thing. But some people don't like doing that just like they don't like taking a cleaner once a year and cleaning up all the Jello and mustard and gravy that builds up.

It stains. Well, you could barf on mine, and with that pattern, you would have to look for it. ;-) When we got it, I tested it with vinegar and ketchup and mustard, and all sorts of things, and couldn't get it to discolor. Now after two years old, we have yet to leave anything on it that ever left a mark.

Jealousy. People come in and rave and rave about how beautiful it is. I know they're just jealous. ;-)

Hey, people. Buy what you like. Buy junk and be doing the same job over in five years, or live with a crappy unhealthy countertop. I would do granite again in a second, and am looking forward to doing it in a remodel of a house we just bought in Utah.

If you don't like granite, you've just never had it.

Steve

[Steve B]

What, there's seamless Formica now?

Steve

[Steve B]

Point is, don't make any marks in your countertop in the first place. Whether Corian, granite, or laminates, yes, scratches can be sanded smooth. But you've seen old countertops where this was done. Dull in spots, and in some spots worn down to the next layer of color.

I don't cut on my granite that often. I respect it. And why cut on something you've spent thousands of dollars on? Get a cutting board! But every once in a while it happens on purpose by accident. I can't find any scratches in mine, and I know I'd have some by now on Corian or laminate.

Sure, you can sand, but you're just wearing away countertop and making it dull.

Steve

[gfretwell]

The other problem with granite or the other stone materials is they are too hard. If you knock over a glass it is a goner. That may be OK in a house without kids but kids knock things over, drop things, run into things and generally do what you tell them not to.

[Todd H.]

I think it's actually worse than that.

Granite is cheaper now (if you deal directly with a fabricator and not a reseller, or oy...through the big boxes) than the synthetics because the cost of freakin oil is so high, and of course the marketing and corporate markup involved in having a material that has a brand associated with it (and marketing folks inventing problems with competing natural material to justify the extra cost).

$55/sf is what I paid, total, installed, old stuff removed for mine. Even included a good quality, deep undermount stainless sink.

Corian and Silestone both are a good 40% more than that most places. I just don't get the appeal of these, other than the granite being too hard and capable of breaking dishes easier than synthetic surfaces.

Best Regards,

-- Todd H.

[# Fred #]

For the DIYer you get a lot of bang from granite and concrete countertops. I've seen 3/4" granite slabs with prefabricated bullnose as low as $5/sf. Concrete is gorgeous when its done right but need more maintenance - you see this at very high end custom kitchens. Both are so cheap is you have some skills and a friend or two to provide the muscles.

[JerseyMike]

OK...question how does it stand up to things such as heat or cracking or chipping?? say a pot or dish or glass or coffee mug was dropped from either cabinet height or something like that? is it repairable?? excuse the questions please, but i'd rather hear fom people who have this ytpe of knowledge rather that a salesman or business owner pushing something for the $$$.

mike......

[bigjim]

[# Fred #]

Heat from cookware shouldn't be a problem. Glass or coffee mug dropping on it shouldn't be a problem either. Dropping a heavy cast iron skillet would be a different story. You may chip it or even crack it. Surface scratches you could polish out with diamond pads - messy as the pads require water. Chips you could color match and fill - I've tried it but very hard to make it match both in color and texture. If the granite has patterns of color movement it would take some skill and the repair won't be as strong as the granite. Cracks you could fill and polish. Don't think the results will be satisfactory unless you found someone with some high level skill. Acid from juices will also attack the granite surface - use a sealer.

[Raider Bill]

I have been putting in ceramic tile counter tops in my rentals for years. Never have had any problems. I have them in my house and will never have anything else. You will have grout lines, things break if dropped on them but they are beautiful, easy to do and cheap.

I'm did a cemet top at my friends house last month, also easy, we stained the mud prior to pour then randomly scattered a differnt color on top before polishing. No seams, peice of cake.

[Goomba38]

I hate tile counter tops. It looks dated, it sounds unnecessarily "loud" when dishes laid down on it. You can't use the counter to roll dough out on. There are just way tooo many reasons I'd never have tile.