Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

Thanks.

wrote in message
...
Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

Thanks.

I like granite slabs because I could get it at a reasonable price and have
the tools to do it. I also like concrete, and have the tools as well, as you
could be creative and go nuts with it but the wife don't like it for her
kitchen even after I show her my Fu-Tung Cheng books, DVD and even drove her
to his studio for real samples of his work.

" Frank" wrote in message
. ..

wrote in message
...
Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

Thanks.

I like granite slabs because I could get it at a reasonable price and have
the tools to do it. I also like concrete, and have the tools as well, as
you could be creative and go nuts with it but the wife don't like it for
her kitchen even after I show her my Fu-Tung Cheng books, DVD and even
drove her to his studio for real samples of his work.


I also prefer a natural stone, either Granite, Quartite or Marble (to your
taste). Next I might like some of the man made stone (quartz and resin)
then the composites like Corian and last by a mile is any kind of Laminate
(well, tile is 3 miles behind). Even if it looks great, it will not enhance
the value of your home and may even decrease it if the majority of other
homes have solid surface tops.

For natural stone, buying a slab and having it cut and installed is the most
expensive route but the only way if you have large odd sized islands or
unusual features. For common counter top dimentions you will find many
prefab natural stone counters and 4" backsplash strips in which only the
sink hole and trim to length is required and labor and material costs are
much lower. These come with bullnose and cut to counter depth. Lower cost
than composite in many cases.

IMO concrete will go out of style eventually. Concrete composites (like
recycled galss) are more interesting but somehwat institutional to my taste.
People will eventually see it for what it was. Even though the raw matrial
is cheap all the formwork and grinding and color treatment can add up to
make it expensive as well.

wrote:
Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

Thanks.
I just went through the same problem. Since I found Silestone (there
are others of the same type) to be less maintenance and more durable, I
bought it. None of these are cheap, but if you want to do something and
leave it alone for years, I think you should consider the Quartz
countertop. Mine is beautiful.

wrote:
Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

Thanks.

For simplicity and cost I would go with plain old formica. You can
get it relatively inexpensively, and it lasts a long time if it is
properly installed.

Of course it isn't very much in style. It is much too simple for the
modern home show.

Bill

On May 14, 2:59*pm, wrote:
Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? *Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). *I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

I've always had laminate, but recently I got a small piece (2 x 3 ft)
of granite
to try. I haven't had it more than a month or two, but I have my
doubts about
whether I'd want an entire kitchen made of it. Every time I put a
plate or
glass down, it makes a terrific clank and I'm afraid I'll break
something.

Over time I will probably get used to not banging things around. I
think
it looks wonderful and I like that it handles heat better than
laminate.
(The piece I've got is next to the stove.)

Cindy Hamilton

"Cindy Hamilton" wrote in message
...
On May 14, 2:59 pm, wrote:
Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

I've always had laminate, but recently I got a small piece (2 x 3 ft)
of granite
to try. I haven't had it more than a month or two, but I have my
doubts about
whether I'd want an entire kitchen made of it. Every time I put a
plate or
glass down, it makes a terrific clank and I'm afraid I'll break
something.

Over time I will probably get used to not banging things around. I
think
it looks wonderful and I like that it handles heat better than
laminate.
(The piece I've got is next to the stove.)

Cindy Hamilton








In the spot in my kitchen most likly to be used for food prep I have put a
large 24" cutting board so most of the time dishes land on wood. I also
have a couple well placed smaller plastic cutting mats. The rest is open
stone. After a year, all the broken dishes have come out of the dishwasher
or from rapid contact with the floor, none due to the hard counter.

I wouldn't want stoneware dishes on a granite countertop though. Too close
to fingernails on a blackboard.

On May 15, 1:44*pm, "pipedown" wrote:
"Cindy Hamilton" wrote in message

...
On May 14, 2:59 pm, wrote:

Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

I've always had laminate, but recently I got a small piece (2 x 3 ft)
of granite
to try. *I haven't had it more than a month or two, but I have my
doubts about
whether I'd want an entire kitchen made of it. *Every time I put a
plate or
glass down, it makes a terrific clank and I'm afraid I'll break
something.

Over time I will probably get used to not banging things around. *I
think
it looks wonderful and I like that it handles heat better than
laminate.
(The piece I've got is next to the stove.)

Cindy Hamilton



In the spot in my kitchen most likly to be used for food prep I have put a
large 24" cutting board so most of the time dishes land on wood. *I also
have a couple well placed smaller plastic cutting mats. *The rest is open
stone. *After a year, all the broken dishes have come out of the dishwasher
or from rapid contact with the floor, none due to the hard counter.

I wouldn't want stoneware dishes on a granite countertop though. *Too close
to fingernails on a blackboard.

After a year, all the broken dishes have come out of the
dishwasher...none due to the hard counter.

Of course, you might not really know that for sure.

If a dish was cracked by rapid contact with the counter, it could
experience a hairline crack that you might not notice. You then put it
in the high temp dishwasher, it expands unevenly and the dish breaks
in two. You open the dishwasher and exclaim "The d*mn dishwasher broke
another dish."

Think about it...what inside the dishwasher would cause the dishes to
crack? Unless they were banging against each other while being washed,
I suspect that any broken dishes found in a dishwasher were weakened
elsewhere.

On May 14, 1:59*pm, wrote:
Do you have an opinion on what countertop material to use for a
kitchen remodeling? *Considering quartz, granite, or formica laminate
(high definition laminate). *I'm leaning towards quartz, but
interested in other opinions.

Thanks.

Formica will still be around years from now when the faddish faux
stone countertops have been trucked off to the landfill. Just pick a
pleasant design you know you'll still like in 2020 and invest the
money you save in the kid's college fund.

Joe