Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem to have a
lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block counter
tops. Are those in vogue any more?

mcp6453 wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem
to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we have.
No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No sealing as with
granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas stove on the counter.
No scratches from cutting veggies directly on the surface.

I like the look of butcherblock, but our kitchen is too small. If you
really like wood cutting surfaces (and I do, but don't have them), I'd
suggest small or big cutting boards.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:00:36 -0500, mcp6453 wrote:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem to have a
lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

Quartz would be my first choice but it's far more expensive than even granite.
Granite works very well and is great for baking. We have ~150 ft^2 of granite
in our house (kitchen, living room shelves, and four bathroom counters).

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block counter
tops. Are those in vogue any more?

Some people are turned off by the maintenance of granite (I've found that
there is none). Butcher block is about the worst possible surface, in this
regard. If you're a seasoned woodworker and have nothing else to do with your
life, butcher block is nice. It'll make lousy cookies, though. ;-)

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, Han wrote:

mcp6453 wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem
to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we have.
No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No sealing as with
granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas stove on the counter.
No scratches from cutting veggies directly on the surface.

Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there are no
stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a really nice man-made
solid surface.

I like the look of butcherblock, but our kitchen is too small. If you
really like wood cutting surfaces (and I do, but don't have them), I'd
suggest small or big cutting boards.

Or at least an easily replaceable section of a butcher block counter, or
better, an island with a prep-sink.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:00:36 -0500, mcp6453 wrote:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem to have a
lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block counter
tops. Are those in vogue any more?


Everything has a cycle. I'd consider some of the solid surfaces.
Depending on layout, if you have a 24" cabinet where you'd like to
prep, make that the butcher block top. I don't have the room in this
house, but in my last one, we loved having that surface next to the
sink.

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling the house
in the next few years. I always like to consider resale value. We've lived with
neutral colored walls forever for that reason. Thankfully we like that color. Or
non-color.

On Feb 4, 10:37*am, mcp6453 wrote:
On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling the house
in the next few years. I always like to consider resale value. We've lived with
neutral colored walls forever for that reason. Thankfully we like that color. Or
non-color.

Then I'd lean toward granite. Look at real estate
listings and see what they talk up. If they have granite,
they almost always brag about it in the listing. The man
made composites, not so much. People looking at
houses won't even know what most of them are or
bother to figure out. They do know what granite is though.

Of course what it's worth putting in, will you get what you
put in back when you sell, etc depends on many factors.
Putting granite in a house that has new appliances, nice
kitchen, etc could be well worth it. Putting it in a kitchen
that isn't otherwise up to date could be a waste, etc.

On 2/4/2012 6:00 AM, mcp6453 wrote:
Are granite counter tops a fad?

Granite is very popular because it's very inexpensive and it's easy to
install. Mass quantities come in from China. In the San Francisco Bay
Area there are many granite retailers selling granite at very low prices
to the public, while the high end kitchen remodeling stores and the big
box home stores sell it at high prices.

mcp6453 wrote in
news
On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling
the house in the next few years. I always like to consider resale
value. We've lived with neutral colored walls forever for that reason.
Thankfully we like that color. Or non-color.

In that case, get estimates for what different countertops would cost.
Don't do anything to yours, but supply the estimates to potential buyers.
Then they can choose. If you install something now, you have the mess, and
then you have limited the potential buyers to whoever likes that particular
surface, and eliminated all others. I know, buying a home is visceral, and
if you can put in something that is liked, you got the buyer on the hook.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

" wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, Han wrote:

mcp6453 wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials
seem to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about
them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we
have. No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No
sealing as with granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas
stove on the counter. No scratches from cutting veggies directly on
the surface.

Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there are
no stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a really nice
man-made solid surface.

My Silestone isn't soft, and it is quartz
http://www.silestoneusa.com/docs/frequently-asked-questions.cfm:
quote
1. What is Silestone?
Silestone® is naturally beautiful, durable quartz. Silestone is the
world's leading natural quartz surface - a superior stone for myriad
interior surfacing applications because of its ideal combination of
beauty and practicality.

Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no matter
what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

/quote
I like the look of butcherblock, but our kitchen is too small. If you
really like wood cutting surfaces (and I do, but don't have them), I'd
suggest small or big cutting boards.

Or at least an easily replaceable section of a butcher block counter,
or better, an island with a prep-sink.

