What kind of countertops do you recommend?

Answered!
Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

What kind of countertops do you recommend?

The day has come to change the laminate countertops that came with our cottage.

 

I have hated them since the beginning. They pretend to be stone (they aren't) and they have a fussy edge which does not gel with the super rustic, un-planed reclaimed wood cabinets. They are also surprisingly difficult to keep sterile as things stick to them and are hard to see due to the color. The pros are they have been beat up by guests and it really doesn't show much except for the edges starting to wear.

 

What do you recommend as far as a countertop material in your ABB? Looks and durability are of equal importance. We have ruled out:

marble (too delicate),

concrete (our old handmade cabinet boxes won't hold it)

and more laminate.

 

In our other houses we have butcher block (beautiful but burns easily and needs oiled), quartz (great but a bit too modern looking for the space) granite (a possibility in a solid color honed finish, but not sure how that holds up.)

 

1 Best Answer
Brian2036
Level 10
Arkansas, United States

@Laura2592 

 

Our cabin has oak butcher block countertops that I made myself.

 

They have held up for 30 years but one very annoying thing is that, although they are finished with a durable floor varnish, some people insist on using them as cutting boards.

 

We have provided three high-quality cutting boards, one of which is built in, but it doesn’t help.

 

There is a section of limestone which I used for pastry and breadmaking. Someone managed to crack it.

 

Our condo in Panama has granite, which looks good, but can be broken if not supported well.

Some granite is porous and will absorb oils or stains and needs to be cleaned and sealed annually.

 

 I looked at Dupont Corrian which is supposed to be nearly indestructible but it was very expensive.

 

 You might go to Home Depot and talk to someone in the kitchen cabinet department.

They could recommend something that might stand up to abuse at a reasonable price.

 

We want to replace the ugly formica countertops in our house and I’m thinking of using butcher block from Home Depot and covering areas next to the stove and sink with shatterproof tempered glass.

 

Another option would be ceramic tile over a Hardi-Board base. 

 

 

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Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

Just an update. I finally picked counters. Getting a brownish/warm black granite with very little in the way of pattern (about as solid as granite gets) in a leathered finish. I think it will be the best option to stand up to guests and look good with the existing elements. Thanks for everyone who weighed in! I will post pics when the kitchen refresh is all done in November.