what material to use for kitchen countertop other than granite

[BlahBlahYouToo]

i'm entertaining the idea of remodeling the kitchen in my current home.

i'd like to keep the costs low since i don't plan to stay here for more than 5 years, but i will be keeping the home either for rental or for my parents when they retire.

granite is obviously the safe choice but pricey. @ $100 per sq ft, my current 26 sq ft counters (including sink area) would run $2600.

what are other good options? i'm looking for something less expensive and low maintenance but has a similar look to granite/stone (no steel or wood).

limestone/quartz are almost as expensive, i might as well go granite.

how is corian, or formica?

 

[punjabiplaya]

ala James May - concrete

 

[eldorado99]

Just don't tile.

 

[spidey07]

Corian seems to be the choice these days for it's durablity and no stains.

 

[highland145]

silestone.

 

[acheron]

a friend of mine just did theirs in concrete. looked very good.

 

[DingDingDao]

I've seen kitchens with butcher block countertops -- looks pretty awesome but could be pricey.

Like this:

 

[Crusty]

My house has silestone in the kitchen throughout, except for a wooden cutout/cutting board next to my stove.

 

[highland145]

I've seen kitchens with butcher block countertops -- looks pretty awesome but could be pricey.

Like this:

That looks cool. Durability would be my question.

 

[highland145]

My house has silestone in the kitchen throughout, except for a wooden cutout/cutting board next to my stove.

Happy with it?

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

I've seen kitchens with butcher block countertops -- looks pretty awesome but could be pricey.

Like this:

worried about nicks and scratches.

 

[DingDingDao]

That looks cool. Durability would be my question.

I think it can be sanded and refinished. Probably needs to be periodically sealed.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

silestone.

silestone = quartz = just as expensive as granite?

 

[Crusty]

Happy with it?

Yep, no complaints and it's very easy to clean.

 

[highland145]

silestone = quartz = just as expensive as granite?

No idea. Looked several years back and for some reason thought it was a better choice that real stone (staining, cracking). If it's going to be a rental and not for the folks, then formica.

Is there a Mrs. BlahBlah that has a say so?

Edit: fact sheet.

 

[MiniDoom]

we did silestone, it's nice that you dont have to seal it ever. it was cheaper than granite. If price wasn't a consideration I would go with stained and polished concrete.

 

[Aharami]

$100/sq ft is only for the top end granite like Black Galaxy. You can get granite for as low as $50/sq ft.

 

[dullard]

I know I'm the odd one here, but new laminate looks almost identical to the fancier materials, is nearly indestructable, and if you do destroy it, it only costs ~$3 per sq ft to replace. Why pay $2300 more than you need to pay, especially if you are going to use it as a rental eventually?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

silestone = quartz = just as expensive as granite?

No, you can do silestone for about half the price of genuine granite. It's a very good surface and comes in a wider range of colors.

 

[mugs]

Where are you getting granite for $100 a square foot?

We bought our counters from a local place (http://www.marble.com/). They had 5 different price groups, and I don't think even the most expensive one was $100. The stone we bought was in a mid-range group and I think it was only ~$50 a square foot.

Home Depot was a lot more expensive.

 

[Jeeebus]

granite is obviously the safe choice but pricey. @ $100 per sq ft, my current 26 sq ft counters (including sink area) would run $2600.

You can get granite for about $25/sq. ft.

Even the very expensive granite I've looked at has been around $80/sq. ft. At $100, you're looking at very expensive granite.

Generally, quartz (silestone, cambria, etc.) is more expensive than granite, but if you're looking at ultra elaborate $100 + granite pieces, then ya, I can see why you'd think granite is more expensive.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I've seen kitchens with butcher block countertops -- looks pretty awesome but could be pricey.

Like this:

And if you actually use it as a butcher block or cutting board it will look like crap quickly...not to mention, wood is porous and will be a breeding ground for bacteria.

I have granite and honestly I wouldn't go with anything else. I love it! Worth every penny.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

We went with Corian.

It's quite a bit cheaper than granite. No complaints with the Corian but if I had to do it again I'd spend the extra and go with granite.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Laminate (Such as Formica) works well, and is dirt cheap compared to the rest of the options.
Downside of course is that it's easier to scratch and burn....

Solid Surface (Such as Corian) works well, and is usually cheaper than options like granite. It may look better than laminate since it won't have seams. Downside is that it too is easier to scratch and burn...


I've got Formica in my kitchen, and will be putting Formica in my basement in the back of the home theater for my popcorn maker and bar area (just a 48inch piece)



If I was building a new place, or wanted to spend a lot for "the best", I would go for engineered stone/quartz as it's the lowest maintenance, but granite would be an option too... That said, when I get around to refurbishing my kitchen in my current house, I'll probabyl just use formica, as I'll be doing the work myself, and I've never had any issues with formica in my lifetime...

 

[mshan]

Silestone.