October 21, 2017

Choosing the New Countertop that is Best for You

Tired of how your kitchen looks? Consider a face lift by replacing your old countertops with the latest solid surface or laminate. Learn all that you need to know about choosing a new countertop with Kitchen Designer Michael Smith.

As a designer I constantly speak with customers who want to redo their kitchen into an area that is more pleasing to the eye and also more useful. In the average home the kitchen has become the most important room in the house. Family interactions and activities center here while mom or dad prepares meals, cleans up, or just simply sit to talk.

Where does one start with this process of Tiny kitchen designs countertops? What materials are available? Can I get the look I want? Is there something that will fit within my budget that looks nice and meets my needs?

A good kitchen designer at your local home improvement store can answer all of these questions. We help people make these choices every day.

The first thing you should do before visiting your local design center is to think about your current countertops. What do you like most about them? What do you dislike most? It is important to understand that each material has distinct characteristics. You should work towards improving the aspects that you least enjoy about your present countertops.

What kind of countertops do I want? Do I want Granite? Quartz? Corian? Or Laminate? Knowing the characteristics of each product before you go to the home improvement store will save you time and help the designer focus on the material that will be right for your home.

Take note of each of the most common materials used today. Think about the good and not-so-good points of each. Which material best meets your needs?

Granite

Granite is a natural substance mined from the earth in most countries of the world. Each piece is distinctive and no two pieces are identical. Granite is taken raw from the earth and polished much like a diamond.

Among the benefits of granite are its hardness and resistance to heat. It can be used as a cutting board or to set hot pots directly on its surface. Only a diamond or a stone cutting board can scratch it. Granite countertops look great with an undermount sink.

Caution: Granite is a porous substance and can stain. It is recommended that granite be sealed at least three times per year to reduce staining. Also, pitting can occur if spills such as orange juice are left unattended for a period of time.

Granite countertops, while very popular, are not for everyone. Color and pattern can be very inconsistent. Inconsistency of pattern while attractive to some is not attractive to others. If you like an earthy, natural look, granite may be an option for your kitchen.

Granite will usually have seams located somewhere in the countertops. The weight of the material and the ability of fabricators to carry it into your kitchen determine the size of pieces and presence or absence of seams.

Several well known companies like Dupont offer up to a 10 year limited warranty. The product has a wide selection of colors and is sold by the square foot. Backsplash is included in the square foot computation.

The eased edge is usually standard, with other edge profiles such as ogee, bullnose, or bevel, available for an additional charge.

Quartz

Often called "man-made granite,” Quartz has all the benefits of real granite without any of the negatives. Quartz is very consistent in pattern and color and is hard enough to be used as a cutting board and can handle hot items on its surface.

Unlike natural granite, Quartz does not need to be sealed and will not stain with normal use. Seaming will be very similar to granite.

Note of importance: Neither granite or Quartz have the mitered corner seam that is characteristic of laminate products.

Quartz, sold by companies under names like Zodiac and Silestone, usually carries a 15 year limited warranty. The product has a wide selection of colors and is sold by the square foot. Backsplash is included in the square foot computation.

The eased edge is usually standard, with other edge profiles such as ogee, bullnose, or bevel, available for an additional charge.

Corian and HiMac

Corian, by Dupont, and HiMac, by LG, are almost identical products. Each product has a wide array of colors and styles, with a variety of edge treatments.

This product is an acrylic and popular because of its ease in cleaning and maintenance. With many colors available, it is often used in both kitchens and bathrooms. Among the key selling features are its "no visible seam” and the capability of integrating the sink directly into the countertop. Parents with children love this product and come back to it again and again.

The eased edge is usually standard, with other edge profiles such as ogee, bullnose, or bevel, available for an additional charge.

Caution: Corian or HiMac products can scratch or scorch. Scratches or burns usually can be removed with mild abrasives such as Comet or Ajax.

Both Corian and HiMacs carry a 10 year limited warranty. The products are sold by the square foot. Backsplash is included in the square foot computation.

Post form Laminates


The most commonly used countertop material, post form laminates come in hundreds of colors and finishes and is the least expensive option for redoing kitchen countertops.

