"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/

HeyBub wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way
out; the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the
George Foreman grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


That writer doesn't have much of a clue. Stainless is certainly not cheap. And
Viking ranges are highly desired by the good cooks I know.

On 2011-10-05, Bob F wrote:

That writer doesn't have much of a clue. Stainless is certainly not cheap. And
Viking ranges are highly desired by the good cooks I know.

Pointless blather and half truths. Jes another word hack trying to
make a buck.

Granite always has been useless in the kitchen and SS is for utility
and sanitation, which the author correctly notes. OTOH, the cheap SS
we are getting from China is crap. Rusts easily and early.

nb

On 10/5/2011 9:35 AM, HeyBub wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


She's right on. Every fad is trendy at the beginning, which motivates
more and more people to climb on the bandwagon. That very success
spells its doom, because the whole point of being trendy is being
_different_ from everyone else. When everyone's got what you've got,
you don't want it anymore. So you eventually move on to the next new
thing, and over time most of the rest of the crowd moves, too. And so on.

Most people don't use their kitchens for serious, intensive cooking.
They installed the granite and stainless primarily to indicate status
(expen$e), not utility. Anyone willing to spend that kind of money on
status symbols is the same kind of person who'll want to show off the
next latest and greatest status symbol.

Those of us who've followed the 2000s-era housing bubble from its
inception noted that it will become forever associated with granite
and stainless kitchen decor. That right there spells its doom. When
housing revives, nobody's gonna want their home to look like it was
featured on Flip This House.

"Hell Toupee" wrote in message
...
On 10/5/2011 9:35 AM, HeyBub wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George
Foreman
grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


She's right on. Every fad is trendy at the beginning, which motivates more
and more people to climb on the bandwagon. That very success spells its
doom, because the whole point of being trendy is being _different_ from
everyone else. When everyone's got what you've got, you don't want it
anymore. So you eventually move on to the next new thing, and over time
most of the rest of the crowd moves, too. And so on.

Most people don't use their kitchens for serious, intensive cooking. They
installed the granite and stainless primarily to indicate status
(expen$e), not utility. Anyone willing to spend that kind of money on
status symbols is the same kind of person who'll want to show off the next
latest and greatest status symbol.

Those of us who've followed the 2000s-era housing bubble from its
inception noted that it will become forever associated with granite and
stainless kitchen decor. That right there spells its doom. When housing
revives, nobody's gonna want their home to look like it was featured on
Flip This House.

Stainless steel started with sinks decades ago and is still in style for
that use, granite is a good product and will last longer than green
appliances did. Chrome has made a come-back as a durable long lasting
product.

"Flip this house" specialized in cheap surface treatments, and granite tiles
on counters always remind me of that . Cheap stainless will have a short
life and white cabinets will always look like cheap paint-over.

Hell Toupee wrote in
:

On 10/5/2011 9:35 AM, HeyBub wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way
out; the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the
George Foreman grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...nless-steel-an
d-granite-the-harvest-gold-of-the-future/246152/


She's right on. Every fad is trendy at the beginning, which motivates
more and more people to climb on the bandwagon. That very success
spells its doom, because the whole point of being trendy is being
_different_ from everyone else. When everyone's got what you've got,
you don't want it anymore. So you eventually move on to the next new
thing, and over time most of the rest of the crowd moves, too. And so
on.

....and after generations of remodeling one day you see it
remodeled/restored to the way it was when it was built xx(x) years ago.

"The Harvest Gold of the Future?"...I like that one.


Most people don't use their kitchens for serious, intensive cooking.
They installed the granite and stainless primarily to indicate status
(expen$e), not utility. Anyone willing to spend that kind of money on
status symbols is the same kind of person who'll want to show off the
next latest and greatest status symbol.

Those of us who've followed the 2000s-era housing bubble from its
inception noted that it will become forever associated with granite
and stainless kitchen decor. That right there spells its doom. When
housing revives, nobody's gonna want their home to look like it was
featured on Flip This House.

On Wed, 5 Oct 2011 13:11:11 -0400, "EXT" wrote:


"Hell Toupee" wrote in message
...
On 10/5/2011 9:35 AM, HeyBub wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George
Foreman
grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


She's right on. Every fad is trendy at the beginning, which motivates more
and more people to climb on the bandwagon. That very success spells its
doom, because the whole point of being trendy is being _different_ from
everyone else. When everyone's got what you've got, you don't want it
anymore. So you eventually move on to the next new thing, and over time
most of the rest of the crowd moves, too. And so on.

Most people don't use their kitchens for serious, intensive cooking. They
installed the granite and stainless primarily to indicate status
(expen$e), not utility. Anyone willing to spend that kind of money on
status symbols is the same kind of person who'll want to show off the next
latest and greatest status symbol.

Those of us who've followed the 2000s-era housing bubble from its
inception noted that it will become forever associated with granite and
stainless kitchen decor. That right there spells its doom. When housing
revives, nobody's gonna want their home to look like it was featured on
Flip This House.

Stainless steel started with sinks decades ago and is still in style for
that use, granite is a good product and will last longer than green
appliances did. Chrome has made a come-back as a durable long lasting
product.

Agreed. You'll never convince my wife to dump the granite (our current house
has ~150sq.ft. of it). Well, maybe for quartz. ;-)

"Flip this house" specialized in cheap surface treatments, and granite tiles
on counters always remind me of that . Cheap stainless will have a short
life and white cabinets will always look like cheap paint-over.

Agreed.

"HeyBub" wrote in message
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way
out; the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the
George Foreman grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


I've never been a "sheep". I don't need to be told by someone else
what I like, etc.

I like stainless steel in a kitchen because it is functional. And I
like Formica because it has a reasonable price and easy to clean.

Granite is nice, but the price is ridiculous! Tile is nice, but hard
to clean in-between the tiles.

Bill wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way
out; the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the
George Foreman grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


I've never been a "sheep". I don't need to be told by someone else
what I like, etc.

I like stainless steel in a kitchen because it is functional. And I
like Formica because it has a reasonable price and easy to clean.

Granite is nice, but the price is ridiculous! Tile is nice, but hard
to clean in-between the tiles.

How do you react to laminate flooring for a counter top?

It's what I've got. Looks like butcher-block.

On Oct 7, 2:35*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
Bill wrote:
"HeyBub" wrote in message
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way
out; the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the
George Foreman grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...inless-steel-a....

I've never been a "sheep". I don't need to be told by someone else
what I like, etc.

I like stainless steel in a kitchen because it is functional. And I
like Formica because it has a reasonable price and easy to clean.

Granite is nice, but the price is ridiculous! Tile is nice, but hard
to clean in-between the tiles.

How do you react to laminate flooring for a counter top?

It's what I've got. Looks like butcher-block.

Interesting!!! We have to replace our ancient tile some day, so
looking for inexpensive but attractive solutions. (Not in the granite
league!) Here are my instructions about what to ask:

How long have you had the laminate flooring?

How does it wear?

How do you clean it?

Can you put hot things on it?

What about stains?

Scratches?

Appreciate your input. Have to make my report soonish g

HB

On Oct 5, 9:35*am, "HeyBub" wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."


Supposedly the only two colors for appliances that never go out of
'style' are white and black.

On 10/8/2011 1:02 AM, ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:
On Oct 5, 9:35 am, wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."


Supposedly the only two colors for appliances that never go out of
'style' are white and black.


Who gives a rat's ass about style? As long as they work, aren't a PITA
to keep clean, and won't blow up the house, what else matters? I suppose
it is nice if they are all more or less the same color, but that is
hardly a show-stopper.

If your kitchen is full of visitors, they are there because they want to
see you, not because your cabinets and appliances are impressive. In an
hour, most won't even remember what your kitchen looks like.

--
aem sends...

On Oct 8, 8:23*am, aemeijers wrote:
On 10/8/2011 1:02 AM, ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:

On Oct 5, 9:35 am, *wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."

Supposedly the only two colors for appliances that never go out of
'style' are white and black.

Who gives a rat's ass about style? As long as they work, aren't a PITA
to keep clean, and won't blow up the house, what else matters? I suppose
it is nice if they are all more or less the same color, but that is
hardly a show-stopper.

If your kitchen is full of visitors, they are there because they want to
see you, not because your cabinets and appliances are impressive. *In an
hour, most won't even remember what your kitchen looks like.

--
aem sends...

granite can emit radiation and is now percieved by some as a health
hazard.

"Bob F" wrote:
HeyBub wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way
out; the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the
George Foreman grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


That writer doesn't have much of a clue. Stainless is certainly not cheap. And
Viking ranges are highly desired by the good cooks I know.

