Readers comment on their own kitchen countertops
— Bev Ward
"This is a first for me, but I think I should share our experience with our countertops because I think we are cut from the same cloth. We built our home almost nine years ago and had to decide on countertops among countless other things.
Sure, it would be cool, in a way, to have granite or some other genuine stone, but the guilt-trip side of me couldn't quite handle that. Corian, costing equally as much, would leave me choosing the genuine stuff anyway. My experience with tile is "no-way" — too hard to keep clean. Smooth and sleek for me, thank you.
I started getting quotes for laminate with wood edges. Then our builder happened to see an ad on TV from "One-Stop Countertops" advertising solid-surface counters at an affordable price. This place makes their own "recipe" for solid-surface, with limited choices in colors and finishes, but still offering the built in sinks. Believe it or not, the price for my kitchen, countertops only, (and I have a lot of countertop) was only $100 more than the laminate with wood trim. This product only offers a one-year warranty, which, compared with no warranty on laminate that was OK. It doesn't quite look like Corian or the other expensive kinds but still much better than laminite.
— Marcia Rosenvall
"Sometime in the '70s we remodeled our kitchen with new laminate. It wasn't long at all (a few weeks?) Before we had an accident — burns right to the side of the stove. I had a man come in and install a heat resistant glass panel. It looked good and I thought it would take care of future accidents. Wrong! Very shortly my husband, who was always in charge of the mashed potatoes for Sunday dinner, put them on to cook, went in the front room in his chair and promptly went to sleep. Of course the potatoes burned. When he came into the kitchen he grabbed the pan possibly aiming for the sink, but didn't make it. It made a big deep burn on the counter just to the side of the sink. I just kept a tea towel folded up on that one. It wasn't long before someone else caused a burn on the other side of the sink. It wasn't bad, I could ignore that one. Then before I knew it there was a burn on the island. With many children and spouses it is difficult — well, how many folded tea towels can you have in one kitchen?
So, when I was restoring the kitchen after a fire, I decided I couldn't stand the thought of Formica. My decorator said that for just a little more than Corian, I could have granite. I went to look and fell in love with it. I was able to get some that incorporated all the colors of the kitchen and it is gorgeous! That was nine years ago and I am still in love with it. My sister has some that is quite different in her new home, and it is gorgeous, too. It doesn't burn! It doesn't scratch. You can cut on it and not hurt it. (It isn't good for the knives. But — it is very easy to care for.
Since then I have had friends and relatives use Corian and it seems they are so worried about putting hot pans or cutting on it. I really love Granite and feel it is definitely worth the money.
— Oletta Cummings, Salt Lake City.
For what it's worth. . . . I too try to be frugal, but there are just some things that are WORTH IT to pay a little more. If you really look dollar for dollar, I believe you will find that granite by far has value to match the extra dollars it costs.
I have remodeled two kitchens in the last 10 years and I did granite in both. I love it and would never choose anything else. I never worry about taking a dish out and sitting it directly on the stone . . . it's meant to be there. The natural stone beauty is simply unbeatable! It cleans up wonderfully and is very easy to maintain. You are supposed to seal it every year or so but in six years, I think I've only sealed it twice and it's fine. I can count on one hand the minor chips that are only noticeable to me since I'm mom. I prefer the granite with the stone that looks like rivers running through it (versus the crushed look) it is enjoyable to look at and it adds movement and dimension to the kitchen.
My neighbor has Corian and it looks tired and used after just five years. Granite just holds it's beauty from day one because it's "natural" and it's meant to outlast us all; it's like a beautiful platter waiting to be served off of. My island is constantly filled with a buffet because of our large family; I think the granite actually makes the food look better!
Another thing about Corian . . . We borrowed a friend's cabin and it had Corian in it. I felt horrible when I scratched the surface just by sliding the plastic jug of milk to someone across the island. It literally left marks. (Lame) I think it is tempermental and not worth the added cost. . . . if you don't get granite, get Formica. I've seen some beautiful Formicas, but the granite is tops.
I wouldn't pay for the most expensive bevelled edge. A simple bevelled edge is nice and definitely nicer than a plain edge. If you are going to do granite, finish the edge with the middle price. We used our leftover granite pieces from the sink cutout, etc. for a
bathroom countertop. . . . good use of leftover pieces. I also used some of my leftover pieces of granite in my backsplash in the kitchen. I had the tile guys cut them into squares the same size as my travertine tile and we used them in random places. Random was harder to do than I had expected, but it looks very nice overall. The granite is thicker than the tile so it protrudes and looks awesome.
Good Luck!
— Karen Bergmann
Having just completed our kitchen remodel in our 31-year old home, we really related to your recent countertops article. Our research in to this topic was also extensive and we think we may have some information that might be helpful.
As we began, we had some predispositions against granite and Corian tops based on our experiences in New Zealand on our mission. Our town house there had beautiful dual level designer grade granite tops. Olivia (my wife) found them to be too "cold" for her liking — both temperature and visual in her kitchen. She prefers a "warm," inviting kitchen. The practicality of their durable surface has some limitations. You don't really want to use them as a cutting board for your meats and vegetable preparation — they can be damaged and scarred by this type of misuse. The bacterial growth factor from residual or embedded micro- food scraps is also there. So there are a few "don'ts" associated with granite tops.
The laminate tops are of course less durable than granite, but more easily cleaned and "disinfected" than it's "upscale" competitor. And you don't use these tops for cutting boards either. The assortment of styles, finishes and color selections of laminate far exceeds the choices you are given in granite of Corian. So making your new kitchen harmonize is a much easier process with laminate. So if color harmony and warmth are important in your project, laminate gives you a whole world of choices for just the right look.
