# kitchen countertops



## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

Looks like we will be building a house and I am trying to decide which types of counters to get in the kitchen.



what type do you have?

do u like it?

how is the upkeep?

how long have u had it?

n ething else to add?



...oh and post pics if u have ne


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

Oh How exciting..Now please listen to me, I know I may not be the brightest 

in the bunch














, but I know what I am talking about here..Get Granite

Jaimie, I have it in 2 kitchens and you can't go wrong. It doesn't scratch, and it doesn't stain, it's great.

I know it's a bit expensive, but in the long run you really save money. I even just for the HEL* of it tryed with a really sharp knife to cut on it, and nothing happened..I mean Corian and that other stuff looks nice,

but in years to come it fades, and it easily scratches..



Just my opinion of course











Good Luck,

Andrea~


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

granite is what i had wanted but heard if not sealed right it absorbs odors and if it chips u cant fix..n e one know differently?


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

> granite is what i had wanted but heard if not sealed right it absorbs odors and if it chips u cant fix..n e one know differently?[/B]


 

Well first you have to get someone who knows how to install it the right way..

I have Granite for 10 years, and Jaimie you know what it would take to chip it, like a boulder

or something. I also have 3 kids, and It still looks brand new. Granite is the strongest rock made..



Andrea~


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## angelsugar (Apr 22, 2006)

*Hey There!

Good question! Here are my opinions...

We have granite in our new home. We never had it before and I was crazy in love with it and wanted it soooooooooooo badly. We paid the extra for it and had some special cuts made on the edge and also extended our breakfast bar. Ours is called Uba Tuba and is very dark green/almost black with gold veining and flecks in it. Well, it has not lived up to my expectations. I think there were problems with the way my granite was honed. It has been sealed a few times and it still is not satisfactory. Granite in itself can be great. But the workmanship on the cutting and also the installation make a big difference. We are not happy with ours at all. It is very cold and very hard. Placing glasses and dishes on it scared me at first because I was so afraid that I was going to chip or break something. It shows fingerprints and rub marks and I find it hard to keep really clean.

My neighbor has Cambria which is a quartz composite. It is extremely attractive and she has none of the issues that I have with my granite. It can have the same decorative edging and holds up well to hot pots and sharp knives. It also is less costly than granite. Here is a link * http://www.cambriausa.com/

*So, if I would choose again, it would be the quartz composite material, not granite. Just my 2 cents.*


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## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Here's a link stating the pros/cons of various countertops:

http://interiordec.about.com/od/kitchencou...countertops.htm


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

> *Hey There!
> 
> Good question! Here are my opinions...
> 
> ...


 










WOWEEE! I don't know what I have















but I have never had to seal it or have had any of those problems..It is hard, but with 3 kids it has to be for me..But good input...



Andrea~


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## ourdonbi (Feb 25, 2006)

we have granite in our new house, we like everything about it beside the cleaning part.
if you clean up with a wet rag, and some water is still on your granite you can see the streak stains after it dries up.
Esp. since we have big windows and mostly all my walls by the kitchen are windows i can see how dirty my granite is. but beside that I like it, It looks very inviting and luscious







and i have not had any problems with it since the house was built april 06 its basically new. My kitchen is beautiful with the granite sand/darkbrown and the cherry red cabinets and high ceilings and blah blah blah. I think my kitchen the way it was design needs the warm stone to make it more inviting. I cant see my kitchen with any other countertop because of the design, color cabinets and wood flooring. (We had a great grante guy).

But when we move to our new house (need more sq and land) next year we plan on having corian, with white custom cabinets and dark wood flooring, (ITS GOING TO BE A MUST) everyone in my family (the women) perfer it over granite. 
Also:
Congrats on the new house!!!  Building one is great, but hopefully someone is on site 24-7.


