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Max Max is offline
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Default What are the best kitchen counter materials

"Luigi Zanasi" wrote in message
...
Note the plural. For someon who is into wooddorking and cooking, I am
somewhat ashame to say that I have a 30-year old completely
inefficient kitchen that is now falling apart. I am designing a new
one (thanks Swing for the sketch-up library) and am trying to figure
out what to use for counter tops.

Note the plural. Maybe there is one best overall material, but I am
not necessarily averse to using more than one.

So what would you use in an ideal kithcen:

Arborite/Formical/High pressure laminate?
Solid surface a la Corian or others?
Paperstone?
Wood - vertical "real" butcher block or horizontal laminations? What
wood if not maple?
Stone (granite, marble)?
Others I missed?

Right now I'm inclined towards high pressure laminate with maybe a
wood section, or a separate bread/pastaboard that could slip under the
counter like my father did many years ago. The Arborite has lasted 30
years in my kitchen with only a couple of ugly spots. I realize the
solid surface stuff can be repaired, but how much of a real advantage
is that?

Note that these are just my initial thoughts and am quite open to
being convinced otherwise.

Thanks in advance for your collective wisdom.

Luigi



IMHO it's tile hands down. Easy to install, if you get a chip (I dropped a
cast iron skillet once) it's easy to replace just that tile.
Variety of colors, very durable (my countertops are 25 years old and still
look good)
I've heard complaints from some about the grout looking bad but I sealed
mine and it's a dark grout besides. Still looks good.
I can e-mail photos if you're interested.

Max