After months of shopping and bidding and looking, we had settled on Home Depot to be our kitchen remodel contractor. As we had our last meeting with them to finalize our laminate order, we had a surprising revelation. They were running an ad on selected granite tops at $39 per square foot installed.
Our laminate counter was coming in at $30 per square foot installed. This equated to a relatively small 25 percent increase to upgrade to granite — some $400-$500 additional cost — hardly the expected double or triple costs you might expect between granite and laminate. We gave this new option a 30-45 minute serious look and decided to stay with the laminate. So it wasn't a cost decision, it was a project "best fit" decision.
We chose a Wilsonart Deep Star Bronze laminate top (a copper-green color with a no finger-print variegated surface) that harmonizes beautifully with our Cognac stained maple cabinets and our "Montana" plank oak flooring.
— Jerry and Olivia King
We went through the same countertop dilemma about two years ago. We decided on laminate because of the cost. At some point we may add on to our house and didn't want to replace expensive granite when we do. We visited several showrooms and fell in love with the high-back look in a grayish/black multicolor. Sounds weird, but it is very pretty and one of the more popular choices, although the company didn't tell us that since it has a shiny finish it won't wear as well.
We didn't look around a lot for companies to do the work. We went with a very well known remodeler who specializes in countertops, figuring since that's all they do they must have a good reputation. Everything went well until installation. They sent out their "best guy" to install the countertops. I couldn't even communicate with him because he spoke another language. He made a bad mistake in cutting the countertop under the cabinet, but didn't do anything about it except fill it in with caulk. Being the high-back countertop, the mistake is right at my level where I see it all the time.
Around the edges he glued strips of laminate, which didn't stick they way they should. I called the company and asked for someone to come out and look at it, telling them I didn't want the same installer ever to come back to my house — so that's who they sent. He supposedly fixed the problems, but now all the seams have separated where they were caulked. No allowance was made for the lack of satisfaction or problem with the bad cut.
It will be some time before we can replace the countertops again, but it will be sooner than we would have planned because of the poor workmanship. Anyway, what I'd like to say is, whatever type of countertop you choose, do your homework. Just because they specialize in countertops doesn't mean they do the best job or have good customer service. We were very disappointed.
Good luck!
— J.S.
I was so excited about your article on countertops, as we are also trying to decide which type to get. I can relate to what you said, except that my current countertop is a beige formica. We will be remodeling our whole kitchen this spring and have got it all designed except for whether the countertop will be granite or quartz. We have done research on both of them, and find that one is pretty much equal to the other in quality and price.
Upon looking at many of them, I think that we will probably go with quartz, just because the pattern is more uniform. It seems that granite can have irregular streaks in it, which is great for some people, but I don't know if it would bother me. I keep going back and forth between the two but if I don't decide soon, my husband is going with quartz. I will be very interested to hear the comments from all your readers, and your decision. Thanks for always having such interesting columns!
— Pauline Leithead
I went through the same thing back in November when I was trying to update my 30-year-old kitchen. I did not want to put a lot of money into the kitchen that I may replace completley a few years down the road, but the bright yellow countertops and yellow and orange linoleum needed to go. So I decided to go with the laminate countertops that I have always liked anyway and were a lot more reasonably priced.
Of course once you start with one thing it leads to something else that needs to be done, too. So first the windows needed to be replaced. Then I painted the ugly, dark brown cabinets with a high-gloss black paint. Put new handles on them, and they look brand new. Then I painted the walls a cool green color and replaced the yellow and orange linoleum with a new one that looks like slate squares.
The finishing touch was the countertops that look like granite but is actually Formica. Its called Baltic Granite with a matte finish. So I got the look of the granite without the cost! The kitchen is beautiful and everyone loves it. Especially me! You are more than welcome to come and see it! Good luck with your choice!
— Melony Hansen
I just went through a similar experience of changing my peach-colored Formica countertops. My husband and I weighed the pros and cons of all types that are now available and on the market also the expense. We finally decided on the granite. Then we started the search of who to get to install them. This was an adventure in itself. We finally came up with a gentleman that has his own business and was willing to do it for cost plus his labor and a two-year guarantee. We were very pleased with the final result and have what we always wanted.
I do love my granite and was able to get it at an excellent price.
— Nancy Hobbs
I renovated my kitchen about five years ago, and the Corian was popular then. I chose not to go with it. Last week, I talked with my kitchen remodeler, and he said that there are a lot of problems with the Corian. They have found out that this type of top is chipping.
I chose to go with just a laminate to keep with my all-white kitchen. I love it and have not had any problems with it. But, I'm being told that if and when we go to sell the home, the top will not be a selling point. I then say, "Well they can resurface it themselves to their own liking."
I might have liked to go with the granite. But chose not to, for the price.
I'm in agreement with you ... what suits you is the best countertop to install. I like your idea of perusing your readers, for opinions. I look forward to your findings in a future column.
— Mili McQuivey, American Fork
If you go with Corian, avoid the white sink. Ours stains and requires cleanser with bleach to get it clean, which always seems to splash onto the sleeves of what I'm wearing, no matter how careful I am. Thanks.
— Amy Walton
For the past almost nine years, I've had white ceramic tile countertops (the tiles are about 4 1/4 inches by 4 1/4 inches). I have light maple cabinets and a maple floor in my kitchen. When I saw the tile countertops in the model home I loved them with the maple and thought they looked clean and sleek.
