Kitchen Countertops

[sikiguya]

Is someone out there knowledgeable about the differences in Corian, Silestone, and Granite? What are the pros and cons?

If you have a certain kind, please post and let me know what you like or dislike about it.

Thinking of upgrading from regular formica with a maple edge.

Thanks

 

[volvoguy87]

Go for the Corian!

While I don't know much about Silestone, I do know a little about Granite and Corian. Granite and Corian are usually very close together in price and they are both recognised as premium materials for countertops, I would vote for the Corian.
I know that some natural stone countertops must be periodically sealed. I do not know if granite falls into this catagorey, but if it does, and it is not sealed as a part of regular care, then the counter can start to become a home fo bacteria and germs. Also, Granite is hard, but brittle. Over time it will get scratched, chipped, dinged, and generally show a patina of age and use. While this is not bad, it may not be to your taste. Also, granite can become stained.
Corian is a synthetic material. It is a bit softer than granite and will show scratches, nicks, and dings more than Granite. Corian has a distinct advantage, however. To make old Corian look like new, have the countertops sanded and buffed, it will renew the surface at a fraction of the cost, and time, of new ones. Corian is less forgiving about heat than Granite, so don't put a boiling pot on the Corian, although it is better than Formica. Corian can be patched and a good installation will result in NO SEAMS. The piece of Corian cut to make the hole for the sink (use an undermount stainless steel sink, not a Corian one) is a good cutting bored, trivet, or heavy serving tray.
Whatever you choose, get a solid countertop, not tile of any kind. While tile looks great, it is a royal pain to clean. The tiles come clean in an instant, but the grout between...
Go for the Corian, my mother got it and loves it. It is super-easy to clean and live with, it looks great, and it will continue to do so for decades. If ever it looks worn and tired, sand, buff, and it's like having new countertops again!
Do not go to a "big-box" store for this purchase. Go to a showroom that specializes in kitchens. They will be the most knowledgable about this kind of thing, and will be able to give you information on the entire product line, as opposed to the lower end or most popular versions.

I hope this has been of some help,
Dave

 

[rickr]

.

Go for the granite, I have had it for four years and love it. Nothing can beat the natural beauty, or durablilty. Scratch proof, burn proof, chip proof, and fade proof.

 

[rickr]

.

close up.

 

[bingwsguy]

Granite

I am a Kitchen and Bath Designer and of the 3 (Granite, Silestone, or Corian) Granite is the most durable and beautiful surface. Corian is an acyrlic product...while it's seams can be virtually invisible and it has dozens of color choices, it is likely to sustain scratches/gouges and burns, which sound easy enough to repair, but are actually difficult to do. Silestone is natural quartz stone that is crushed, then mixed with a polyester resin and rolled into slabs. It's characteristics (scratch,stain,and burn resistance) are simialr to Granite...since Granite is comprised mainly of quartz. It does not need to be sealed, but compare a slab of Silestone to a similar color/pattern of Granite, and one look should help you decide. Silestone is quite "flat" and has a very consistant pattern while Granite has more variation and depth because of the way it reflects/refracts light...quite beautiful. If you can spray windex, you can seal Granite...it's that simple. Done twice a year, Granite will repel almost any stain. Square foot pricing is very close between Silestone and Granite, and Corian comes in a runner up.


Joe

 

[rickr]

.

Here is a much better close up, with a much better digital camera. Steve (Helical Drive) took this shot during his vist here, as we were making drinks a couple weeks ago. One can really notice the detail and natural beauty of the stone in this photo.

 

[jonv112]

I personally have a black granite countertop, and love it. The only problem I have with it is that I have a couple nticeable scratches that came from sliding some items across. The nice thing about Corian or other solid surfaces is that you can ask a professional to sand and buff away the minor surface scratches because it has the same pattern throughout the entire slab. I would choose granite hands down for looks, as Silestone looks too "artificial" for me, but I like the idea of it being completely 100% non-porous, and that it has Microban infused in the bonding agent as well.

 

[sikiguya]

Thanks!

Rick-BEAUTIFUL kitchen!!! I love it. It looks so homey (is that a word?). What color granite is that? Uba Tuba? I like Alsolute Black or Black Galaxy. All my appliances are black, even my KitchenAid mixer.

Dave-Thanks for your recommendations. I certainly will check out the differences at the store before I make my decision.

Joe-Thanks for your input as a professional. I am getting quotes for around $65-69/sq ft for granite, the same price for Silestone, and Corian is about $53. The price differences are so small when you are only dealing with approx. 55 sq feet of countertop plus backsplash.

