New and Traditional Countertop Choices
Metal Tile? You're Kidding, Right?
Actually, no. Both glass and metal tiles are increasing in popularity. While glass tile is usually not strong enough for countertops, metal certainly is.
The installation process must take into account the fact that metal expands and contracts significantly when temperatures change, but a properly installed metal tile counter top is beautiful, durable, hygenic, moisture proof and very easy to clean. If it is marred or scratched, it can be refinished. You might dent a metal tile, but it would take a lot of determined work.
It seems that virtually any non-corroding metal is being made into tile. Stainless steel is the most popular. But copper, brass, zinc and even titanium are catching up fast.
Costwise, metal tile is about the same price as high-end ceramic tiles (depending, of course, on the metal. Exotic metals are more costly.) Metal tile is also not as design-flexible as ceramic and porcelain products. It fits well in contemporary kitchens, giving the kitchen a desirable high-tech look. It would not be the first choice of traditional kitchen designs.
Tricks of the Trade: Stone on a Budget
If you like the look of a stone counter top, but the cost makes you gasp. There are some tricks to getting that stone look without the stone price. Take a look...
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A counter top takes a lot of abuse. In the kitchen you put hot pans on it, cut on it, scrape and scratch at it, scour it, and spill hot liquids on it. In the
Classic Soapstone Countertop stains and mars: but fans believe the inevitable signs of use contribute to its warmth and beauty.
bathroom, it's worse — with all the various chemicals spilled on counter surfaces — the soaps, the creams, the nail polish, the model airplane glue. Yet after years of abuse, your counter top is expected to look as good as ever — and mostly they do. Modern counter top materials are truly miracles of modern engineering, evolving so rapidly that even if you’ve replaced a kitchen counter top in the recent past, you’ll probably be surprised by the many options in materials and styles now available.
Here are some of the common and uncommon materials available for countertops.
Granite and Natural Stones
Stone: Pros & Cons
Pros: Sinks can be undermounted and surface can handle hot pans and can resist most stains if properly sealed.
Cons: Granite can be scratched and leaves watermarks if spills are not immediately cleaned up. Seams can be very evident especially if the surface has a clear or plain pattern.
There are very few materials more durable than stone. Cool and long-lasting, stone offers a timeless, elegant beauty that few other materials can match.
Extremely hard and resistant to scratches and heat, stone is often the upscale choice for remodeled kitchens. But is has some drawbacks.
Polished Granite Countertop
Stone is so hard that a plate, cup or glass dropped on it is likely to shatter. The stone itself can crack, break, chip and scratch — although treating the stone may make it more resistant to chipping (see the sidebar to the right). Some stones stain easily - marble and soapstone are notorious culprits — although many believe that the visible signs of use that accumulate over time add to the patina and charm of these upscale materials.
The stone of choice these days is granite. It is virtually unstainable, hard to crack or chip and will easily outlast your house. Granite comes in a seeming infinite variety of colors and patterns, with more arriving everyday. Granite is also just about the most expensive material around, rivaled only by concrete and some composite stone materials.
Solid Surface Composites
Solid Surface: Pros & Cons
Pros: Sinks can be undermounted. Nonporous material is hard to stain and can be made in nearly every size and shape seamlessly. Scratches or burns can generally be repaired invisibly. Probably the most durable and reparable of counter top materials.
Cons: May be pricey and has the potential to melt when hot pans are placed on the surface. The finish may dull over time and need to be rebuffed.
The most recognizable brand in this group is the original composite, DuPont's Corian®.
Corian® solid surfacing with undermount sink. Photo courtesy DuPont.
Easy to maintain, composites come in a wide variety of colors and patterns from a growing number of domestic and foreign manufacturers, including well-known brands such as Wilsonart, Formica and Avonite to name just a few of the most widely available.
Chip, stain, heat, and bacteria-resistant, solid surfacing is long-lasting and can be repaired if it becomes damaged. Unlike repairs to laminates, the patches are virtually invisible.
Not Actually Very Solid
Solid surfacing is not at all solid. It must be supported by wood substrate just like a laminate top.
The illusion of thickness comes from gluing a nose piece to the front of the surface sheet.
Most brands offer matching undermount sinks that seamlessly attach to the counter top material. Undermount sinks offer a number of advantages to traditional sinks that sit on the counter top.
Sources of Supply: Solid Surface
• Avonite, www.avonite.com, (800) 428-6648;
• Corian, www.corian.com, (800) 426-7426;
• Earthstone, Gibraltar, www.wilsonart.com, (800) 433-3222;
• Formica Solid Surfacing, www.formica.com, (800) 367-6422
• EOS Solid Surfaces, www.eos-surfaces.com, (800) 719-3671
The most helpful is that you can sweep debris from the counter top into the sink without having to maneuver it over the sink's lip.
Usually (but not always) less expensive than most natural stone, solid surfacing is still not a budget counter top solution.