But living with tile countertops is another story. The grout gets dirty easily, especially around the sink. Bleach helps alleviate that problem, but it doesn't remove all stains from the grout. Crumbs and substances like flour get down into the channels between the tiles and are hard to clean out. Also, the gentlemen who did my countertops evidently did not use very high quality grout, or maybe it's just de rigueur for the grout to start to chip out from between the tiles, so the grout needs to be replaced after only nine years, again, especially around the sink!
It's very difficult to write on the countertop because of the small squares. The tiles have chipped in a couple of small places from heavy objects knocking against them. If the tiles were larger and I'd used darker grout, I might like them better.
In defense of ceramic tile countertops, you can put anything on them: hot pans, hot cookie sheets, hot casserole dishes, messy items — as long as you don't let dirt and stains get into the grout! You can cut on them, although if you hit the tiles too hard it can leave gray marks. When you use stainless steel and aluminum pans and bowls and turn them on the countertop (for example, if you are using a stainless steel mixing bowl and turning it constantly), they will leave black marks on the tiles. But the marks come off when you scrub with a pot scrubber. And, you can remove marker, rust marks, etc., by just scrubbing with a rough pot scrubber. I certainly don't love the countertops like I did when I first moved in with them! I'm ready for granite or quartz. However, I lived with a kitchen for 2 1/2 years in France that had marble countertops and they are MUCH worse than tile!
Good luck with your search,
— Cheryl Landheim
After reading your column, I was taken back eight months ago as my husband and I was looking for the right countertops for our kitchen. We finally got them in just a few months ago. We decided on sile stone/quartz. The color is Kona beige with speckles. They have rounded edges with a back splash. I really like them even though they are colder than the laminate. I took out my old laminate countertops after 18 years.
Sile stone is similar to granite but a little cheaper. It holds up to heat and cracking better. You can't see a thing on them unless you are in the right light. I have to bend down to see anything on them when I wash them off.
We remodeled our whole kitchen, which we did all backwards. We started with the floor, then the cabinets didn't match so we replaced them. Then of course the countertops had to go and we had to get a new sink and faucets. Then the dining table didn't match so a new one is on order. It has been a long process in deciding what kind and colors would match. In and out of cabinet and coutertop shops, Home Depot's and Lowe's but it's finally all done and we are enjoying it very much. I feel like I'm in a new model home.
I hope you enjoy whatever you decide.
Good Luck,
— Kelly Ott
I hope you will share with us. I am going through the same dilemma right now. My children say why don't you do the kitchen and I say I can't decide what to use for counters. Granite is pretty and popular right now but I don't want the upkeep. I am thinking Corian but what color? There are just too many to decide from. I am also thinking butcher block or at least some variant of it because I want a light laminate floor. GOOD LUCK TO YOU! I FEEL YOUR PAIN. I'll be interested to hear what you decide.
— Louise Davis
My name is Dusty Stout and I work for Bedrock Quartz in West Jordan. We are easily one of the biggest players in Utah and perhaps the Intermountain area when it comes to quartz and granite (we are solely stone fabricators).
My wife is a big baker and loves to spread the cookie dough, rolls, etc all over the counter. We live in Herriman and still have the laminate that came with the house. It works just fine. I have granite in my master bath and quartz in my main bath. I have yet decided that we need stone counters in our kitchen when I have a growing family to provide for. I assume you can relate.
Here's the best advice I have for you. You say you are worried about the extravagance when it comes to stone. That right there makes me want to steer you to a laminate makeover. If you can't/shouldn't afford, or maybe don't want to afford stone countertops ... DON'T! The worst customers are the cheap ones. They also nitpick and are usually the least educated when it comes to the nature of stone fabrication and the stone itself. They walk a fine line between satisfied and nearly completely disgruntled. Buyers remorse to the "T"! If something doesn't go just right or something in their mind should be different, they immediately have huge regrets. Enough said.
A cook like yourself, I think quartz is the best. My wife will insist on it. It's completely nonporous and never needs to be sealed. Bacteria and other germs won't settle into the surface like nearly all granites can! Quartz is more durable which means cracks or breaks over time are a lot less likely. Colors are getting better all the time. When you look at quartz, make sure to go to a fabricator that carries a lot of different brands. There are differences in shine, colors, and pattern. Granites are unsurpassed in uniqueness and one-of-a-kind beauty. Just know the characteristics of the color you are choosing. Strength and density (make sure it doesn't have a lot of pock marks on the surface) are the two main elements to look at.
And finally, Corian or solid surface is fine. My neutral opinion is save your money and buy laminate, or spend a little more for the top tier product of stone.
Good Luck. When you are informed of all the pro's and con's, you will make the best decision and be happy.
— Dusty Stout
I'm a general contractor and I've been in the construction business since 1970. Simple bottom line, choose granite. It's time-tested, and I have zero customers who have said they wished they'd chosen something else. We have granite in our home, and my wife said she wouldn't have anything else.
At one point granite was for the rich. But now it's more available, as the demand increases, more people jumped on the bandwagon and it shows up on the market. I was amazed when I realized that these stone products come from halfway around the world. How can they cut it and ship it, and yet it's so affordable? It is advisable to seal it, but we have never sealed ours, and there's no stains, no scratches and you can't tell if it's sealed or not.
Any laminate will look good if it's recent, but after the years, it shows signs of wear. If you want your counters to have some personality, the earth produces some nice things. Some can be subtle and some can be wild.
I'd advise people to go to Legacy Granite, because they have a decently stocked stoneyard to look through.