Here is a picture of my kitchen before we bought the house. The countertops are formica with a maple beveled edge. The reason I am wanting up upgrade is that in the price range of our house & neighborhood, when we go to sell the house in a couple of years, the buyer will expect granite/solid surface countertops and I want to have the oppotunity to use them!

 

[maytagbear]

One thing about

granite, and Silestone, is that they can be very hard on dishware, and glassware, while Corian (and similar,) are easier on dishware and glassware.

When I get to do my own kitchen, I plan on having several counter surfaces. Corian (or similar) generally, a large length of end-grain maple for baking work, and sections of stainless steel around the cooktops and ovens.

In this current rental kitchen, it's Formica, with a "bull nose" edge. It's not awful, but just not my first choice.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[rickr]

Thanks Heather! The kitchen was my own design. They called the colour of my granite "green" but it's solid black with green, gold, and silver in direct light. In low light the countertops look solid black.
I went to the stone cutters warehouse and picked out my own slab. It was about a foot thick at that time, and only polished on one side. I would recommend going to see the stone first. Don't settle for trying to pick from a tiny square. Allow a couple of hours at the stone cutting place. There are so many to choose from.
They had one slab at the stone place that I fell in love with. It was solid black with small neon looking blue "eyes" in it! Just soooooo cool!! That slab was not large enough to do my kitchen however, and that slab had come from Africa. My slab came from somewhere in Europe, cannot recall what country.

Love your kitchen Heather! Nice,roomy, and open, like modern kitchens usually are.
Please post some after photos for us, if you will.

Rick

 

[oxydolfan]

Beautiful kitchens.

rickr, what is the name of that soft light green paint you've used on the kitchen walls? I keep trying to find a color just like that, but my testers always come up too harsh.

Really nice color!

 

[veg-o-matic]

Formica!

Formica, I say!
Aqua Formica with boomerangs!

veg

 

[rickr]

Sorry Scott, I looked and the label is unreadable on the can. It came from Lowes. I wanted that 1920's early 1930's mint green. Found one that would work, and picked it. Was trying for a sort of "deco" look, even though my home is from the 1880's.

Hi Veggie! Do you really think that aqua formica boomerang countertops would add to the resale value of Heathers house? lol!! One never knows, but I'll bet you $5.00 you can't talk her into that! :>

 

[scott55405]

Rick, I think your kitchen looks very handsome and nicely complements the type of house that it is. Is your fridge a Kelvinator by any chance? I remember they always had handles like that.

 

[scott55405]

Sikiguya, you have a very handsome kitchen too! Whatever solid surface you choose I know will be a very nice addition to it! I have friends who made that countertop transformation in a very nice kitchen not unlike yours, and it was really amazing what it added to it.

 

[petek]

Rick,what would your house have had originally, ceramic tiles on the countertop or are those still newer than the house

 

[dalangdon]

Personally, I would go with Formica: Easier and cheaper to switch out when you get tired of it, more forgiving on dishes, glasses, tools and people, and - just my opinion again - cheerier.

That's the same reason why I would never do a tile or stone kitchen floor: It's too hard on the feet and back.

I know people like the harder surfaces, and I'll grant they are handsome. Just not for me.

 

[toggleswitch]

Personally, I beleive the granite to be a period fad and will one day make a kitchen look "dated"

I'm not one for "excessive" wood (it's a locational thing) but I REALLY like the countertop in that photo.[Editor's note: Wood and gold/brass are more "country" in nature and not seen much here).

Also, if YOU love the granite and the Corian go for it. Future buyers may have taste that differs from yours and may want a totally different color.... or SS or concrete or tile coutertops..or something equally impractical.

BTW. Impressive number of outlets (power-points). If the oven is electric and the cooktop gas *YAY* to the best of both worlds. Me? I'd find a way to vent the mirco-range-hood and love that kitchen just as it is!

Here is my philosophy (as if you didn't expect my opinion rammed down your throat. *LOL*) Get one of everything first, BEFORE you start replacing what you already have. Perhaps an alarm system or some other built-in will add equal value to the house.

Best of luck and health and happiness in your home!

 

[gansky1]

If you really want solid-surface, I would do granite or a darker color Corian. Both have disadvantages, as do any surfaces subjected to wear and tear, but my preference would be granite. I have cleaned all types in my work and hands-down, the granite is always better looking 5-10 years down the road than Corian. If you do decide on Corian, darker colors will hide stains and nicks a little better and don't do the integrated sink - every one of them I've seen has stains and show many signs of wear. Do and undermount in stainless or other material more durable than plastic. I haven't seen much of the Silestone yet, but it looks like it could be promising.