I have a stainless steel microwave, on the inside, where it counts!
White on the outside.

Greg

On Sat, 8 Oct 2011 06:20:44 -0700 (PDT), bob haller wrote:

On Oct 8, 8:23*am, aemeijers wrote:
On 10/8/2011 1:02 AM, ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:

On Oct 5, 9:35 am, *wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."

Supposedly the only two colors for appliances that never go out of
'style' are white and black.

Who gives a rat's ass about style?

You're obviously not married.

As long as they work, aren't a PITA
to keep clean, and won't blow up the house, what else matters? I suppose
it is nice if they are all more or less the same color, but that is
hardly a show-stopper.

Try an avocado refrigerator next to a harvest gold stove. Ugly! ...but
that's what out first house had (as did every one in the development). The
*yellow* bathroom fixtures were a prize, too, but at least they matched.

If your kitchen is full of visitors, they are there because they want to
see you, not because your cabinets and appliances are impressive. *In an
hour, most won't even remember what your kitchen looks like.

Not everyone buys stuff to impress the neighbors.

granite can emit radiation and is now percieved by some as a health
hazard.

What hasn't been "perceived by some" to be health hazards? Good grief.

Bob F wrote:
HeyBub wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way
out; the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the
George Foreman grill."

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...future/246152/


That writer doesn't have much of a clue. Stainless is certainly not
cheap. And Viking ranges are highly desired by the good cooks I know.

Right. And even if styles change, both granite and stainless can be painted.

Harvest Gold Rustoleum anyone?

Higgs Boson wrote:

How do you react to laminate flooring for a counter top?

It's what I've got. Looks like butcher-block.

Interesting!!! We have to replace our ancient tile some day, so
looking for inexpensive but attractive solutions. (Not in the granite
league!) Here are my instructions about what to ask:

How long have you had the laminate flooring?

How does it wear?

How do you clean it?

Can you put hot things on it?

What about stains?

Scratches?

Appreciate your input. Have to make my report soonish g


Good questions.

I had some cheap laminate left over after doing two bedroom floors, so, what
the heck! Had to look better than the '60s Formica!

Your basic cheap laminate is layered with the same stuff they make fighter
windshields out of. That said, I figured if it could stand up to dirt,
roller blades, snow, dog scratches, and golf shoes, it would work on a
counter.

As to your questions:

"How long in place?" - A bit over a year.
"Wear?" - It doesn't. It gets less abuse than the floors and the floors
still look pristine.
"Clean?" - Just like Formica or tile. You wipe it with a damp rag.
"Hot things?" - Don't know. Earlier experiments with scrap showed it will
char when heated with a cigarette lighter. Therefore, I'm cautious with hot
things. Have a couple of trivets next to the stove.
"Stains?" - It doesn't stain. Coffee, ketchup, etc., wipe right up. I'm
serious - they should make body armor out of this stuff.
"Scratches?" - Again, we're careful to use a cutting board and such. Earlier
experiments on scrap showed it was impervious to a nail, rasp, or dragging a
saw blade across it.

You didn't ask about water. In the leadup to this project I miked the
thickness on a couple of scrap strips then let them sit in a glass of water
for a MONTH. After that time, the resulting measurements were within the
limits of my micrometer, 0.002" ! This stuff is water-irrelevant.

What will tax your ingenuity is 45-degree routing to get the down-trim
pieces to fit. Also constructing the back-splash requires some brain-power
and measurements.

Still, I'm pleased with the results.

On Oct 8, 2:20*pm, bob haller wrote:
On Oct 8, 8:23*am, aemeijers wrote:





On 10/8/2011 1:02 AM, ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:

On Oct 5, 9:35 am, *wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."

Supposedly the only two colors for appliances that never go out of
'style' are white and black.

Who gives a rat's ass about style? As long as they work, aren't a PITA
to keep clean, and won't blow up the house, what else matters? I suppose
it is nice if they are all more or less the same color, but that is
hardly a show-stopper.

If your kitchen is full of visitors, they are there because they want to
see you, not because your cabinets and appliances are impressive. *In an
hour, most won't even remember what your kitchen looks like.