— Harold Johnson, Bountiful
I was in a similar quandary about five or six years ago when we redid our kitchen. Formica was what I had before, and it was chipped and stained. Granite and Corian were too expensive. So I chose a Corian clone. The Corian patent expired a few years ago, which allows other manufacturers to make something very similar, but often they sell it at far less than the Corian brand. I had Quinn Gillman in Orem install "Hi-Macs" in a sage green. It looks and acts like Corian, I have been very happy indeed with it. It cleans easier than Formica; never has a stain, allows me to cut on it without a mark, I put all kinds of hot things direct from the oven on it without a problem. It is trouble free! And I have not regretted going with a color instead of the ubiquitous "neutrals" which I am so tired of seeing.
— Susan Hansen
I don't usually do this but I love my countertops. I replaced my white laminate countertops with a green quartz. I was fabricated to look like granite. I didn't spend anywhere close to $5,000 for them. I find that Lowe's prices were reasonable. They install them and you can save some money by taking out your old ones yourself, which isn't hard to do. Lowe's laminate prices are not very good at all, though.
Just pick a color you like for any countertop you choose. Stone countertops are fairly neutral no matter what option you pick. My green ones could go with a wide variety of colors, since the rock has a variation of a lot of greens, beige and white. I also like not being able to see the seam unlike the laminate top. The only drawback I have found is it is hard to secure the dishwasher to the underside of the counter with stone. So ours moves around a little bit and tips forward slightly when filling or emptying it. We have yet to find a way we like to secure it.
— Kristina Hathaway
Your column struck a chord with me today. We remodeled our kitchen in 2000. I had the same concerns as you mentioned.
I have not regretted choosing laminate, but I regret the bland tile backsplash every time I look at it ... not just every day! If certain colors always make you smile, chances are they will in the future, too.
If you choose to go with granite, I have to say that on a recent countertop shopping trip for my father's kitchen we visited a granite warehouse that made me think of a colorful candy store. He wanted nothing like common "tombstone" granite and ended up with a gorgeous piece that would never go out of style.
Pay the extra buck to get what makes you happy ... and maybe consider a designers help in coordinating with your favorites.
Good luck!!
— Lisa Harris, Salt Lake City
When we built a new home in Santa Clara, I had the same conflicting feelings regarding countertop materials as those you described in your Deseret News column today.
My choices are usually more practical than exotic. However, I was leaving a home and neighborhood in Alpine that I dearly loved to move to a vastly different situation, so I decided to make this new house as wonderful as we could afford it to be, hoping that would help ease the pain of the transition.
So we did bite the bullet and chose granite counters for the kitchen/great room, faux marble for the bathrooms and Formica for the laundry room. We also chose upgraded cabinets throughout the house and a few other extras that raised the cost of the house considerably above the original price.
It has now been five years since that move and those granite countertops on the beautiful custom cabinets bring me pleasure every time I look at them, which is nearly all day every day, since we are retired and spend most of our time at home. Granite is extremely practical, once it's paid for. Hot pans can be set directly on the counters without trivets or hot pads; spills wipe up without staining, except for large quantities of liquid grease or oil and even those are okay if promptly cleaned up. Because granite remains cool year-round, the counters are great for cooling pots of hot soup or stews, cooked candies before beating, or pans of freshly-baked goods.
Although I use a cutting board to save the blades of sharp knives, others working in my kitchen have cut directly on the countertops many times without harming the granite — no scratches or nicks whatever. All in all, the decision for granite has proven to me the old saying that the pleasure of using a superior product lasts long after the price paid has been forgotten. The only drawback I can think of about granite is that a breakable dish dropped on it shatters into a gazillian pieces, just as when it drops onto a tile or marble floor.
I've heard some people complain that every smudge on a granite countertop shows up when light hits it. While that's true, I appreciate that factor, as it shows me where I need to go back over the surface when cleaning, and when it is clean, it truly is a thing of beauty, often capturing a person's attention so they don't notice dirty dishes in the sink or a little room clutter somewhere else.
Speaking of kitchen remodeling, another thing we've been glad we did was to install a Solartube in the ceiling of our east-facing kitchen to bring daylight into the cooking area all day long. Otherwise it would have been dark in the afternoon and earlier at night. The cost was about $500, which was quickly offset by savings on electricity. A Solartube has all the advantages of a skylight without the drawbacks of lost heat or trapped dirt or dislodged attic insulation showing through the interior cover.
I enjoy your column a lot and wish you well in making the remodeling decisions that will bring you the most satisfaction.
— Marlene Matheson
I couldn't resist responding after reading your column.
My dad was in the kitchen business for many years, and we built our home in 1965 and of course, we installed Formica on all surfaces, kitchen and bathrooms, plus we covered our circular kitchen table with laminate. On the main floor rooms we have not replaced any surface. And we are still happy, and they have held up very well but then I have been very careful also. Of course, if and when we decide to we will probably change the tops to be more up-to-date. The first time I saw marble in a bathroom I couldn't believe it. And now it is standard. Yes, I do look forward to the time when we can completely remodel those rooms.
— Karen Holt
I weigh in on the side of laminates. A few years ago we built our home. I went to the local home builders supply and picked out my own cabinet colors. Then I went to the countertop people and chose a laminate that picked up almost exactly one of the colors I chose for the cabinets. And it wasn't neutral.
One problem I had with the granite, though trendy, was the bold and dark colors. They can quickly overwhelm a small kitchen space and may cast a rather dark feeling into a kitchen. I prefer something more upbeat. In the end, there is so much more flexibility with the laminates that they are just fun to plan around.