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## angelsugar (Apr 22, 2006)

> granite is what i had wanted but heard if not sealed right it absorbs odors and if it chips u cant fix..n e one know differently?[/B]


*Jaime, That is very true. And it is not just the sealing....if the granite is not cut correctly and polished correctly, the sealing will never hide the imperfections.

If you are allowed to pick out your own slab (which we were not allowed to do) and have an expert with you to inspect the polished or honed surface, and you trust your installers (especially the measurer) then you probably would be happy with granite.

Also, there are some great websites that explain the process of creating granite countertops and their care. I just did a quick search but I can't find the site that really explains it all. Sorry...but if I find it, I will post it for you.*


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## I found nemo (Feb 23, 2006)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=275829
> 
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Yes I did pick my own slab, me and my husband did..Good thing mine was installed the right way, I never knew all those problems could happen..



Andrea~


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

if it were a custom house i would be able to do all the research and pick the best installer etc...but this is just a garden home in a predesigned neighborhood...everything inside is pretty customizable but they use one company for their countertops...so may be risky







one day we will build and design our perfect home but this is for now until my loans in about 30yrs are paid off lol


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## jude'n'jools (Apr 6, 2006)

I think if you have problems with the granite then it is that piece of granite that is at fault. You can get cheaper pieces & really good pieces that cost alot more. If you personally choose the slab & know your installer by good recomendations then i think you would be alright.

My cousin has problems with hers marking with hot cups & stuff & it should'nt do that.


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## wagirl98665 (Jan 5, 2006)

> *Hey There!
> 
> My neighbor has Cambria which is a quartz composite. It is extremely attractive and she has none of the issues that I have with my granite. It can have the same decorative edging and holds up well to hot pots and sharp knives. It also is less costly than granite. Here is a link * http://www.cambriausa.com/
> 
> *So, if I would choose again, it would be the quartz composite material, not granite. Just my 2 cents.*[/B]



The Cambria is beautiful...Love it!!


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## Scoobydoo (May 26, 2005)

Jaimie, thanks for posting this question because we are going to be redoing our kitchen next spring and we are also wondering what is the best countertop to use. I think we may look into the Cambria Quartz as it seems to have a really good write up









I too have heard that Granite is not as good as it is said to be and very high maintenance which is not for us, we want something that is going to last with as little after care as possible other than cleaning


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## Baxter and Wally's Mom (Aug 18, 2005)

I can tell you what NOT to get. Tile. Do not get tile countertops. You will not like the grout. I am sick to death of scrubbing grout. I have 6 clear glass cutting boards all over protecting the grout.







Grout sucks. Ok, I'm done. Thanks for getting me started.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

> I can tell you what NOT to get. Tile. Do not get tile countertops. You will not like the grout. I am sick to death of scrubbing grout. I have 6 clear glass cutting boards all over protecting the grout.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


what about as a backsplash?


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## angelsugar (Apr 22, 2006)

*Jaime,
I found the website that I believe is the most informative regarding natural stone. I hope it doesn't overwhelm you but I found the information on this site to be easy to understand and most truthful. But then again, I am an information hound also known as a dork!!*

http://www.findstone.com/aw.htm

http://www.findstone.com/basicknowledge.htm


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## MalteseJane (Nov 21, 2004)

I don't have any experience with all the kinds of countertops besides formica. But one type I would NEVER put in my kitchen it's TILES.


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## LMJ (Feb 16, 2006)

I'm glad this question was posted too. We are still a couple of months from building, but we too are tossing around the idea of granit or maybe the quartz composite. I'm going to keep coming back to see what everyone says.