Yes, that would be fine too, but my kitchen is only 8x14 ft, with an
outside door, a basement door, and a dining room door.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Han wrote:
z wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, wrote:

wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials
seem to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about
them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we
have. No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No
sealing as with granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas
stove on the counter. No scratches from cutting veggies directly on
the surface.

Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there are
no stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a really nice
man-made solid surface.

My Silestone isn't soft, and it is quartz
http://www.silestoneusa.com/docs/frequently-asked-questions.cfm:
quote
1. What is Silestone?
Silestone® is naturally beautiful, durable quartz. Silestone is the
world's leading natural quartz surface - a superior stone for myriad
interior surfacing applications because of its ideal combination of
beauty and practicality.

Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no matter
what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

I would just like to say that I too have Silestone and have had it for
a few years now. I spent more time than I probably should have trying
to decide if Granite or a Quartz top was the best choice. I chose
Silestone even though it costs more than Granite after that research. I
am glad I decided as I did. Highly recommended.



/quote
I like the look of butcherblock, but our kitchen is too small. If you
really like wood cutting surfaces (and I do, but don't have them), I'd
suggest small or big cutting boards.

Or at least an easily replaceable section of a butcher block counter,
or better, an island with a prep-sink.

Yes, that would be fine too, but my kitchen is only 8x14 ft, with an
outside door, a basement door, and a dining room door.

On 2/4/2012 10:37 AM, mcp6453 wrote:
On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling the house
in the next few years. I always like to consider resale value. We've lived with
neutral colored walls forever for that reason. Thankfully we like that color. Or
non-color.

What looks good to you may not look good to purchaser. I would tend
away from the color extremes. A real estate axiom I remember was that
it is better to bring color into a room than to color the room itself.
On corporate resales the company would often come in and paint all the
walls off white and put in beige carpeting.

As for granite vs synthetic, I understand granite cannot be repaired
while synthetic can.

On 04 Feb 2012 17:26:14 GMT, Han wrote:

" wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, Han wrote:

mcp6453 wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials
seem to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about
them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we
have. No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No
sealing as with granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas
stove on the counter. No scratches from cutting veggies directly on
the surface.

Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there are
no stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a really nice
man-made solid surface.

My Silestone isn't soft, and it is quartz
http://www.silestoneusa.com/docs/frequently-asked-questions.cfm:
quote
1. What is Silestone?
Silestone® is naturally beautiful, durable quartz. Silestone is the
world's leading natural quartz surface - a superior stone for myriad
interior surfacing applications because of its ideal combination of
beauty and practicality.

Ok, I didn't realize that Silestone was just a brand of quartz. I was
thinking it was closer to soapstone.

Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no matter
what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

Granite comes in a lot more than that. ;-)

/quote
I like the look of butcherblock, but our kitchen is too small. If you
really like wood cutting surfaces (and I do, but don't have them), I'd
suggest small or big cutting boards.

Or at least an easily replaceable section of a butcher block counter,
or better, an island with a prep-sink.

Yes, that would be fine too, but my kitchen is only 8x14 ft, with an
outside door, a basement door, and a dining room door.

A drop-in section of a counter would work. This makes it easy to pop out and
refinish, or replace as it gets dinged.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:39:12 -0500, Frank
wrote:

On 2/4/2012 10:37 AM, mcp6453 wrote:
On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling the house
in the next few years. I always like to consider resale value. We've lived with
neutral colored walls forever for that reason. Thankfully we like that color. Or
non-color.

What looks good to you may not look good to purchaser. I would tend
away from the color extremes. A real estate axiom I remember was that
it is better to bring color into a room than to color the room itself.
On corporate resales the company would often come in and paint all the
walls off white and put in beige carpeting.

Yep. Crappy paint and worse carpeting. I've seen a lot of it lately.

As for granite vs synthetic, I understand granite cannot be repaired
while synthetic can.

Don't use a hammer on it. ;-) As I said elsewhere, granite is perfect for
baking. After having granite countertops (in six rooms) SWMBO wouldn't be
without it.

On 2/4/2012 1:08 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:39:12 -0500,
wrote:

On 2/4/2012 10:37 AM, mcp6453 wrote:
On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling the house
in the next few years. I always like to consider resale value. We've lived with
neutral colored walls forever for that reason. Thankfully we like that color. Or
non-color.