--
aem sends...

granite can emit radiation and is now percieved by some as a health
hazard.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Heh heh! All granite is radio-active to various extents in common with
all igneous rocks. After all, it came out of a nuclear furnace.
There are cities ove rhere where most buildingsare granite. There are
signifcantly more cases of cancer in someof these places.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granite#Natural_radiation

On Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:49:05 -0400, wrote:

On Sat, 8 Oct 2011 09:53:39 -0500, "HeyBub"
wrote:

Higgs Boson wrote:

How do you react to laminate flooring for a counter top?

It's what I've got. Looks like butcher-block.

Interesting!!! We have to replace our ancient tile some day, so
looking for inexpensive but attractive solutions. (Not in the granite
league!) Here are my instructions about what to ask:

How long have you had the laminate flooring?

How does it wear?

How do you clean it?

Can you put hot things on it?

What about stains?

Scratches?

Appreciate your input. Have to make my report soonish g


Good questions.

I had some cheap laminate left over after doing two bedroom floors, so, what
the heck! Had to look better than the '60s Formica!

Your basic cheap laminate is layered with the same stuff they make fighter
windshields out of. That said, I figured if it could stand up to dirt,
roller blades, snow, dog scratches, and golf shoes, it would work on a
counter.

As to your questions:

"How long in place?" - A bit over a year.
"Wear?" - It doesn't. It gets less abuse than the floors and the floors
still look pristine.
"Clean?" - Just like Formica or tile. You wipe it with a damp rag.
"Hot things?" - Don't know. Earlier experiments with scrap showed it will
char when heated with a cigarette lighter. Therefore, I'm cautious with hot
things. Have a couple of trivets next to the stove.
"Stains?" - It doesn't stain. Coffee, ketchup, etc., wipe right up. I'm
serious - they should make body armor out of this stuff.
"Scratches?" - Again, we're careful to use a cutting board and such. Earlier
experiments on scrap showed it was impervious to a nail, rasp, or dragging a
saw blade across it.

You didn't ask about water. In the leadup to this project I miked the
thickness on a couple of scrap strips then let them sit in a glass of water
for a MONTH. After that time, the resulting measurements were within the
limits of my micrometer, 0.002" ! This stuff is water-irrelevant.

What will tax your ingenuity is 45-degree routing to get the down-trim
pieces to fit. Also constructing the back-splash requires some brain-power
and measurements.

Still, I'm pleased with the results.


I went with maple counter tops. (wife's idea)
They are Grainger work bench tops, sealed with poly urethane.,
I have less than $400 in them and so far so good a decade later. I
really thought they would not hold up. If I do decide they are getting
too shabby an hour or so in the driveway with my belt sander will
bring them right back. Everything else is kitchen grade stainless. The
sink and cooktop counter/backsplash was fabricated at a local welding
shop in one piece with all of the seams polished out. I have a big
maple work surface that rides over the SS between the sink and the
cook top and slides over the sink for more work space if we need it.

If I were king of the kitchen, that's what I would do. However, SWMBO likes
granite (well, most solid surfaces - other than concrete or Corian), so end of
discussion. OTOH, granite is great for baking.

On 10/8/2011 9:20 AM, bob haller wrote:
On Oct 8, 8:23 am, wrote:
On 10/8/2011 1:02 AM, ItsJoanNotJoann wrote:

On Oct 5, 9:35 am, wrote:
"By that metric, stainless steel and granite have to be on their way out;
the only thing more ubiquitous in the American kitchen is the George Foreman
grill."

Supposedly the only two colors for appliances that never go out of
'style' are white and black.

Who gives a rat's ass about style? As long as they work, aren't a PITA
to keep clean, and won't blow up the house, what else matters? I suppose
it is nice if they are all more or less the same color, but that is
hardly a show-stopper.

If your kitchen is full of visitors, they are there because they want to
see you, not because your cabinets and appliances are impressive. In an
hour, most won't even remember what your kitchen looks like.

--
aem sends...

granite can emit radiation and is now percieved by some as a health
hazard.

So is that why they use it for tombstones, to keep the zombies below the
grass?

--
aem sends...

On 10/8/2011 10:53 AM, HeyBub wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

How do you react to laminate flooring for a counter top?

It's what I've got. Looks like butcher-block.

Interesting!!! We have to replace our ancient tile some day, so
looking for inexpensive but attractive solutions. (Not in the granite
league!) Here are my instructions about what to ask:

How long have you had the laminate flooring?

How does it wear?

How do you clean it?

Can you put hot things on it?

What about stains?