— Judy Olsen
I am Denise from Sandy and enjoy your column. I want to respond to Wednesday's "countertop" article in the DesNews. After several years of remodeling the main floor of our 23-year-old house (roof, windows, doors, floors, paint, fixtures and even the garage), every day I think "I love this home of ours." Countertops were a huge concern not just for cost but for the ambience they convey. We settled on quartz, for the look of granite and the ease of Corian (no need to annually seal the surface). We have been totally satisfied with our choices for kitchen and bathrooms and I pass on my good experience to anyone interested.
— Denise Olsen
We remodeled our kitchen about four years ago and had the same dilemma. We loved the granite, but after getting the bid felt like that was way too much money. We ended up going with laminate top with a Corian edge. The laminate looks like a granite in a red-tone color, the edge is more of a cream with flecks of color that blend with our tile floor beautifully. Normally we would have gone with a bland color, but are very happy that we went with the red tone laminate. Ten years from now if we are ready for a new color I would do the same thing, and we would still be spending much less to get a change. We have had several people in our neighborhood that have done the same thing. The Corian edge gives the edges the strength it needs. I still looks as good as new today and I think it will hold up for a long time.
— Kathryn Mechling
I am only a husband, but since I have experience in paying for countertops, let me give you a perspective from that vantage point. When we moved into a new home in Alpine, one of the selling points was the new solid-surface countertops. The first thing that tipped us off of upcoming problems was when my wife took a hot pie out of the oven and placed it on the counter. Big, big mistake. We had an area the size of the pie pan that was raised. Found out then that hot was not good.
Then there was the fact we could no longer use our waffle iron. Again too hot. My brother had a new home with the top-of-the line solid-surface countertop and had same problem but worse with waffle iron, his swelled at least two inches high. Then our countertop cracked to the sink which was a corner sink. Checked on laminates but were told the new glues were a problem with heat. So it was new solid surface countertops with a thicker surface, but still nothing hotter than what you could hold in your bare hand. Looked great, but this gets costly.
So in our new home I specified granite. What a pleasure. Pans straight from the oven ... no problems. Drop a knife ... no problems. Slip with a knife while cutting ... no problems. Colors great. Waffle iron, electric fry pan, toaster ... no concerns and no problems, you can actually use them on the countertop. And I have only had to buy the one countertop. Should last as long as I own the house. As my daughter learned, she can leave anything including a hot curling iron on it with no damage.
So consider that in your prices. Peace of mind even from accident-prone teens ... Priceless.
— Doug Himle
I have white speckled Corian. It's very easy to keep clean. When I go to my son's house in California I hate cleaning his black granite countertops. I always have to take a dry towel and buff off the streaks. I don't think a tan granite would be as bad, but if you go with black, don't say you weren't warned! Don't take the time to respond, but let us know via your column which top you choose.
— Joan Hatch of Hurricane
You hit upon a subject that has my mind going this morning — countertops! I have redone two kitchens and did two very different countertops. In the first kitchen, I was worried about money, so I used laminate. I LOVED the design — a dark, forest green with leaves imprinted throughout. It was perfect with my yellow walls with stenciled ivy all around. And, I liked the many different edge choices. However, it wasn't too long before I had put in some major scratches. I am just plain hard on things! And the scratches were very difficult to hide.
For my next kitchen adventure, I chose differently. I wanted something that didn't scratch permanently. I also fell in love with the idea of a seamless joining between countertop and sink. So, I went with a Corian look-alike called Wilsonart. I got a deep forest green with lots of dark and light colored speckles and I love the way it looks. I also love the way the sink and countertop join — it is fabulous. However — this particular solid surface scratches VERY EASILY! Yes, you can buff out the scratches very easily as well, but be prepared. If you look at it cross-eyed, it will scratch. The dark color and speckles make the scratches hardly noticable unless you look at the surface at an angle, but the scratches are definitely there. The sink, though great in almost every way, is white and very hard to keep white. I have recently given up on trying to keep it white and am learning to live with grayish white. Pretty gross, huh.
As for backsplash, I went with a 4-inch extension of the Wilsonart material up the wall. I think it looks great, but there should be more behind the sink and stove. The wall takes a beating there. I also put in a Wilsonart windowsill at the window above my sink, which I think looks great.
If I had to do it again, I would highly consider what my friend did. She did most of her countertops in a neutral laminate but her workspace — in her case, an island — she did in a very pretty granite. I don't like the idea of having to maintain the granite — I know I would forget and then spill red Kool-Aid and stain the granite and have to live with it forever because I am too cheap to replace something that expensive. But, the occasional sealing of the granite doesn't sem to bother her too much. As for her backsplash, she has none. She wanted to continue the laminate up the wall behind her stove and sink, but the contractor refused to do it (excuse me — who is paying whom?). I personally really like the stone tile look on a backsplash, but I am guessing that surface would be hard to keep clean and is probably pretty expensive.
So, I would probably use as much laminate as I felt I could keep nice and put a quartz solid surface countertop elsewhere. I would love to do some pretty tile for a backsplash and would just do a stainless steel sink — undermounted if I could afford it. I think it would be easier to keep clean and looking nice.
Of course, choosing materials is the easy part — then you have to choose patterns! Good luck!
A faithful reader
— Debbie Horton
Last May my husband and I went through the whole "which countertop" issue. It is a tough decision to make! We ended up doing the laminate at Home Depot. They had a nice one with a texture and the colors matched perfectly with our new paint.