What looks good to you may not look good to purchaser. I would tend
away from the color extremes. A real estate axiom I remember was that
it is better to bring color into a room than to color the room itself.
On corporate resales the company would often come in and paint all the
walls off white and put in beige carpeting.

Yep. Crappy paint and worse carpeting. I've seen a lot of it lately.

As for granite vs synthetic, I understand granite cannot be repaired
while synthetic can.

Don't use a hammer on it. ;-) As I said elsewhere, granite is perfect for
baking. After having granite countertops (in six rooms) SWMBO wouldn't be
without it.

When I worked briefly as a realtor, it was done in vacant houses.
Corporate transferee was given time himself to sell house but if he
didn't, they would buy it and transform it to the neutral colors.

Not sure about relative costs of granite vs synthetics but think main
cost is custom fabrication and they may be similar.

Only product I was familiar with was Corian and thought it a good product.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 10:37:02 -0500, mcp6453 wrote:

On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling the house
in the next few years. I always like to consider resale value. We've lived with
neutral colored walls forever for that reason. Thankfully we like that color. Or
non-color.

I guess it comes down to values. I'd rather live in a room the color
I like rather than tolerate bland for the sake of re-sale. You can
always repaint when you list the house. Right now, granite would add
some value, perhaps a bit more than other ice counter tops.

We've been in this house for 30 years and it is just the way we like
it. Next move will be to the nursing home or cemetery so I'm not
concerned about selling. We do plan to do some sprucing up this year,
but no major renovations.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:32:23 -0500, Frank
wrote:

On 2/4/2012 1:08 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:39:12 -0500,
wrote:

On 2/4/2012 10:37 AM, mcp6453 wrote:
On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling the house
in the next few years. I always like to consider resale value. We've lived with
neutral colored walls forever for that reason. Thankfully we like that color. Or
non-color.

What looks good to you may not look good to purchaser. I would tend
away from the color extremes. A real estate axiom I remember was that
it is better to bring color into a room than to color the room itself.
On corporate resales the company would often come in and paint all the
walls off white and put in beige carpeting.

Yep. Crappy paint and worse carpeting. I've seen a lot of it lately.

As for granite vs synthetic, I understand granite cannot be repaired
while synthetic can.

Don't use a hammer on it. ;-) As I said elsewhere, granite is perfect for
baking. After having granite countertops (in six rooms) SWMBO wouldn't be
without it.

When I worked briefly as a realtor, it was done in vacant houses.
Corporate transferee was given time himself to sell house but if he
didn't, they would buy it and transform it to the neutral colors.

Banks are doing it today to foreclosures.

Not sure about relative costs of granite vs synthetics but think main
cost is custom fabrication and they may be similar.

I found that quartz is twice the installed price of granite.

Only product I was familiar with was Corian and thought it a good product.

That does scratch easily. I don't really like the "plastic" feel, either.
It's not bad in the bathroom but I wouldn't want it in the kitchen. In any
case, it's quite a bit more expensive than the cheaper granite (granite has
about a 4x price range, depending on color).

On 2/4/2012 12:04 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On 04 Feb 2012 17:26:14 GMT, wrote:

z wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, wrote:

wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials
seem to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about
them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?
After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we
have. No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No
sealing as with granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas
stove on the counter. No scratches from cutting veggies directly on
the surface.
Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there are
no stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a really nice
man-made solid surface.
My Silestone isn't soft, and it is quartz
http://www.silestoneusa.com/docs/frequently-asked-questions.cfm:
quote
1. What is Silestone?
Silestone® is naturally beautiful, durable quartz. Silestone is the
world's leading natural quartz surface - a superior stone for myriad
interior surfacing applications because of its ideal combination of
beauty and practicality.
Ok, I didn't realize that Silestone was just a brand of quartz. I was
thinking it was closer to soapstone.