Scratches?

Appreciate your input. Have to make my report soonishg


Good questions.

I had some cheap laminate left over after doing two bedroom floors, so, what
the heck! Had to look better than the '60s Formica!

Your basic cheap laminate is layered with the same stuff they make fighter
windshields out of. That said, I figured if it could stand up to dirt,
roller blades, snow, dog scratches, and golf shoes, it would work on a
counter.

As to your questions:

"How long in place?" - A bit over a year.
"Wear?" - It doesn't. It gets less abuse than the floors and the floors
still look pristine.
"Clean?" - Just like Formica or tile. You wipe it with a damp rag.
"Hot things?" - Don't know. Earlier experiments with scrap showed it will
char when heated with a cigarette lighter. Therefore, I'm cautious with hot
things. Have a couple of trivets next to the stove.
"Stains?" - It doesn't stain. Coffee, ketchup, etc., wipe right up. I'm
serious - they should make body armor out of this stuff.
"Scratches?" - Again, we're careful to use a cutting board and such. Earlier
experiments on scrap showed it was impervious to a nail, rasp, or dragging a
saw blade across it.

You didn't ask about water. In the leadup to this project I miked the
thickness on a couple of scrap strips then let them sit in a glass of water
for a MONTH. After that time, the resulting measurements were within the
limits of my micrometer, 0.002" ! This stuff is water-irrelevant.

What will tax your ingenuity is 45-degree routing to get the down-trim
pieces to fit. Also constructing the back-splash requires some brain-power
and measurements.

Still, I'm pleased with the results.



Leaving aside my distaste for faux woodgrain, what about the seams? The
laminate may not swell, but how do you keep things or black gunk from
growing in the cracks? That seam is not liquid or gas tight.

--
aem sends...

"aemeijers" wrote

Who gives a rat's ass about style? As long as they work, aren't a PITA
to keep clean, and won't blow up the house, what else matters?

You did say you were single, didn't you?

aemeijers wrote:

Leaving aside my distaste for faux woodgrain, what about the seams?
The laminate may not swell, but how do you keep things or black gunk
from growing in the cracks? That seam is not liquid or gas tight.

Another good question.

There aren't any visible seams.

This stuff is manufactured to quite close tolerances and the pieces click
together with NO discernable gaps.

On Oct 8, 7:53*am, "HeyBub" wrote:
Higgs Boson wrote:

How do you react to laminate flooring for a counter top?

It's what I've got. Looks like butcher-block.

Interesting!!! We have to replace our *ancient tile some day, so
looking for inexpensive but attractive solutions. *(Not in the granite
league!) *Here are my instructions about what to ask:

How long have you had the laminate flooring?

How does it wear?

How do you clean it?

Can you put hot things on it?

What about stains?

Scratches?

Appreciate your input. *Have to make my report soonish g

Good questions.

I had some cheap laminate left over after doing two bedroom floors, so, what
the heck! Had to look better than the '60s Formica!

Your basic cheap laminate is layered with the same stuff they make fighter
windshields out of. That said, I figured if it could stand up to dirt,
roller blades, snow, dog scratches, and golf shoes, it would work on a
counter.

As to your questions:

"How long in place?" - A bit over a year.
"Wear?" - It doesn't. It gets less abuse than the floors and the floors
still look pristine.
"Clean?" - Just like Formica or tile. You wipe it with a damp rag.
"Hot things?" - Don't know. Earlier experiments with scrap showed it will
char when heated with a cigarette lighter. Therefore, I'm cautious with hot
things. Have a couple of trivets next to the stove.
"Stains?" - It doesn't stain. Coffee, ketchup, etc., wipe right up. I'm
serious - they should make body armor out of this stuff.
"Scratches?" - Again, we're careful to use a cutting board and such. Earlier
experiments on scrap showed it was impervious to a nail, rasp, or dragging a
saw blade across it.

You didn't ask about water. In the leadup to this project I miked the
thickness on a couple of scrap strips then let them sit in a glass of water
for a MONTH. After that time, the resulting measurements were within the
limits of my micrometer, 0.002" ! This stuff is water-irrelevant.

What will tax your ingenuity is 45-degree routing to get the down-trim
pieces to fit. Also constructing the back-splash requires some brain-power
and measurements.

Still, I'm pleased with the results.