I really wanted Corian, but my mom has it and has to be really careful with it and isn't really happy with it. The granite is too busy-looking for my taste. I know that all countertops will get burn marks on them and scratches, but the color I got will hide those marks well. I decided the real reason I didn't want laminate was the fact that I hate seeing the seams, but love the look as well as any corian or granite. So why spend a fortune on countertops when I also wanted other new things in the kitchen. I have absolutely loved the laminate and would do it again!! Now days there are lots of options with laminate. Go for laminate!
— Anjanette Slack
We tore our house down a year ago last August after living there for 15 years and rebuilt on the same lot in Holladay. It seemed like a better way to go for us, and less expensive, too! We moved in a few days before Halloween and I have been thrilled with the whole house but especially my kitchen.
We did all of the contracting for the house ourselves and the money we saved we were able to get the quality we both wanted. I admit I am a snob when it comes to quality and that included countertops. When I first started out looking I thought that I would go more neutral and was "hoping" to be able to have granite. The first slabs I went for were very plain, very symmetrical in their pattern, very neutral, and fell in category 1 for cost. Boring. I wasn't very excited but I thought about the money. The longer I looked, the less that appealed to me because I love to be in the kitchen.
I wanted to love walking into a great kitchen, and I knew I needed a little more fun in my choice of countertops. I grew bolder in my tastes as I visited all the slab places and continued to get excited about the choices instead of just settling for something that would work. I promise, the more you look, the more you will like the beautiful movement in the slabs. It is so impressive what the natural earth has done.
I had great success with Bedrock and their rep Angela. She was amazing. Along with great taste, she was a gem to work with and we searched many places for the right pieces. She knows her stuff and was so kind. That mattered to me.
Good luck!
— Cathy Howard
The workmen are here redoing my kitchen as we read your article. We had the same dilemma about the countertops.
We went with the laminate for all the reasons you mentioned, but the main one being it looks as nice as most granite and we have other better ways to spend our money. If this lasts us as long as the last laminate we had (30 years) it will be worth it.
The laminate can also be taken up the walls to meet the cupboards. Otherwise we would have to re caulk and paint those areas.
This house is paid for, but we won't get any more out of it if we ever sell, even if we go granite or rock, or cement etc. We go with the laminate. Our counter guy laughed. He is going to keep track of what your readers think also.
Thanks for the cute article.
— Sandra and James Shurtleff
I look forward to your column every Wednesday morning and I just have to respond! Nine years ago we went through the same dilemma as we remodeled our kitchen and added on a family room. The kitchen is open and visible to the family room so it needed to look nice. We splurged on the cabinetry (Rite Cabinet Company, full-extension drawers, beautiful wood) and I don't regret that for a minute. I love having huge drawers to store pans and everything else. However, when it came time to choose the countertop I just couldn't pay three times as much for the fancy granite that I knew would take special care. I debated and wondered since I, too, avoid extravagance but I really wanted it to look great. We finally settled on Formica.
Thanks to the advice of a designer at Rite Cabinet, I didn't go with a neutral color like originally planned but chose a color called "curry tigris." It reminds me of the red rock in southern Utah and keeps me happy in the kitchen. Since I went the "cheap" route, I know I can replace them soon, but frankly I have no desire to do so yet.
Also, I have a little weekly cleaning job for a woman in the Millcreek area. She has absolutely gorgeous granite countertops and frankly I don't know how she lives with them. They require a special chemical to clean and show water spots and just are not practical. Thankfully she doesn't do much cooking (or cleaning!). I say "GO FORMICA!"
— Wendy
I had seafoam green granite countertops installed 3 1/2 years ago. They are lovely. But they hide crumbs and spills too well. I cannot tell if a counter has been wiped clean without running my hand over it as I go. My children rarely go to such trouble when it is their turn to clean the kitchen. I think "seeing is believing" when it comes to clean countertops.
The granite has also chipped at the edge of the sink, where it is not so strong. I happen to like the roughened edges, but you may not. Some people use dough blades to clean their granite. The variety that I chose has many "fills," and such a tool would loosen the fills and lessen the integrity of the surface. You should consider this when you choose.
Something that I have enjoyed immensely about the countertop is the undermounted sink. It is such a time saver to just sweep crumbs and water into the sink. I also enjoy the faucet that has a pull out nozzle on a flexible hose at the spout. Mine is a Delta and cost about $270 in 2005.
The time and water I have saved while scouring the sink are considerable. The undermounted sink and the faucet are both things I would buy again. However, I could be just as happy, if not more so, with Formica.
Have fun in your new kitchen.
— Elizabeth Gabrielsen
We replaced our Formica with Corian 5 years ago, and have been very happy, but it also scratches. The scratches can be rubbed out, but we never get around to it. I would probably go with a granite-like manufacture top (such as Silestone) if I had it to do again.
—David Coppin
I just went through a similar experience of changing my peach-colored Formica countertops. My husband and I weighed the pros and cons of all types that are now available and on the market also the expense. We finally decided on the granite. Then we started the search of who to get to install them. This was an adventure in itself. We finally came up with a gentleman that has his own business and was willing to do it for cost plus his labor and a two-year guarantee. We were very pleased with the final result and have what we always wanted.
I do love my granite and was able to get it at an excellent price.
— Nancy Hobbs
I renovated my kitchen about five years ago, and the Corian was popular then. I chose not to go with it. Last week, I talked with my kitchen remodeler, and he said that there are a lot of problems with the Corian. They have found out that this type of top is chipping.
I chose to go with just a laminate to keep with my all-white kitchen. I love it and have not had any problems with it. But, I'm being told that if and when we go to sell the home, the top will not be a selling point. I then say, "Well they can resurface it themselves to their own liking."