You're an idiot.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:11:01 -0600, gonjah gonjah.net wrote:

On 2/4/2012 12:04 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On 04 Feb 2012 17:26:14 GMT, wrote:

z wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, wrote:

wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials
seem to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about
them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?
After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we
have. No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No
sealing as with granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas
stove on the counter. No scratches from cutting veggies directly on
the surface.
Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there are
no stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a really nice
man-made solid surface.
My Silestone isn't soft, and it is quartz
http://www.silestoneusa.com/docs/frequently-asked-questions.cfm:
quote
1. What is Silestone?
Silestone® is naturally beautiful, durable quartz. Silestone is the
world's leading natural quartz surface - a superior stone for myriad
interior surfacing applications because of its ideal combination of
beauty and practicality.
Ok, I didn't realize that Silestone was just a brand of quartz. I was
thinking it was closer to soapstone.

You're an idiot.

At least you admit that you're a head case.

" wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 17:26:14 GMT, Han wrote:

" wrote in
m:

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, Han wrote:

mcp6453 wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials
seem to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about
them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher
block counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we
have. No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No
sealing as with granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas
stove on the counter. No scratches from cutting veggies directly on
the surface.

Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there
are no stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a
really nice man-made solid surface.

My Silestone isn't soft, and it is quartz
http://www.silestoneusa.com/docs/frequently-asked-questions.cfm:
quote
1. What is Silestone?
Silestone® is naturally beautiful, durable quartz. Silestone is the
world's leading natural quartz surface - a superior stone for myriad
interior surfacing applications because of its ideal combination of
beauty and practicality.

Ok, I didn't realize that Silestone was just a brand of quartz. I was
thinking it was closer to soapstone.

Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no matter
what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

Granite comes in a lot more than that. ;-)

/quote
I like the look of butcherblock, but our kitchen is too small. If
you really like wood cutting surfaces (and I do, but don't have
them), I'd suggest small or big cutting boards.

Or at least an easily replaceable section of a butcher block
counter, or better, an island with a prep-sink.

Yes, that would be fine too, but my kitchen is only 8x14 ft, with an
outside door, a basement door, and a dining room door.

A drop-in section of a counter would work. This makes it easy to pop
out and refinish, or replace as it gets dinged.

When we bought the Silestone, it was much cheaper than granite, now it is
reversed. The drop-in idea is good, but for us it wouldn't work
esthetically and practically. As I said, my wife cuts veggies straight
on the counter, with no discernible bad effects on knives or counter.
The counter cleans really easily after that. Nevertheless, I would like
her to use a cutting board.


--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

Ken wrote:
Han wrote:
Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no
matter what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

I would just like to say that I too have Silestone and have had it for
a few years now. I spent more time than I probably should have trying
to decide if Granite or a Quartz top was the best choice. I chose
Silestone even though it costs more than Granite after that research.
I am glad I decided as I did. Highly recommended.

The thing that confuses me is that quartz is a mineral, not a stone; and
yet, the manufacturer seems to imply that it is a naturally occuring stone.
Confusing too, is the range of colors offered; quartz does come in some
different colors - purple (amethyst) for one - but it is normally colorless;
en masse, whitish.

Is silestone made by embedding quartz in a matrix (probably acrylic)?

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:01:33 -0500, "
wrote:

In any
case, it's quite a bit more expensive than the cheaper granite (granite has
about a 4x price range, depending on color).

Granite can be bought much thinner now. Supposed to get the price
down so more people can afford it.

"dadiOH" wrote in :

Ken wrote:
Han wrote:
Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no
matter what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

I would just like to say that I too have Silestone and have had it
for a few years now. I spent more time than I probably should have
trying to decide if Granite or a Quartz top was the best choice. I
chose Silestone even though it costs more than Granite after that
research. I am glad I decided as I did. Highly recommended.

The thing that confuses me is that quartz is a mineral, not a stone;
and yet, the manufacturer seems to imply that it is a naturally
occuring stone. Confusing too, is the range of colors offered; quartz
does come in some different colors - purple (amethyst) for one - but
it is normally colorless; en masse, whitish.

Is silestone made by embedding quartz in a matrix (probably acrylic)?

Yes, "quartz" countertops are made by embedding quartz in a "polymeric"
matrix. I put 2 photos up on abpw (or will soon), so you can see.


--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

"mcp6453" wrote in message
...
Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem to
have a
lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter
tops. Are those in vogue any more?

I'm on my third house with granite. I think I might like to try one with
concrete, but my first choice from experience is granite.

As for butcher block, they have health issues if they are too large to clean
easily, but then, the old butchers didn't seem to have a lot of problems,
did they?

