Counter-tops: What's next after granite?

[h]

Yup. No good way to clean it and it's just plain ugly.

[HeyBub]

[HeyBub]

Don't laugh. I had some laminate left over from a FLOORING project. I was able to transform random planks into a countertop that bears a fair resemblance to butcher-block! Works swell.

[HeyBub]

Excellent summary!

[dadiOH]

I've had mostly tile countertops since 1972 or so. I like them but then you don't know me.

It wipes off.

With a squuegee, yes; with a sponge (or cloth), no.

The wet areas would mildew.

Never had any. And that's in Honolulu and Florida, both known for humidity.

True. So can pretty much everything else. Can't burn them though...

Conducive, no; possible, yes.

[mike]

While it may get dated quicker, formica isn't a bad option. It's surprisingly scratch resistant, and it's cheap enough to replace when it gets scorched, delaminated, or gets water-swelled joints.

[mike]

The rough, porous grout in a depression is not nearly as stain resistant and cleanable as an uninterrupted, non-porous, glassy-smooth surface that can be wiped right into an undermounted sink. There's no contest. Eventually clean does not equal quickly clean.

It's not the humidity that is the mildew maker in grout. It's the constant wetness near a heavily-used sink. Also tile cracks much, much easier than quartz. Not even the same ball park. It's hard to find a tile installation of any appreciable age that doesn't have cracks and craze lines in multiple locations.

[Ulysses]

I'm not into trends, I'm into what I like. What I like right now is Formica with ceramic tile edging and backsplash. I've had Corian along with a seamless Corian kitchen sink and basically I thought it was just plain boring. Granite has recently been suspected of causing some kind of health problems so I suspect it is in demise. Stainless steel seems like it is good for people who like to spend the whole day in the kitchen polishing their appliances and countertops and wish they lived in a science lab. This might explain why some people have coffee makers that look like they were designed by Nicola Tesla.

[Worn Out Retread]

Now that is a good thing in my opinion.

[elgee]

About a year and a half ago we remodeled our kitchen. After much shopping and comparison we went with a product called Silestone. It is a composite of crushed quartz and epoxy, polished and shaped. It was quite a bit cheaper than granite and does not need to be sealed to prevent staining. In the time we have used it, we have NO scratches visible. It is available in many patterns and colors, with or without integral sink.

[Phisherman]

I have stainless steel counter tops with built-in drainboard, cerca

1940's. Works very well and lasts a long time. Of course a heavier gauge than what is made today. My next coutertop will most likely be wood, could care less whatever the fad.

[Han]

"elgee" wrote in news:vKqdnfnF2I_44wjXnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

We have had Silestone (an almost white pattern with little specks, very nice on the eyes) now for some 8 years. Almost immediately there was a small spot that chipped out (about 1 square inch). It was somewhat clumsily repaired. Since we know where it is, it is visble to us, but others will not see it unless we point it out. The surface was made in 2 parts, and the seam has become a little more visible than I would have liked to. There have been no scratches on it, despite my better half using the counter as a cutting board. We have a sink that's fitted underneath. The only thing that's leaked is the Moen single handle faucet, and that was replaced for $65 total.

I would buy the same setup again if it were indicated, but would spend the extra bucks to make it in a single piece (about 1/4 of the total surface is an inch or so greater in depth, and that would have cost considerably more if made in 1 piece - in hindsight I should have done that).

[Thomas G. Marshall]

[e-mail]...

Or Stovetops.

What have you heard about the health effects of granite?

[Rick Samuel]

It's a long hard run keeping up with the Jones's

[bud--]

Probably radon, which you may or may not get from a specific piece of granite.

Wouldn't think you would get much from the limited volume in a kitchen but I haven't seen details.

[Ulysses]

messagenews: [e-mail] m...

Or Stovetops.

What have you heard about the health effects of granite?

I don't remember exactly but I think it had to do with some kind of toxic residue from the surface of the countertops.

[Jim Yanik]

"Ulysses" wrote in news:h76i4u$7bu$ [e-mail]:

granite often has residual radiation from uranium decay.

[Malcolm Hoar]

In-home food preparation will soon be a thing of the past. Once ObamaCare figures out how much sloppy hygene in residential kitchens is costing they will place a complete ban on amateur food prep. You won't need a countertop since you'll be purchasing pre-prepared food from a government operated (or licensed) establishment.

So forget those countertops and reallocate the space for something more useful.

[AZ Nomad]

You really should seek professional help for your paranoia.

[charlie]

woosh, goes the sarcasm plane overhead.