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## MissMelanie (Feb 13, 2006)

Jaimie, GOOD LUCK! I am happy for you. 

enJOY!
Melanie


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

Jamie, I did a major remodel about 3.5 years ago and we used granite in the kitchen. A few things I can tell you on granite, kitchens and builder options. When you purchase a new condo/townhome/single family home that is part of a development, often times the builder gives you options to select for things like cabinetry, carpeting, tiles, etc. These points are all negotiable. If the builder's supplier does not have a type of granite you like, you can ask for a "granite credit" and find your own supplier/installer. That might work to your advantage if your builder only gives a handful of choices. Your granite will look different than everyone else's. If you do like the options the builder has, you can negotiate on the type of install...for instance, they may allow a certain number of cut-outs for the sink(s) and stove top. You want to make sure that you minimize the number of seams, especially if you are using a grainy or wavy pattern. You should ask how the seams will meet, will they be at right angles, will they be parallel, or will they look like a chevron? I have three slabs of granite in my kitchen w/one very small seam behind the sink. You wouldn't even know it was there. You should also ask about decorative trim/edge options. And don't forget about the backsplash! You want it to match or coordinate. As a design idea, you might want to use two different colors of granite or two different surfaces, like granite and wood. I have yet to stain, or chip any of my granite. If your pattern is splotchy (I highly recommend lighter and splotchier over darker and solid) it won't show fingerprints or gunk. I have to feel my countertops to see how really dirty they are. They always look good because the gunk blends. As for cleanup, I use cleaner from Marble Life. It is a concentrate that you mix w/distilled water. It works very well. But I would think you could use just about anything except amonia based cleaners. As far a sealing the granite goes, the installer did that and told me that I should have it done about once a year. So I call him and he comes over for about 15 minutes and "seals" the granite. I could easily do it myself, however, he never charges so why should I? I used tumbled marble as my backsplash and to me, it's more rustic looking. If you want more contemporary a look, go with a matching granite backsplash. A typical splash is only 4" above the countertop. I would highly recommend taking it all the way up to the bottom of the upper cabinets. If you can't do that all the way around the kitchen, then do it by the sink. If you are working on a budget, I would go for a lesser grade cabinet (who really can tell the difference between 1/2" and 3/4" plywood on the back of a cabinet?) and splurge on nicer appliances and countertops. When is the last time someone walked into a kitchen and said, "I love the cabinets"? Usually the comments are, "oohh, stainless appliances" or "gorgeous granite." From a design point, you should never use more than three colors together. That goes for kitchens too. I would say pick your countertops first, then decide what type of wood or glaze you want on your cabinets. I would select flooring last because you want to go as neutral as possible. Floors won't be a focal point of your kitchen. Since I've already made this a long post, and if you aren't bored yet, I'll give you another tip. Try to get a credit for cabinet hardware (drawer pulls and knobs). You should look at www.myknobs.com and see the thousands of styles that are available. I ordered my drawer pulls and knobs in antique copper to match my copper sinks. The cup style drawer pulls were $55 EACH in the kitchen design studio. They were $14 a piece on that website. I have 21 drawer pulls in my kitchen so for me there was a nice savings and I had a much better selection. And if you use what the builder supplies, then your choices will likely showup on a neighbors cabinets. You want to make your place unique, and look as if it's upgraded from everyone else's without being too far out there. So stick with neutrals and earth tones. Warmer is always better than cooler. Think browns, rusts, tans and taupes more than blues, purples, greys. That's not meant to say that cooler tones are unattractive. It's just if you want to sell this home and buy another, you'll have an easier time the more neutral you stay. Finally, do a bit of research when you negotiate with the builder for "credits". Know how much granite you'll need in sq.ft. Go to an Expo Design Center (owned by Home Depot) and bring a camera, pad of paper and calculator. You'll get a good idea of what the RETAIL prices for these items are. I guarantee you your builder will not credit you "retail". But go around the neighborhood and look at the trucks in unfinished home's drives. You'll find the builder's tile installer, granite fabricator, carpet installer. Go up to them and ask them questions, or get their numbers from their trucks and give them a call. Get them to quote you a price and use that as your benchmark. This was probably more than you wanted to know....