 

[rickr]

Hard surfaces galore

Sorry to disagree Steve, but I think granite will never go "out" of fashion. It is a natural material, and natural never goes out of style. If you look at ads for more expensive homes, the granite in the kitchen is always listed. I would think that anyone looking for a higher priced home in a higher priced area, would just expect granite countertops these days. I think a laminate countertop might even hinder a sale in a home such as Heathers.

My fridge is indeed a Kelvinator, and the kitchen cabinets are new custom oak beadboard, to match the original beadboard in the house. The floor is ceramic B&W, and the table top is glass tile on an antique table, that was also my own design.

 

[gansky1]

A hard kitchen is good to find!

Very nice table, Rick. Did you put a frame and new top onto an older base?

I had a client once that insisted on glass tiles for her kitchen floor and was extremely picky and tedious in coming up with the design and how it was laid. The poor, berated tile guy finally got everything perfect and when her had-to-have Traulsen refrigerator was delivered, the installers shattered a few of the glass tiles. Hahahaha! Bitch!

 

[rickr]

.

Thanks Greg, The table was a dining room table from the early 20th century. My grandfather cut it down, and painted it an off white to fit this space in this kitchen in the early 1930's. It was used here as the kitchen table for many decades.(I recall eating breakfast and lunch on this table a few times as a kid. Grandparents usually had dinners in the dining room though) Was replaced with a white and gold formica table about 1964, and banished to the basement. I tossed the white formica out and brought this wooden table up from the basement about 1987,a and used it "as is" for several years. Couple of years ago I came up with this glass design, stripped and repainted the table black and took to a tile place to have the glass tile top done. They put an underlament on the table top to ease stress, however it is the same size as the top was. They also added the wood frame around the edge,which I painted black.
I love it! <:

 

[peteski50]

Kitchen

Rick,
I really love your kitchen and table and chairs. You have a really great setup.
Best Wishes
Peter

 

[toggleswitch]

I said:
Also, if YOU (Heather)love the granite and the Corian go for it.

Sorry, but to me trying to aspire to and attain what is currently a "status symbol" to others makes no sense.

Let us not forget that hot glass/ceramic pots can crack on cold stone, that shiny stone surfaces show every crumb and streak when cleaned, and can easily be chipped by a falling object.

Today's buyers also expect (or would like to see) commercial-style ranges. However these are fiercely expensive, not generally self-cleaning and generally have surfacesthat are difficult to clean, and need heavy-duty ventilation hoods above due to high BTU output. Even SS surfaces on appliances were considered upper-end. Today they are generally not wanted due to fingerprints showing.

I'm thinking these fads too will one day be out of style.

Bottom line: once a color is chosen in a material other than plastic-laminate one is pretty much stuck with it permanently.

I had to rip-out what my sellers added as a "selling feature"
such as a tree that was right over my water and sewer lines and right under my phone, cable and electric lines.

So my point is, IMHO do what YOU want/like.
Others will do what they want; tastes and desired features change, logic varies.



at one time you HAD to have TILE counters
then it was CORIAN
now it is GRANITE
tomorrow it will be.................

 

[rickr]

Well, you learn something everyday..

Steve, I would never have considered a kitchen counter to be a status symbol, but then I never would have thought of planting a tree as an added selling feature either.
That is an interesting point of view. <:

 

[toggleswitch]

Hopefully I have offended no one.

 

[rickr]

Not me Stevie/Toggle! <:

 

[andrewinorlando]

Steve - you make an excellent point: it's a matter of personal taste. Who cares what the rest of the world thinks is "in". You have to live with it!!

 

[sikiguya]

Granite it is.............

Took the hubby to Home Depot last night after dinner just to look at the different types of options and he sided with the granite. Don't worry , we will not buy from the big box! They are just a great place to look at stuff. LOL Well, we did buy a ceiling fan for our bedroom but that was it.

Tonight we are celebrating our 9th anniversary. Last night out was because the babysitter couldn't make it tonight!

Hubby now has all these ideas of painting lots of the rooms, putting tile in the laundry room (a total must have), and he wants to get rid of his plexi shower and have a tile shower put in. The size of my bathroom and shower is obscene, even I am embarassed by it but luckily no one sees it! The whole house was done very cheaply and it shows. In order to make our house stand out, we need to do the upgrades and we might as well enjoy them before we have to leave here in a couple of years due to hubby's job.

 

[rickr]

Happy anniversary Heather!
And congratulations on your wise choice of countertops. I think you will love them.
Wintertime in the Mid-Worst is the best time for interior redecorating. It lasts sooooooooooooooooo looooooooooooooong around this area anyway.... May as well make something look better, while "homebound".
So have fun with the repainting/upgrades. <: