I was helping my child having her kitchen area remodelled recently. She was having troubles trying to choose a brand-new countertop material. Walking through the counters location in Residence Depot provided her a few ideas, but she was still undecided when the time involved select a month later on. I made a decision to write out a quick contrast of all the products as well as costs for her and also when I was done I believed other people could discover it helpful as well, so below goes.
Most people know with laminate counter tops. (Formica is one brand name.) They're a slim surface of high-pressure laminate related to a thicker base of plywood or particleboard. Pluses: The standby, readily available in actually hundreds of patterns as well as colors, laminates are the least costly (next to ceramic tile) and long lasting, requiring less upkeep than floor tile. Minuses: Easy to burn with hot pots and pans, using layers in their construction makes it challenging to fix chips, reveal scratches, particularly lighter colors, so not functional as a cutting surface. Much less resilient than all-natural rock or solid surface; usage with under place sinks is not recommended. Expense: $25 to $50 foot
Strong appearing, (brand names Corian, Fountainhead, Avonite as well as Surrell) a more recent countertop material, is resilient and also resembles the appearance of natural stone products like marble or granite. Pluses: Provides smooth surface areas, very easy to care for. High impact resistance, quickly repaired, nonporous as well as smooth, so will not catch dust, accumulate microorganisms or tarnish; easily. Minuses: Might thaw from warm pot; looks non-natural in some color schemes, certified specialist needed for installment and also repair. Expense: $60 to $110 per foot
All-natural woods. Utilized in butcher-block style plan. Maple, oak and other hardwoods, make durable and elegant counter tops. Ands also: Great surface for cutting foods; scrapes conveniently repaired by sanding; very easy suit with timber closets and floorings. Minuses: Calls for a coating to preserve look, might burn with warm cookware, enables microbial development, so needs routine cleansing. Not sensible for entire counter top-- good for little sections. Expense: $50 to $75 per foot.
Granite. Popular for their stylish as well as abundant look, all-natural stone kitchen counters will last longer than most kitchen areas. Ands also: Adds to value of house, tough durable surface, really heat resistant. Minuses: very expensive, requires care since it is porous and must be secured occasionally, oil will certainly discolor. Cost: 60 to $200 per foot for granite $60 to $130 per foot for marble (stains easily and also not advised for food preparation counter top).
Ceramic or Porcelain Tile: This is the counter top product my child was replacing. While the counters were in rather poor shape, reconditioning was an alternative. Ceramic tile has a reassuring, classic appearance as well as is economical. Pluses: Easy to tidy up after a mess. Much more heat immune than laminates solid surface areas, economical, unless you are thinking about personalized or hand-painted ceramic tiles. Minuses: Can chip and also fracture easily; requirements regular maintenance to maintain germs out of cement. Scrubbing cement. Cost: $10 to $25 per foot.
So, what counter top product did she select ultimately? For it's sensible cost as well as reparability, Corian got the nod for the new cooking area. We found a color that was really close to a granite look as well as we additionally liked the ten year service warranty.