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## cindy6755 (Mar 20, 2005)

Jaime,

I have blue pearl granite with white cabinets, my back splash is tumbled marble. I have had no problems with my granite, there are lots of granite cleaners (home depot, lowes, bed bath and beyond and even grocery stores) carry them. I seal mine 1 a year the granite people gave me some sealer enough to last many years. All you do is wipe it on and then buff it off with a clean cloth. I have granite in my master bath also(golden oak). Make sure you see your slab and check around for the best price also you want granite that is 3 cm thick so it has some depth to it.
















































Cindy


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## Gregswife (Mar 6, 2006)

Jamie, there is a new product called Silestone that looks like granite, has no upkeep, doesn't have to be glazed and is chaeper than granite.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

I've had granite for 3yrs and LOVE it! You can put boiling hot pots on it without ruining it, it's easy to clean and maintain. I have nothing bad to say about it.

Here is a pic of my kitchen. We used a tumbled stone tile for the back splash.










Editing to add a close up...


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## aea6574 (Feb 18, 2006)

Howdy:

We have granite and love it.

We have not had any problems with it at all. I guess whoever picked it and had it installed did a good job. I love the fact that I can put a hot pan on it and not worry about anything. It also looks cool.

Here is a close up pick of it. Just look past the cute wet hound-


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## Kisses-4-Princess (Dec 4, 2005)

Hi have granite (uba tuba- black with sparkles in it). I choose it over marble because its less porous. Marble is very nice but you have to take very good care of it. Anything you spill on it will be absorbed faster than granite. Marble will not chip easily its very sturday and heat withstanding. You can put your pots and pans directly on it and it will not do damage ( not recommended but just giving you an idea of how sturdy it is). 

I do not recomend tile as the grout will get dirty and hold bacteria.


here's a pic of one side of our kitchen, 









glass tile backsplash


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

thank u all so much! keep the pics coming..its good for color schemes too! 

if n e one is good with decorating/interior design and feel like helping that would be great too! i like the contemporary/modern look


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

Jaimie, just a couple thoughts... My home is in a development like you describe yours will be in and we had a few floor plans to choose from and lots of options. What I found was that they didn't like to do anything that wasn't on the list of options. They would always say, "Oh you can do that later on....". Well, it is a lot more expensive to do something later because you have to remove what was already done and then re-do it. 

My house was built in 1992 and I didn't even know about granite back then. Corian was all I knew about that was an upgrade from Formica. I tried and tried to get them to put in Corian and even with my paying extra for it, they just didn't want to do it. They just kept putting me off. So, I have hated these Formica countertops all this time and need to upgrade, but just have not gotten in the mood to go through the messy and time-consuming process.

And think about your fireplace mantle and surround. That was one thing that I insisted on doing my way, and brought in my own people to do it. They were offering a very, very skimpy mantle with a common-looking surround. I am so glad I didn't go with that. 

Also, I did get every single other option that they offered and those are my favorite things about my home. To me, it is those extras that make a house special.


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## Zoe and Bella's mom (Jan 23, 2006)

We are thinking about getting new countertops in our house (if we stay here) and have friends who had Silestone in their last house and Granite in their new house. She said she likes the granite OK but LOVED her Silestone and wishes she had it in her new house. The granite is much higher maintenance according to her.

Good luck in finding what is right for you.

ginny


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

i think are options are laminate, corian or granite..i dont believe there is another choice..but will know more when it comes closer to the point of picking


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## Chelsey (Dec 17, 2004)

Hi LadyMontava,

First congrats on your home. 

We just moved in to our new home in april... We desided not to do to much in the kitchen knowing we will upgrade it down the line.. the builders charge you way to much money for certain things so please do your research , like your doing now. 

We did get the upgraded laminate and it is call jamoca.. It looks just like granite and people don't even know it is not unless they touch it. We love it. you can't see any mess it is easy to clean and looks great.
we plan to keep it for at least 10 years until we redo our kitchen the way we like. We did not do the backsplash we will also do that later in a few years.. We plan on doing smoked mirror.
What we spent money on was getting the Pots and pans draws.. they are amazing hold so much.. If you have options for the cabinets get these and lots of drawers.. cabinets don't allow you to use as much space as drawers do and make sure they are deep and can hold what you require. 

We also got scalloped wine racks and put the kitchen floor tile on a 45 degree angel.. it looks very sharp.
don't match all your colours .like kabinet match the counters and the floors you wan t to brake it up a bit.. but not a lot. 

So see how much the builder will charge you to do things you can do later .
Spend the money on things you cannot do your self later. ( for us that was the whirpool tub)







we had them install it. I would post you a picture but i have not upgraded yet


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## sassy's mommy (Aug 29, 2005)

There was a piece on TV tonight where they were remodeling a kitchen. They did the pros and cons on countertops. The Quartz with the added composite won hands down. It is more durable than granite with all the features of granite. ie no scratching, no scorching, and no chipping or sealing.


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## KimKarr (Feb 4, 2006)

Jaimie -- We have Silestone which is a quartz composite. We could have had granite or corian, but went with the Silestone because there is NO upkeep. You don't have to seal it like you do granite. It does not scratch (you can use it as a cutting board) and you can set skillets directly from the stove onto the countertop -- I just can't make myself do that on a regular basis -- but I HAVE done it with no problems. You wipe it clean with a sponge. Done. That's it. (Just like Sassy's mommy said.) Lots of colors and choices. It's one of the best decisions we made with our home. We LOVE it!

Here's a photo on the day it was installed - apologies for how it looks. We hadn't even cleaned it off yet.
[attachment=15013:attachment]


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

Jaimie, congrats on the new home. And, great topic. After our $50,000 estimate to redo our 12 x 12 kitchen







we finally got Home Depot to come out and measure. We picked the cabinets, they are Thomasville Aberdeen, Cherry with a Cinnamon finish. Yesterday, we went in for the design and I love what we came up with and it was so much fun. But those utility pantries are so expensive! Might have to pass on those for now. Was going to put two in an alcove off the kitchen. My thoughts now are on the countertops. I was thinking about the crushed quartz, but now will check all the links posted here. And, thanks for all the pictures - keep em coming - I need all the help I can get I have no talent for putting colors together at all - I just know I want something natural looking and lighter to contrast with the dark cabinets. Next will be back splash, appliance, floors, wall color, etc. Anybody have Home Depot redo their kitchen? I figure they would be more reliable than all the new companies coming in after the storm who probably will pick up and leave after the business slows up. I should have taken a picture of the cabinet door.

Linda


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## Baxter and Wally's Mom (Aug 18, 2005)

> > index.php?act=findpost&pid=275888
> 
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It's great for a backsplash. Just don't splash it!


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## Morkie4 (Oct 13, 2006)

Granite is the way to go!!!!! We built our house in 2001 and used Gibralter (similar to Corian) because we loved the look! Spent over $8,000 for the kitchen and two baths. Well, it looks lovely but it is not as durable as I had thought. You can easily scratch it. For instance, I put my crock pot on one of the counters and the three legs left indentions!!







I was so upset but someone told me that they can be buffed out........I can live with it, you can feel it but not see it. So if I would have had the money, I would have put in the granite. Someone gave me a cutting board made of granite...........not a scratch in it!!!! So if you can afford the granite, that's the way to go! Just my opinion. Oh and the corian/gibralter need to be polished to stay looking shiney.....don't know about the care of granite.


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## 2maltese4me (May 8, 2006)

> Granite is the way to go!!!!! We built our house in 2001 and used Gibralter (similar to Corian) because we loved the look! Spent over $8,000 for the kitchen and two baths. Well, it looks lovely but it is not as durable as I had thought. You can easily scratch it. For instance, I put my crock pot on one of the counters and the three legs left indentions!!
> 
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I've also cut right on my granite...and it's never left any marks. I put boiling hot pots straight from the stove or oven right on it.....no problems ever. I have never chipped, nor scratched it either. I also don't find it to be ANY upkeep at all!!! The only thing I do, is seal it once a yr.....thats it, and it takes no time at all......just like wiping the counters down.

I'm interested in looking up the Silestone though. That looks neat. My husband and partner are getting ready to build a house to sell.....so I'd like to check this out and really compare it to the granite.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

Now this is just me, and please don't take offense to what I'm about to say...but when we looked at all the countertop options, and there are hundreds, we wanted the look of stone. I didn't want metal, wood, concrete, glass or even PAPER! So I narrowed my search to those products that looked like stone. I settled immediately on granite because every showroom said the same thing...it looks just like granite, only better. Well, to my eye they looked too perfect to be granite. The coloring was too even, the depth of the stone wasn't there and to my eye, even the Silestone looked plasticy. But I opted for Corian in my master bath, and it's nice. The only thing is that you cannot use Lysol Basin Tub and Tile cleaner on it because that ruins the acrylic base. Same thing with Silestone. They are not indestructable. Oh, and don't spill nail polish remover on it because that too will destroy the finish. I learned that the hard way. I have a corian shelf on my vanity for my make up, lotions and potions...that's where the spill occurred. It was easy to replace, but it was damaged beyond "buffing". Just to keep in mind, there are tons of options each with pros and cons.


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## pico's parent (Apr 5, 2004)

I am interested in Silestone. Does anyone have any experience with Silestone? The hype on it sounds great.

Well, there I go. Replying without reading through the entire thread. I thought I was at the end of it.









After reading all the posts I am left with that sick green ENVY of those gorgeous, up to date kitchens! My husband bought our house before we were even THINKING of getting married and his remodeling did not extend to the kitchen and baths. Those were just not important to him. If I were to post a picture of my kitchen I have little doubt that someone on this forum would start a charitable fund to get this poor woman out of her slum!









My kitchen is easily 40 years old. One word: coppertone.

But I recently got a wonderful new stove and here is the first creation:


[attachment=15077:attachment]


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## KimKarr (Feb 4, 2006)

Pamela -- We have Silestone and LOVE it. Photos posted about 6 posts up above. PM me if you have any specific questions. No sealing. Doesn't scratch. Doesn't burn. Doesn't absorb oders. Clean with a sponge. Lots of colors.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

> My kitchen is easily 40 years old. One word: coppertone.[/B]


I know what you mean we have ORANGE countertops. I







really hope I can pull off (afford) this remodel. We've been waiting 13 years to do it (long story - I'll just say "money pit") - I guess Katrina is pushing me into it now - and forget about insurance - what a rip off.

Linda


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

> I am interested in Silestone. Does anyone have any experience with Silestone? The hype on it sounds great.
> 
> Well, there I go. Replying without reading through the entire thread. I thought I was at the end of it.
> 
> ...


Wow that cake is gorgeous! You are very talented! Hey, don't think of your kitchen as old...think of it as retro! A hint to update an older kitchen...think about replacing the cabinet hardware and painting the cabinets, or glazing them.

edited to add: How did you do the basketweave on the sides of the cake? It looks amazing.


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## joe (Jan 5, 2003)

we sell CeaserStone where I work, its what I am going to put in our kitchen upon remodel, granite is nice but i've been in the industry for 10+ years now and wouldnt use it based on the stories of bad seal jobs, customers not having them resealed and then the bacteria & mold problems that ensue, but there are good arguments for each different product you just have to decide on what you like 



http://www.caesarstoneus.com/



quick comparison between the top three types



http://www.caesarstoneus.com/catalog/comparison.cfm


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## thelittlepet (Apr 18, 2006)