Hey,thanks for the detailed reply. That really sounds exciting. I
am SO tired of doing a miserable job regrouting existing tile.
Also everything surrounding the sink is chipped. I have the spare
tiles, including bullnose, but not the expertise, and don't want to
blow $$ on a handyman like the one who screwed up the original
installation. (That was done by a Nazi. He did good work. No, I
didn't know he was one when I hired him...)

What you said about down-trim and back splash gives me beaucoup
pause.

Can't visualize how that would work in place of bullnose tiles...?
Some kind of coving?

Appreciate your input.

HB

On Oct 8, 1:10*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
aemeijers wrote:

Leaving aside my distaste for faux woodgrain, what about the seams?
The laminate may not swell, but how do you keep things or black gunk
from growing in the cracks? That seam is not liquid or gas tight.

Another good question.

There aren't any visible seams.

This stuff is manufactured to quite close tolerances and the pieces click
together with NO discernable gaps.

Are you talking horizontal, or 90 degrees where backsplash meets
counter?

HB

On 10/8/2011 4:10 PM, HeyBub wrote:
aemeijers wrote:

Leaving aside my distaste for faux woodgrain, what about the seams?
The laminate may not swell, but how do you keep things or black gunk
from growing in the cracks? That seam is not liquid or gas tight.

Another good question.

There aren't any visible seams.

This stuff is manufactured to quite close tolerances and the pieces click
together with NO discernable gaps.



If so, it is unlike every laminate floor I have ever seen. Window light
hits it at an angle, and every seam jumps out to my eyes. Harder to see
with inside light from above.

--
aem sends...

Higgs Boson wrote:

Are you talking horizontal, or 90 degrees where backsplash meets
counter?


Good point. I meant horizontal.

For the backsplash, I butted the horizontal and vertical pieces as tightly
as I could. Then I covered the intersection with small quarter-round,
stained to match and covered with spar varnish. Before placing, the joint
was suitably sealed with silicon caulk.

So far, that methodology seems to have been adequate. I can post a picture
if the description is not sufficient.

Higgs Boson wrote:
..

As to your questions:

"How long in place?" - A bit over a year.
"Wear?" - It doesn't. It gets less abuse than the floors and the
floors still look pristine.
"Clean?" - Just like Formica or tile. You wipe it with a damp rag.
"Hot things?" - Don't know. Earlier experiments with scrap showed it
will char when heated with a cigarette lighter. Therefore, I'm
cautious with hot things. Have a couple of trivets next to the stove.
"Stains?" - It doesn't stain. Coffee, ketchup, etc., wipe right up.
I'm serious - they should make body armor out of this stuff.
"Scratches?" - Again, we're careful to use a cutting board and such.
Earlier experiments on scrap showed it was impervious to a nail,
rasp, or dragging a saw blade across it.

You didn't ask about water. In the leadup to this project I miked the
thickness on a couple of scrap strips then let them sit in a glass
of water for a MONTH. After that time, the resulting measurements
were within the limits of my micrometer, 0.002" ! This stuff is
water-irrelevant.

What will tax your ingenuity is 45-degree routing to get the
down-trim pieces to fit. Also constructing the back-splash requires
some brain-power and measurements.

Still, I'm pleased with the results.

Hey,thanks for the detailed reply. That really sounds exciting. I
am SO tired of doing a miserable job regrouting existing tile.
Also everything surrounding the sink is chipped. I have the spare
tiles, including bullnose, but not the expertise, and don't want to
blow $$ on a handyman like the one who screwed up the original
installation. (That was done by a Nazi. He did good work. No, I
didn't know he was one when I hired him...)

What you said about down-trim and back splash gives me beaucoup
pause.

Can't visualize how that would work in place of bullnose tiles...?
Some kind of coving?

Appreciate your input.


The laminate has some thickness, maybe 5/16". On edge is looks like a thin
layer of the good stuff followed by a dark wood substitute. I didn't want
this ugliness to be visible, so routing the edge of the horizontal plate and
the top edge of the 2" verticle trim piece to 45 degrees seemed the best
solution.

I considered using a piece of floor transition for the vertical trim. In my
mind, this transition piece would "hook" over the counter edge and hang
down, resulting in a small "bump" at the counter's edge. This, of course,
would prevent sweeping all the detritus from the counter to the floor. This
was my fall-back plan if the routing of many angles proved to be too
tiresome.

Everything was glued down with 3M spray adhesive.