I might have liked to go with the granite. But chose not to, for the price.
I'm in agreement with you ... what suits you is the best countertop to install. I like your idea of perusing your readers, for opinions. I look forward to your findings in a future column.
— Mili McQuivey, American Fork
If you go with Corian, avoid the white sink. Ours stains and requires cleanser with bleach to get it clean, which always seems to splash onto the sleeves of what I'm wearing, no matter how careful I am. Thanks.
— Amy Walton
For the past almost nine years, I've had white ceramic tile countertops (the tiles are about 4 1/4 inches by 4 1/4 inches). I have light maple cabinets and a maple floor in my kitchen. When I saw the tile countertops in the model home I loved them with the maple and thought they looked clean and sleek.
But living with tile countertops is another story. The grout gets dirty easily, especially around the sink. Bleach helps alleviate that problem, but it doesn't remove all stains from the grout. Crumbs and substances like flour get down into the channels between the tiles and are hard to clean out. Also, the gentlemen who did my countertops evidently did not use very high quality grout, or maybe it's just de rigueur for the grout to start to chip out from between the tiles, so the grout needs to be replaced after only nine years, again, especially around the sink!
It's very difficult to write on the countertop because of the small squares. The tiles have chipped in a couple of small places from heavy objects knocking against them. If the tiles were larger and I'd used darker grout, I might like them better.
In defense of ceramic tile countertops, you can put anything on them: hot pans, hot cookie sheets, hot casserole dishes, messy items — as long as you don't let dirt and stains get into the grout! You can cut on them, although if you hit the tiles too hard it can leave gray marks. When you use stainless steel and aluminum pans and bowls and turn them on the countertop (for example, if you are using a stainless steel mixing bowl and turning it constantly), they will leave black marks on the tiles. But the marks come off when you scrub with a pot scrubber. And, you can remove marker, rust marks, etc., by just scrubbing with a rough pot scrubber. I certainly don't love the countertops like I did when I first moved in with them! I'm ready for granite or quartz. However, I lived with a kitchen for 2 1/2 years in France that had marble countertops and they are MUCH worse than tile!
Good luck with your search,
— Cheryl Landheim
After reading your column, I was taken back eight months ago as my husband and I was looking for the right countertops for our kitchen. We finally got them in just a few months ago. We decided on sile stone/quartz. The color is Kona beige with speckles. They have rounded edges with a back splash. I really like them even though they are colder than the laminate. I took out my old laminate countertops after 18 years.
Sile stone is similar to granite but a little cheaper. It holds up to heat and cracking better. You can't see a thing on them unless you are in the right light. I have to bend down to see anything on them when I wash them off.
We remodeled our whole kitchen, which we did all backwards. We started with the floor, then the cabinets didn't match so we replaced them. Then of course the countertops had to go and we had to get a new sink and faucets. Then the dining table didn't match so a new one is on order. It has been a long process in deciding what kind and colors would match. In and out of cabinet and coutertop shops, Home Depot's and Lowe's but it's finally all done and we are enjoying it very much. I feel like I'm in a new model home.
I hope you enjoy whatever you decide.
Good Luck,
— Kelly Ott
I hope you will share with us. I am going through the same dilemma right now. My children say why don't you do the kitchen and I say I can't decide what to use for counters. Granite is pretty and popular right now but I don't want the upkeep. I am thinking Corian but what color? There are just too many to decide from. I am also thinking butcher block or at least some variant of it because I want a light laminate floor. GOOD LUCK TO YOU! I FEEL YOUR PAIN. I'll be interested to hear what you decide.
— Louise Davis
I'm a general contractor and I've been in the construction business since 1970. Simple bottom line, choose granite. It's time-tested, and I have zero customers who have said they wished they'd chosen something else. We have granite in our home, and my wife said she wouldn't have anything else.
At one point granite was for the rich. But now it's more available, as the demand increases, more people jumped on the bandwagon and it shows up on the market. I was amazed when I realized that these stone products come from halfway around the world. How can they cut it and ship it, and yet it's so affordable? It is advisable to seal it, but we have never sealed ours, and there's no stains, no scratches and you can't tell if it's sealed or not.
Any laminate will look good if it's recent, but after the years, it shows signs of wear. If you want your counters to have some personality, the earth produces some nice things. Some can be subtle and some can be wild.
I'd advise people to go to Legacy Granite, because they have a decently stocked stoneyard to look through.
— Harold Johnson, Bountiful
You asked what kind of kitchen counter to buy? I've debated that question for years and last fall I finally made up my mind and I now have a kitchen I truly love.
Here is where I was coming from:
1. I am of "retirement age" and have a limited but comfortable income: I have to watch my money. Long ago I learned from an aunt that sometimes it pays to spend a little more on something that you love that will last a long time: Don't think poor and be cheap, but spend your money wisely. Since you are a professional cook I think you should certainly take that into consideration.
2. Cooking isn't a big deal for me and I have a very small kitchen. I like to serve simple, well-balanced meals. I have large family dinners occasionally and once in a while I make bread, cookies, etc., as a treat.
3. In 2007 I moved into my Orem home that had a brand-new, white laminate countertop. My daughter (a grandmother herself) managed to put a gouge and a slice mark in it the first day! I hated the way it showed stains. I knew I didn't like laminate even though that was the type of surface I had used my entire adult life!
4. I live with an disabled adult son who has difficulty eating. We eat almost all our meals at our kitchen "bar." As much as I love him, I can usually count on about one-quarter of his food landing somewhere between his plate/bowl and his mouth. Needless to say, our countertop gets heavy duty use and cleaning.