Jaimie, we have honed absolute black granite. The honed part means that it is not shiny but very dull and looks more like soapstone or slate than traditional granite. It does not show fingerprints or gunk really much and after nearly three years I have not resealed them. I clean them with windex or water, put hot pots right on them and cut directly on them. Since they are not shiny they do not look like everyone else's granite and I always get comments. I have not chips, cracks or blemsihes. Since absolute black is nearly solid it has very few fault lines so it is not prone to crack. I have only two seams in the whole kitchen. This is our second kitchen with this material and I love it. The first house in Orlando started with polished absolute black but was improperly cut so when we had them redone(longgggggg story) we chose the honed finsih. The polished was so hard to keep clean looking, you could see fingerprints and waterspots, yikes. Not with these. If they are offering a 3/4" slab just let them finish the edge. Some people chose to laminate the edge to make the slab appear thicker but this creates an additional seam and is usually where chips occur. If you can chose slb thickness, go for the 1 1/4" slabs. I can stand on my countertops to paint the window trim, clean the top of the cabinets and hang window treatments. I am not sure how other stone colors look without the polished finsih but they are becoming more common because it is so easy to maintain. Just make sure if you chose a honed granite that you have seen the sample in honed, not just polished. It can make a big difference in how the stone is percervied. Excuse the unfished trim in the room past the kitchen, the painter is very slow. ( I am the painter)
Aimee
[attachment=15084:attachment]


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

> we sell CeaserStone where I work, its what I am going to put in our kitchen upon remodel, granite is nice but i've been in the industry for 10+ years now and wouldnt use it based on the stories of bad seal jobs, customers not having them resealed and then the bacteria & mold problems that ensue, but there are good arguments for each different product you just have to decide on what you like
> 
> 
> 
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Joe, it looks really nice. How is the pricing as compared to granite? I really need new countertops!!


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

Aimee, your kitchen is gorgeous...I love the mixed materials. Where is your cook top? Is it under the white cabinet? I couldn't really tell in your photo.


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## thelittlepet (Apr 18, 2006)

> Aimee, your kitchen is gorgeous...I love the mixed materials. Where is your cook top? Is it under the white cabinet? I couldn't really tell in your photo.[/B]


The cooktop is behind the bar. It has a retractable downdraft that raises up out of the countertop behind it. The microwave is under the counter in the white cabinets over a warming drawer right on the end so that people can use the fridge, warming draw and microwave without getting in the way of the cook. Thanks for the copliments. We love the way it turned out as well. The kitchen is visible from the living room and study so I didn't want it to be too kitcheny plus the dark wood cabinets remind me of a bultler's pantry.
Aimee


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## louis' mom (Jul 7, 2006)

> I am interested in Silestone. Does anyone have any experience with Silestone? The hype on it sounds great.
> 
> Well, there I go. Replying without reading through the entire thread. I thought I was at the end of it.
> 
> ...


BEAUTIFUL creation! Maybe you and your husband can redo the rooms he didn't do!


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## TwinsPlus2More (Oct 20, 2006)

Okay....Counter Tops....Cosumer Reports likes the created granite like Zodiaq best of the upper end counter tops. They never need sealing, aren't as easy to chip as the real thing, etc.


We are working on remodeling our kitchen. I have an advantage in that my husband in an appliance engineer with Bosch so I get the top of the line stainless cooktop and double wall oven w/warming drawer at no cost. I already have a sidebyside stainless fridge and Bosch dishwasher. 

After the lastest Consumer Reports Kitchen edition, we decided to use Zodiaq countertops. Of course we have many steps to go through before they go in.


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## msmagnolia (Sep 8, 2004)

Hey everyone, I'm still at Walt Disney World and I haven't been checking too many of the threads EXCEPT for this one. I'm enjoying all the posts because we are in the planning stages of the kitchen in our new house. 

I am planning to use granite countertops with a tumbled travertine backsplash and floors. I have previously had tile countertops which I loved for the ability to plop a hot pot on them, but hated due to the grout lines. The house that Megan lives in has very 12 or 18 inch tile countertops with smaller grout lines and they are better than what we had. MK's condo was redone after we bought it and we used Granite Transformations there - a granite composition product that goes over the existing countertop. We had to use this because the cabinets could not support granite and we didn't want to pull out all of the existing cabinets. Frankly I LOVE the Granite Transformations because they can be wiped with bleach and no harm comes to the finish. We put these counters in the kitchen and 3 bathrooms. 