Laminates are sold per linear foot, making laminate cost about one-third the cost of any of the solid surface options. New laminate options by DeepStar and Sedona are much tougher and resist scratching more than previous product offerings.

Caution: Laminates will always have the corner mitered seams and are subject to scratches and scorching. When damaged, laminate countertops are not repairable.

Post form laminates can only accommodate top mount sinks and lengths over 12 feet will have additional seams. Use of a non-stock color may result in customers purchasing product in 8’10’, and 12′ sections to account for waste. The backsplash comes included in the price.

The waterfall edge is usually standard, with other edge profiles available for an additional charge. The Euro-round and Euro-square edge profiles will shorten the backsplash approximately ¼” and provide a nice look by wrapping the laminate under the front edge.

Conclusion


New countertops can not only improve the look of your kitchen, but add value to your house. Choosing a solid surface countertop will add immediate value and repay your investment within five years.

Be sure to take the measurements of existing countertops when you go shopping so the kitchen designer can give you an estimate. Pick a material and color you like and your kitchen can see a dramatic change in as little as three weeks.

 

Posted by: Home and Kithcen site at 01:09 PM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
Post contains 1137 words, total size 8 kb.

Posted by: joeytribbiani at December 23, 2019 06:39 AM (i3eai)

Posted by: roshni at December 23, 2019 12:04 PM (i3eai)

Posted by: watch australian open 2020 at January 11, 2020 12:40 PM (i3eai)

Posted by: watch royal rumble 2020 Live at January 11, 2020 12:42 PM (i3eai)

Posted by: more at March 14, 2020 11:55 AM (PZx6h)

6 Nice post!

Posted by: hotmail signup at May 07, 2021 01:13 PM (t56Gq)

7
Official websitetalktofoodlion.com–Food Lionstore is a chain of grocery stores for shopping in America. It is owned by Ahold Delhaize. This chain of stores initially started in 1975, and it now runs over more than 1,100 store locations across 10 different US States.food lionchain of stores provides all the items related to the grocery in the US.

Posted by: talktofoodlion at June 09, 2021 12:14 PM (ZHJEt)

8

Are you looking for a guide onMylincoln portal login at www.mylincolnportal.com? If so, then you are on the right spot. Here we discussMylincoln portalsignup, login and everything related toMylincolnportal.


 

Posted by: Mylincoln Portal at July 14, 2021 08:11 AM (MQP1D)

9 I was splendid by the invention at the time as it saves time and provides perfection. gmail.com gmail login

Posted by: gmail sign up at September 21, 2021 07:16 PM (SlLYx)

10

Not much help to you at the moment but I can attest that Articulate are working on this.


PrepaidGiftBalance

Posted by: alanwalker at October 06, 2021 07:58 AM (UYafl)

11 i want a juicer like this do you have an online store?

Posted by: hotmail sign up at October 22, 2021 04:14 PM (t4Xlt)

12 excellent article

Posted by: icloud login at October 22, 2021 05:19 PM (t4Xlt)

13 i love your concepts

Posted by: rediffmail login at October 22, 2021 05:45 PM (t4Xlt)

14 I really like your concept, Keep sharing

Posted by: walmart at November 22, 2021 08:10 PM (ghbWp)

15 Wonderful article

Posted by: facebook sign in at November 22, 2021 08:15 PM (ghbWp)

16 wonderful suggestions, recently participated in the wingstop survey on the official website wingstop.com/survey.

Posted by: David at February 24, 2022 04:43 AM (QzHEb)

17 https://www.mycfavisit.blog/

Posted by: mycfavisit at March 29, 2022 07:55 AM (/iYeC)

18 lowes.com survey (www.lowes.com/survey $500) is running officially to collect customer feedback about the store service. You must enter a valid code to participate in the survey and get a chance to win $500.

Posted by: Patron Surveys at April 18, 2022 08:28 AM (NTTe5)

19 Looking to set up your business in UAE? Our expert consultants offer top-notch services for <a href="https://neejacs.com/"> business setup in Dubai </a>, licensing, visas and more.

Posted by: neeja at March 01, 2024 11:38 AM (wvlIL)

Hide Comments | Add Comment




What colour is a green orange?




28kb generated in CPU 0.0107, elapsed 0.0679 seconds.
37 queries taking 0.0606 seconds, 75 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.