5. I use my countertop as a "household bills" sort of desk and it is open to the living room and dining room. I need to have it look nice.
6. I wanted my new countertop to be "timeless." I don't go with fashion trends unless it seems sensible. For instance, I have all white appliances in my kitchen because I learned the hard way that "colored" appliances go out of style relatively fast. If one white appliance wears out it isn't noticeable when you replace it with another. EVERYONE thought I had bought all new appliances when I put my white traditional kitchen in — NOT!
7. I was raised with a tile kitchen countertop and I know how difficult they can be to clean and maintain, so tile was out. (Just between you and me, what really makes me irritated with the appliance industry right now is that they are "pushing" stainless steel appliances as the popular thing to buy, yet most of the material used to make stainless steel comes from Somalia, a country I'd rather not do business with right now. I've also heard some stainless steel appliances, besides being more costly, can still show fingerprints and aren't always easy for young mothers to keep clean! Unfair!)
What counter did I get? Silestone with the look of granite. It has a simple, basic, beveled 1.5 inches deep edge and a nice simple subway tile backsplash.
I love the classic look of granite. The color and pattern of the Silestone didn't have to be as carefully chosen as is granite because of the consistent way it is manufactured. Yet everyone thinks I have a granite countertop because of the pattern. It doesn't stain, crack nor have microscopic pits that can hold germs and bacteria like granite, neither does it have to be "sealed" on a regular basis — an added cost. Silestone actually kills bacteria and the surface is so smooth that there aren't any cracks of any kind. In fact, the most difficult part of cleaning my counter is to make sure the dry milk marks or tiny bits of this or that are gone — they blend into the design. So sad! And boy does it gleam if I use glass cleaner on it! Very nice and sophisticated. I don't mind anyone seeing my kitchen.
Unfortunely, although Silestone is very heat resistant, it can crack like granite if an appliance like a crockpot is used regularly, at high heat, without some kind of insulated protection like a cutting board. Compare that to laminate that can burn and blister! Also, like granite, no matter how hard you try, Silestone doesn't get gouge marks or knife cuts in it.
I love using the surface when I hand-knead bread, roll out pie crust or cool cookies. I love the way it feels. I love the way it wipes clean. I love how it looks. It is wonderful! It has been well worth the money.
— Dixie Davis, Orem
P.S. I got my countertop when I had my kitchen (IKEA with self-closing drawers) and floors (pre-engineered and pre-finished hardwood) installed. The designer/carpenter who put it in did such a good job that the countertop is perfectly level, something I've never experienced before! What that means is that if I spill a little water on the surface it will just pool up and "sit" there — not go to the edge and flow onto the cabinets and floor! Amazing! You can imagine how nice that is for cleaning up after my son!
You asked for opinions regarding countertops. I am a general contractor. I put in a lot of tops. Forget about laminate. It's a thing of the past. It may still be good for commercial restrooms or even apartments or tract homes, but very few people are putting them in their own homes.
While granite is quite popular, it is very porous and needs to be sealed. It has the advantage of not being affected by heat but it's seams are often cumbersome and obvious. Undermount sinks must be caulked to the top and caulk is not permanent. When chipped or broken it is most often un-repairable.
I always recommend (when asked) solid surface. Undermount sinks become one with the top and no caulk is wanted or needed. It comes in a myriad of designs and colors and can easily be shaped to your desire. Although it does not take hot things well (like laminate) it is repairable when a rare mishap happens (unlike laminate and granite). Cuts and scratches can be sanded out and it looks like new. It is smooth and beautiful and will stay that way. It never needs to be sealed because it is non-porous. There are many different brand names of solid surface. There are only one or two I don't recommend.
Respectfully,
— Shane
I had laminate, then remodeled and got laminate again only much tougher and better looking. It's red, my favorite color. Laminate seems to attract dust. But I don't wash the entire counter off more than once a week, maybe that's why. I love the laminate. We considered granite but couldn't afford it. Will send photo of before and after just for fun.
— Judy Newfarmer
I enjoy reading your column each day and thought I would respond to your questions today regarding countertops. I am very similar to you in your thoughts of being frugal, but at the same time finding something that is practical, looks great, and long lasting. I'm no expert in this area and also grew up with Formica countertops and still have them in my married life today.
The one type of countertop that is possibly less popular or less publicized, is the concrete countertop. My younger brother who is a very talented artist and sculptor, created concrete countertops in his new home. You can color them to add personality. My brother is quite creative and he created some cast iron strips or grates that he laid in the concrete as it was setting, next to his stove for a built-in "hot pad." The countertops are sealed and he says they are virtually indestructible. It matches great for his "rustic" decor and looks good with the tile floor.
Anyway, another idea for you. I believe it was much cheaper than Corian or granite type tops.
— Brian R. Batt
FIve years ago I moved into a house with granite countertop. It is not a solid piece but done with 12-inch squares. The edge is flat and a little rough. One bothersome thing that I attribute to the countertop is that every single one of my T-shirts gets a hole in the front where it hits the edge of the countertop and my pants button when I am working at the counter. (I haven't proven it but never had this problem before.) I have taken to wearing an apron whenever in the kitchen in an attempt to prevent the holes. Just something to think about.
— Debbie in Bountiful
Two years I changed my countertops. I chose Formica with a pattern that looks like granite. I love it! The colors are black, beige and green. The sink is a shiny black.
— Debbie
Recent comments
I had a condo with white solid surface coutertops. Those were miserable...
wallofvoodoo | April 30, 2008 at 8:03 p.m.