I think that for a new house I would use granite slabs over the Granite Transformations, but my only concern is related to the cleaning of the granite. I do not feel that my kitchen is clean unless the counters are wiped with Clorox touchup (which contains bleach). I have heard that you don't use bleach products on granite. So.....what about this folks?? And can it be used on the Zodiak, Cesarstone and Silestone??

This thread sure has been interesting and informative.......


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## thelittlepet (Apr 18, 2006)

> I think that for a new house I would use granite slabs over the Granite Transformations, but my only concern is related to the cleaning of the granite. I do not feel that my kitchen is clean unless the counters are wiped with Clorox touchup (which contains bleach). I have heard that you don't use bleach products on granite. So.....what about this folks?? And can it be used on the Zodiak, Cesarstone and Silestone??
> 
> This thread sure has been interesting and informative.......[/B]


Susan, we wipe our honed black granite with Clorox clean-up nearly everynite after we make dinner. Just in the spots that we cut chicken or fish and those areas still look just like all the rest now nearly three years later. SOOOO happy with these countertops.
Aimee


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

I am the Clorox Queen...the smell of bleach hits you when you walk into my house! I use Clorox Clean-Up on my countertops with no problem. They haven't bleached the stone yet. You can also disinfect using Cinch, which is basically isopropyl alcohol.


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## maltx3 (Dec 23, 2004)

What a great topic - congratulations on your new home Jaimie! Wow, there is a lot of great info here, thanks for the links and pictures everyone.

I'm also in the planning stages of my kitchen reno. I have decided quartz (Cambrian or Silestone are the only two we have here in Canada that I've seen) is the way I'm going, or some form of engineered stone. I have granite on my bathroom counters and even though I have sealed them, I get water marks if water is left on them and dries. So I want something I don't have to seal, and something that won't stain from red wine, etc. I also like to wipe things off with bleach. I'm finding it hard to choose though, because I have only seen a small sample of the quartz colours, not a large slab, so I'm not sure how it looks in a large piece, except in magazines where it looks beautiful. Is it glossy like granite? At least with granite you can go and pick out your slab of stone and know exactly what it will look like. 

I'm also interested in what you all have for your backsplashes. We currently have tile, but I'd like something a little different that doesn't cost a fortune. I've seen some interesting metals (copper, silver embossed tinplate, etc.) but I think they might be quite expensive. I like the idea of coloured glass. One thing I definitely want appliance wise, is a dishwasher in a drawer style. Do any of you have one? Any drawbacks to the drawer style that you've come across?

I've seen some very beautiful kitchens in this thread - I hope mine will turn out as nice when I'm finished.


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## Chelsey (Dec 17, 2004)

Take a look at this from HGTV.. counter options








Lots of videos here
counters


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

> Take a look at this from HGTV.. counter options
> 
> 
> 
> ...


thanks for the video link it was informative..yet i am told that solid surface and granite is the same price here...i wonder if price of granite went down


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

Jamie, when we were looking a few years ago, the prices were about the same, give or take a few dollars per sq.ft. I think there are also different grades of solid surface materials. What I mean is that some granites are more expensive than others, some solid surfaces (brand names) are more expensive than others. Then you have to figure how much the fabricator charges for cut outs (sinks, faucets, stovetops) and edge treatments. You can easily add another $10 to $15 per sq. ft. with those details. Typically you might get two 6' long by 25" wide runs off of one slab. 25" is the depth of a countertop, with a 1" overhang over top of 24" deep cabinets. That's typically what you put up against the wall. You should also ask for the fabricator to finish any cutouts for you to keep as pastry boards, cutting boards, etc. You've already paid for it and it won't cost him anything to finish the edges on those pieces (you don't need fancy trims on those).


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