Steve

On 04 Feb 2012 20:36:52 GMT, Han wrote:

" wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 17:26:14 GMT, Han wrote:

" wrote in
:

On 04 Feb 2012 14:06:30 GMT, Han wrote:

mcp6453 wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials
seem to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about
them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher
block counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

After more than 10 years we still love the Silestone countertop we
have. No maintenance other than a little detergent and water. No
sealing as with granite. No problem putting hot pans from the gas
stove on the counter. No scratches from cutting veggies directly on
the surface.

Not all granite needs sealing. I've never touched ours and there
are no stains whatsoever. Silestone is too soft. Quartz is a
really nice man-made solid surface.

My Silestone isn't soft, and it is quartz
http://www.silestoneusa.com/docs/frequently-asked-questions.cfm:
quote
1. What is Silestone?
Silestone® is naturally beautiful, durable quartz. Silestone is the
world's leading natural quartz surface - a superior stone for myriad
interior surfacing applications because of its ideal combination of
beauty and practicality.

Ok, I didn't realize that Silestone was just a brand of quartz. I was
thinking it was closer to soapstone.

Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no matter
what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

Granite comes in a lot more than that. ;-)

/quote
I like the look of butcherblock, but our kitchen is too small. If
you really like wood cutting surfaces (and I do, but don't have
them), I'd suggest small or big cutting boards.

Or at least an easily replaceable section of a butcher block
counter, or better, an island with a prep-sink.

Yes, that would be fine too, but my kitchen is only 8x14 ft, with an
outside door, a basement door, and a dining room door.

A drop-in section of a counter would work. This makes it easy to pop
out and refinish, or replace as it gets dinged.

When we bought the Silestone, it was much cheaper than granite, now it is
reversed. The drop-in idea is good, but for us it wouldn't work
esthetically and practically. As I said, my wife cuts veggies straight
on the counter, with no discernible bad effects on knives or counter.
The counter cleans really easily after that. Nevertheless, I would like
her to use a cutting board.

It's not going to be good for one of them. Cutting boards were invented for a
reason (disposable). ;-)

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:58:33 -0800, Oren wrote:

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 14:01:33 -0500, "
wrote:

In any
case, it's quite a bit more expensive than the cheaper granite (granite has
about a 4x price range, depending on color).

Granite can be bought much thinner now. Supposed to get the price
down so more people can afford it.

Thinner granite doesn't crack? I like the massive look in a kitchen (at
least a larger one, which is much preferred by SWMBO). Even laminate tops are
pretty thick.

It's not *that* expensive, at least if it's not a "starter house". The lower
end stuff can be had for $40/ft^2, or so, installed. Even some of them come
with granite, now.

On Sat, 4 Feb 2012 16:28:26 -0800, "Steve B" wrote:




As for butcher block, they have health issues if they are too large to clean
easily, but then, the old butchers didn't seem to have a lot of problems,
did they?

Steve


When I was in high school, I worked in a grocery store and butcher
shop. At the end of the day it was my job to clean the butcher blocks.
We put sawdust and scraped them, then wiped with a bleach solution.

Cared for properly, there are no health issues.

"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 4 Feb 2012 16:28:26 -0800, "Steve B" wrote:




As for butcher block, they have health issues if they are too large to
clean
easily, but then, the old butchers didn't seem to have a lot of problems,
did they?

Steve


When I was in high school, I worked in a grocery store and butcher
shop. At the end of the day it was my job to clean the butcher blocks.
We put sawdust and scraped them, then wiped with a bleach solution.

Cared for properly, there are no health issues.

You cannot argue this point with some people, though. My daughter and SIL
will eat only begrudgingly out of our kitchen because we use wood cutting
boards and even (GASP!) synthetic ones that could harbor bacteria. Not sure
what they cut on at home. Yeah, this is the couple that replace their
kitchen sink scrubbies and sponges twice a year. Whether they need it or
not.

Steve

On 2/4/2012 10:24 PM, Steve B wrote:
"Ed wrote in message
...
On Sat, 4 Feb 2012 16:28:26 -0800, "Steve wrote:



As for butcher block, they have health issues if they are too large to
clean
easily, but then, the old butchers didn't seem to have a lot of problems,
did they?

Steve

When I was in high school, I worked in a grocery store and butcher
shop. At the end of the day it was my job to clean the butcher blocks.
We put sawdust and scraped them, then wiped with a bleach solution.

