Looking To Change Kitchen Counter Top

gofrugal

I am planing to change the counter top in the kitchen.
Granite needs something every 6 months. What are other and better options?
Thanks for the adivise guys.

Pavola

Look into silestone tops. I think it's a better hot surface material as well.
Concrete tops can give you unlimited design features although the company I deal with almost doubled the cost of granite, but I've never seen a better looking counter top either.

Dustball

I'm just finishing up a house where we changed out the original ugly laminate tops with Wilsonart High Definition laminate tops. They look really good for laminate and is definately worth a look for someone looking for a low-cost top.

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Kennyboy

wow, HD Countertop. That's exactly what i need to match my HDTV

hiteams

There is no better option, then granite for countertops.

All options have plus and minus points. Granite has more positives (scratch resistance, stain resistance ... etc.) and less negatives then any other.

The only exception, is if you add price into the equation. If price is a concerned and you need to keep cost down, then some of the other options (like tile and laminate) should be considered.

Consumer Reports agrees

Mike Finley

Not all granite needs to be sealed. Some need it never, some 6 months (never seen a granite that needed it every 6 months), some every 4 years.

Sealing is about a 10 minute process. It takes you longer to take a shower from start to finish then it does to seal granite.

Well, then I guess that settles it.

Pavola

Is your problem with Wilsonart or HD? Or laminates all together?
Some people WANT laminate tops for a number of reasons. Could be - budget, pattern design, less maintenance, they prepare raw meats on it, etc.. Plus, there are some laminate products that are realistic enough that most people couldn't tell the difference. Sounds like you think laminates shouldn't be a option.

Dustball

I mentioned it because the poster has 'frugal' in his username and he asked for other countertop options.

Tom R

'Formica' brand has a nice (imitation granite) laminate that I used in my kitchen, - - it even has a slight 'sparkle' built into the finish, - - the name of this particular one is 'butterum granite' . . .

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In_Mexifornia

Granite
CeasarStone http://www.caesarstoneus.com/
Travertine
Limestone
Marble
are all popular choices right now for solid stone countertops.

cleveman

I prefer tile because of the quality, I can do it myself, the cost, and different design options.

I think the durability of porcelain with an epoxy grout is superior to any other product. The colors, textures, sizes, and sheens are endless. I can lay out the kitchen according to the tile size if I don't want any cuts. I can also have a tile backsplash and the whole thing is epoxy grouted together. I can have a tile edge, wood, or even a metal edge profile. The cost is your tilebacker, tile, and grout, and labor. My cost is lower than the cheapest laminate from the home center. I would rather install the tile than the laminate countertop because it's a much better product, transportation difficulties, installation difficulties, etc. It is a one person job.

But it all comes down to personal preferences and people generally don't know what they want, they just know what is being advertised and maybe what their peers have chosen.

One of the downsides of my tile countertops is what to do when it comes time to remodel. I don't plan on being around then. The top is screwed into the cabinet tops from the top, so all the base cabinets will need to be demolished in order to remove the top. I guess I could screw in from the bottom of the cabinet tops, but again I don't plan on being around for the remodel.

Tom R

Very unprofessional method and statement.

Screws take the same amount of time to drive no matter what their direction.

The sooner you get out of the business, - - I'd say the better for all concerned, - - us included . . .

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neolitic

Good, you went and said it out loud!
I was just thinkin' it

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woodman42

You said it. It's folks like this that make our industry look bad.

Original question: Investigate all you are interested in thoroughly. Cost, maintenance, resale value.
My favorites are Wilsonart laminates for economy tops and solid surface for resale value.

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Pavola

Hey guys, to be honest, this type of countertop work is an option.
It is the customers/GC's option to hire this mentality.
BTW cleveman, the last paragraph would look good in a brochure.

ChrWright

I don't care if you use epoxy grout or baby seal fur, tile counters look cheap and are a pain in the A@@ to keep clean.

And the idea that porcelain w/grout is the most superior material for counters is ridiculous. That's a DIY mentality, and has no business on a forum for professionals.

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kevjob

I am seeing more and more ceasar stone, avonite, and of course granite, god forbid they choose something other than granite.

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dayspring

AMEN and AMEN

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silvertree

I've been doing Caeserstone and Hanstone and did a few Cambria tops as well, and one big honking granite job, liked all of them, but I have Zodiak (another quartz product) in my home. Like them all. Had tile, always scrubbing the joints to make it look clean.

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Chris G

I have used that same counter top as Tom posted. It looks like he cut the back splash off and created his own. Also the front edge profile is not the typical laminate look. Those are the two best ways to make laminate not look like laminate. A good thing.