Redoing the kitchen .. need counters - granite, corian, silestone, glass .. thoughts??

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G

GCS

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 1999
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Well we have to redo our kitchen counters. The existing ones (simply cheap laminate tops) have gotten wet underneath and are completely ruined. We need something that will last. We have a modest home in a typical middle class neighborhood. Our cabinets are nothing fancy. Basic white cabinets (not bottom of the barrel but a step or 2 up from it).

Looking for alternatives. I have done a lot of "websearch" and get mixed views on everything (these aren't necessarily my opinions just what I have read)

Granite - too hard, too shiny, cracks after 5 years or so, needs sealing several times a year, expensive

Corian - won't last for long (so I am reading), cuts and scratches easy, expensive

Silestone - looks too fake but holds up well

Soapstone - looks good but chips, scratches and won't last

Slate - looks nice but again chips and breaks

Glass - different but I have no idea on durability


I swear picking a countertop is more work than I thought.


Thoughts??

Greg
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
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Are you doing this for you or for the value of the house? Most of these will come in around $50-70 a linear foot. How many feet of counters?
 
funboy6942

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,308
393
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Textured and colored concrete. Its the new thing in Kitchen counter tops and will last long times :)
OH its cheap too ;)
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: funboy42
Textured and colored concrete. Its the new thing in Kitchen counter tops and will last long times :)
OH its cheap too ;)
Click to expand...

Not sanitary at all, though.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
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Glass? No way. Maybe if you never use your kitchen. But otherwise it just doesn't seem anywhere resistent enough to scrapes/drops/bangs on the edges as other materials.

Have you looked into concrete? Materials are cheap, and you can get many differnt colors/textures out of it.
 
vi edit

vi edit

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Oct 28, 1999
62,480
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Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: funboy42
Textured and colored concrete. Its the new thing in Kitchen counter tops and will last long times :)
OH its cheap too ;)
Click to expand...

Not sanitary at all, though.
Click to expand...

With a will polished surface and proper sealant it is no worse than corian or laminate.
 
iamwiz82

iamwiz82

Lifer
Jan 10, 2001
30,772
13
81
Originally posted by: vi_edit
Glass? No way. Maybe if you never use your kitchen. But otherwise it just doesn't seem anywhere resistent enough to scrapes/drops/bangs on the edges as other materials.

Have you looked into concrete? Materials are cheap, and you can get many differnt colors/textures out of it.
Click to expand...

The ones I have seen are glass chips in an acrylic. It looks really neat.
 
funboy6942

funboy6942

Lifer
Nov 13, 2001
15,308
393
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Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: funboy42
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Originally posted by: funboy42
Textured and colored concrete. Its the new thing in Kitchen counter tops and will last long times :)
OH its cheap too ;)
Click to expand...

Not sanitary at all, though.
Click to expand...

Says who?
Click to expand...

Everyone but concrete counter builders.
Click to expand...

Oh well thats reason enough for me never to wanting a cool looking concrete counter top ever :p
I like you because you're silly :)

OP with concrete it can be sanded down and polished to a mirror shine, check out the gallery to the link I gave above to some of the ones done. Also you limited to only your imagination for it can be poured into what ever frame you can think up. And then its cheap, cheap, cheap but will last forever. I am so doing it to my kitchen if I ever get the funds to remodel.
 
B

B00ne

Platinum Member
May 21, 2001
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Why not wood, like 4cm (beech) plywood - it's gonna be heavy but extremely sturdy, good looking. But of course as with all wood you'd have to protect it from water
 
HeroOfPellinor

HeroOfPellinor

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
11,272
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We're going to go with grante when we redo our kitchen later this year. It's actually cheap than the quartz composite counter tops and, in point of fact, there is nothing that comes close to looking as nice as what nature can produce.
 
OutHouse

OutHouse

Lifer
Jun 5, 2000
36,410
616
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are you doing cabinets too?

my wife and her dad just got done building a new stand alone cabinet for our kitchen. they made two vertical slide out doors that are about 7 inches wide and 80 inches high. its awesome, no more pulling everything out of the old cabinets to find something that was pushed to the way back.

ill load a pic of it for ya.

 
G

GCS

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 1999
4,898
0
71
This is for us not the value of the home so much. We love our home and will be here for at least another 10 years minimum. We have a busy house and entertain friends/family often. Our kitchen gets a lot of action. Its not huge.

I would need 3 counters:

1 small one 15" wide
1 L shaped roughly 109" on the long back side (this is where the sink would be) and then 48" from there on the "L" section

------ 109"------
|
48" |
|

1 "L" shape about 72" (long side) by 48" basically the same as the above.

The last L could be left as the laminate we have at the moment to save cost as its off to the side and very new (1 year old) from some changes we made last year. It has nothing wrong with it but of course wouldn't match the new tops.

I have read some on the concrete but it honestly seems more expensive than doing granite or corian

Greg
 
edro

edro

Lifer
Apr 5, 2002
24,326
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Tile (porcelain or ceramic)

The main drawback is the grout, but if you seal it with like 5 coats right after install, and once a year thereafter, it holds up really well.

They have some really good looking modern tiles now a days.
 
G

GCS

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 1999
4,898
0
71
Nope can't afford new cabs. Would like to but the new tops will probably break me anyway.

Greg
 
IEC

IEC

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Jun 10, 2004
14,436
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I'm a fan of solid oak in furniture and such... when using good wood, proper staining and proper varnish/clear coat, it not only looks fabulous, it'll last a verrrry long time. Of course, it's rather expensive to do this and takes carpentry skill and lots of time... not to mention tools such as routers, templates to dovetail ends, etc. I have no idea how much it'd cost to hire a skilled carpenter, but even doing it yourself will run you quite a bit for the wood and tools and time.
 
G

GCS

Diamond Member
Oct 16, 1999
4,898
0
71
Originally posted by: Baloo
I vote for stainless Steel
Click to expand...



That would be my choice but no way in hell the wife will let that happen. She hates stainless appliances.

Our cabs and appliances are white and it will never change no matter how much I hate it!

The kitchen is hers and if wasn't for rotting counters it would never change.

Greg
 
IEC

IEC

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Jun 10, 2004
14,436
5,410
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Originally posted by: funboy42
Textured and colored concrete. Its the new thing in Kitchen counter tops and will last long times :)
OH its cheap too ;)
Click to expand...

I was thinking cinder-block concrete, but I never realized you could polish concrete to a mirror shine and stain it :shocked:

That would certainly be a durable application, as long as it was done properly to prevent cracking.
 
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