Cared for properly, there are no health issues.
You cannot argue this point with some people, though. My daughter and SIL
will eat only begrudgingly out of our kitchen because we use wood cutting
boards and even (GASP!) synthetic ones that could harbor bacteria. Not sure
what they cut on at home. Yeah, this is the couple that replace their
kitchen sink scrubbies and sponges twice a year. Whether they need it or
not.

Steve


Many commercial kitchens use color coded plastic cutting boards.

http://www.clicksa.com.au/clientwebs...rgeitem341.jpg

Particularly useful in long term care and hospitals where you got fed,
state and local inspectors breathing down your neck.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:52:19 -0500, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Sat, 4 Feb 2012 16:28:26 -0800, "Steve B" wrote:




As for butcher block, they have health issues if they are too large to clean
easily, but then, the old butchers didn't seem to have a lot of problems,
did they?

Steve


When I was in high school, I worked in a grocery store and butcher
shop. At the end of the day it was my job to clean the butcher blocks.
We put sawdust and scraped them, then wiped with a bleach solution.

Cared for properly, there are no health issues.

Wood has natural anti-bacterial properties. Plastic does not. Either works
if you clean it properly between uses.

On 05 Feb 2012 05:27:37 GMT, Earl wrote:

mcp6453 wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem
to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?


o granite we must have granite. Man, those people are too stupid. Next
year it'll be something else.

No, after having granite countertops, she won't have anything else. They
actually *are* better than the laminate crap. Sorry if you can't afford it.

On 2/4/2012 11:42 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On 05 Feb 2012 05:27:37 GMT, wrote:

wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem
to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

o granite we must have granite. Man, those people are too stupid. Next
year it'll be something else.
No, after having granite countertops, she won't have anything else. They
actually *are* better than the laminate crap. Sorry if you can't afford it.


Some of those "crap" laminate counters hold up well for several years.

On 04 Feb 2012 17:22:28 GMT, Han wrote:

mcp6453 wrote in
news
On 2/4/2012 10:23 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

Buy what you like, don't worry about the next hot trend.

But what will my neighbors think? Seriously, we're thinking of selling
the house in the next few years. I always like to consider resale
value. We've lived with neutral colored walls forever for that reason.
Thankfully we like that color. Or non-color.

In that case, get estimates for what different countertops would cost.
Don't do anything to yours, but supply the estimates to potential buyers.
Then they can choose. If you install something now, you have the mess, and
then you have limited the potential buyers to whoever likes that particular
surface, and eliminated all others. I know, buying a home is visceral, and
if you can put in something that is liked, you got the buyer on the hook.

Doubt you'll ever get your money back going high end on any
renovation, especially in this home market.
Just get what you like.

Personally, what's in the kitchen never mattered to me or my wife when
we were looking for a house.
For us, as they say, it's was mostly location.
When we looked at this house, which I really liked for the location,
structural soundness, and good mechanicals, I thought the kitchen
would kill the deal for my wife.
Small, not much counter space (formica), painted built-in cabinets
with poor drawer fit.
She didn't blink, even when I pressed her about the kitchen.
She said we can improve it later.
I was probably brainwashed by all the bull**** put out by the "home
improvement" marketeers as to how the kitchen had to be just so..
And she's a professional chef.
Not saying she thinks about this like other women though.
BTW, she uses hard plastic cutting boards, and they just get washed
with the rest of the dishes.

We were just talking about finally redoing the kitchen, mostly to gain
more counter space and to add a dishwasher.
Her big complaint is not enough counter space.
Only have counter on one wall, with the sink and dish drain rack
taking all but 3 feet of it.
Which means we'll put cabinets/counter on the other wall and have
to remove the kitchen table. No other way.
Only way to eat in there will be on stools, either on the wall counter
or a small island.
I'll have to tear out the sink wall and have an electrician wire that
up properly, and put outlets in the wall getting the new counter.

She doesn't care what the countertops are made of, and doesn't care if
I pick up used cabinets from Craigslist or off the street on garbage
day. Just wants more counter space.
Gives me a lot of flexibility.
I'll probably get the counters made up at a big box of mid-range
laminate.
Oops.
I just asked her, and she said she really likes the looks of granite,
but a granite laminate will do.
We'll see. I'm going to go with whatever she wants.
She's been patient for 15 years, only cussing about it a few times.

