Charlie Self wrote:

Dennis O'Connor writes:

I think you'll find many people with trophy kitchens (those things on
TV)
don't
actually cook in them.

However, Corian(R) is still a fantastic surface for countertops.
And no surprise there, since it was designed to be exactly that.

I put in a Corian lavatory in our bathroom a few years ago. My wife hated
it from day one. I had a tub surround ready to go in, but got rid of it.
She doesn't like the matte finish, primarily.

I've got a granite sharpening base here, and cannot imagine using that
thing, as finely ground as it is, for a kitchen surface.

As you go down the list of materials for countertops, you find faults.
Ceramic tile breaks too easily to be used, IMO. Copper is a PITA to keep
polished. Formica and those similar to it scorch too easily, delaminate
under some conditions, etc. It keeps on. Possibly the biggest problem:
none can be refinished. They all have to be replaced when they're messed
up, though some (granite, concrete, Corian and other solid surface resin
types) area going to last a long, long time (which is a pretty good reason
for not going with trendy colors and shapes--you'll be heartily sick of
the dramatic red or black or...in a decade or two).

Wood? Wood works beautifully. Tenderizing? No problem. Cutting? Not much
of a problem for the first 40 years. It does scorch, possibly more easily
than the laminates but lo. And behold! What's that in his hand? A scraper?
Couple hours later, wood is looking great again. The laminate? In the
garbage and replace the whole works.

The whole point of the solid surface materials such as Corian is that they
_can_ be refinished--even through-holes can be repaired. Granite can also
be refinished but to a lesser extent. Not something that I suspect the
average home handyman is going to want to take on, but it _is_ doable.


Charlie Self
"For NASA, space is still a high priority." Dan Quayle

--
--John
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(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)