--Vic

Han wrote:
"dadiOH" wrote in
:

Ken wrote:
Han wrote:
Silestone features a range of more than 65 unique colors, so no
matter what your taste or style, we've got the perfect fit.

I would just like to say that I too have Silestone and have had it
for a few years now. I spent more time than I probably should have
trying to decide if Granite or a Quartz top was the best choice. I
chose Silestone even though it costs more than Granite after that
research. I am glad I decided as I did. Highly recommended.

The thing that confuses me is that quartz is a mineral, not a stone;
and yet, the manufacturer seems to imply that it is a naturally
occuring stone. Confusing too, is the range of colors offered; quartz
does come in some different colors - purple (amethyst) for one - but
it is normally colorless; en masse, whitish.

Is silestone made by embedding quartz in a matrix (probably acrylic)?

Yes, "quartz" countertops are made by embedding quartz in a
"polymeric" matrix. I put 2 photos up on abpw (or will soon), so you
can see.

Thanks, Han. Any idea/guess as to what percentage is quartz vs the matrix?

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

"dadiOH" wrote in :

Thanks, Han. Any idea/guess as to what percentage is quartz vs the
matrix?

Oops, I lost my cheatsheet with your real name, sorry.
No I don't know the %. Even the little quartz-less patch in the counter is
plenty hard. And the stuff IS heavy. If you want to come by to take a
look, just ask. I'm in 07410.

--
Best regards
Han
email address is invalid

" wrote:

It's not *that* expensive, at least if it's not a "starter house". The lower
end stuff can be had for $40/ft^2, or so, installed. Even some of them come
with granite, now.

Agreed. Granite has followed the classic pricing curve. It remains expensive to
transport because of its weight, but has gone from something that required hand
cutting and polishing, to something that is essentially mass produced.

They also started out much thicker than standard thicknesses today, which
required reinforced cabinetry and added to transport costs. Today 3cm tops can
go on standard cabinets and some builders are using 2cm.

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:46:31 -0600, gonjah gonjah.net wrote:

On 2/4/2012 11:42 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On 05 Feb 2012 05:27:37 GMT, wrote:

wrote in
:

Are granite counter tops a fad? Synthetic solid surface materials seem
to have a lot more appeal to me, but I don't know much about them.

My wife has indicated that she might want some sort of butcher block
counter tops. Are those in vogue any more?

o granite we must have granite. Man, those people are too stupid. Next
year it'll be something else.
No, after having granite countertops, she won't have anything else. They
actually *are* better than the laminate crap. Sorry if you can't afford it.


Some of those "crap" laminate counters hold up well for several years.

Sure, but crap is always crap. Once you go granite, she'll never go back to
laminate. BTDT.

" writes:

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:32:23 -0500, Frank
wrote:
....
Only product I was familiar with was Corian and thought it a good product.

That does scratch easily. I don't really like the "plastic" feel, either.
It's not bad in the bathroom but I wouldn't want it in the kitchen. In any
case, it's quite a bit more expensive than the cheaper granite (granite has
about a 4x price range, depending on color).

I must not be trying hard enough.
I can't imagine how one would go about scratching Corian.
Their web site says scratches can be easily repaired.

--
Dan Espen

On Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:14:55 -0500, Dan Espen wrote:

" writes:

On Sat, 04 Feb 2012 13:32:23 -0500, Frank
wrote:
...
Only product I was familiar with was Corian and thought it a good product.

That does scratch easily. I don't really like the "plastic" feel, either.
It's not bad in the bathroom but I wouldn't want it in the kitchen. In any
case, it's quite a bit more expensive than the cheaper granite (granite has
about a 4x price range, depending on color).

I must not be trying hard enough.
I can't imagine how one would go about scratching Corian.

A knife.

Their web site says scratches can be easily repaired.

Sure, by a professional. So can wood and it's not plastic.

On 2/5/2012 12:52 PM, zzzzzzzzzz wrote:
On Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:14:55 -0500, Dan wrote:
....

Their web site says scratches can be easily repaired.

Sure, by a professional. ...

Doesn't take anything particularly difficult nor a "professional" to rub
out a scratch in any of the manmade finishes. All the ones I've had
occasion to either install or have come w/ a small repair kit and
instructions for the homeowner and materials are readily available.

It's nothing magic at all...

--