How to Pick a Counter Top Material

We all know how to instantly improve your kitchen in a day by replacing those old countertops. Now we have to figure out what surfacing material is going to be right for us. All have advantages and disadvantages, but each company tries to bash each other with outright lies to get your business. I have worked with all types of countertop materials for almost 20 years. I will help you find what materials will best suit your needs.

Instructions

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Ok we are going to replace your countertops. To narrow down our selection usually price is a major factor in what we choose. We will start with the two most popular choices in countertop material.

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Formica, I started out fabricating this type of countertops. These can be made a few different ways. Full custom fabricated on either particle board or plywood. Most use particle board with a contact adhesive. Some but rare few shops use plywood and yellow glue. This provide superior performance, but who wants a laminate countertop for the next 50 years? Usually your particle board and contact adhesive top will last your a good 15 years or more. The other type is a post formed countertop where they roll the front edge and can also roll the backsplash in a one piece deck. This leaves a nice clean roll on the edge and splash so no grime collects. These are a nice very cheap option to any other materials. I'm sure this is why laminate is the most popular material for countertops still and probably for a long time to come.

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Granite, This was the last type of material I learned to work with. I fell in love with the unique patterns and the pure beauty of this materials. This material is anywhere from extremely strong to if you look at it wrong it will break on you. This is where a lot of misinformation comes about on granite. A good granite supplier will tell you the advantages of each type of granite. Some are just a nightmare in the kitchen but looks wonderful. That is fine for some people who don't actually use their kitchens but other than for a show room. Some granite is incredible strong and resistant to staining. Granite will require more maintenance than laminate or solid surface (plasitc) type of material. Sealing every 6 months to 1 year will keep your granite safe from stains. Granite is porous and will suck in stains and bacteria, this is why we seal it, to closes the pours to reduce the stains and bacteria growth. Keeping your surface clean you will have no problems with either.

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Solid surface, this material is very versatile. You can make a kitchen completely seamless. Bacterial has no place to grow with in this material. Stains are almost impossible on this material as well. If you do stain it or scratch it, simply sanding with a high grit paper will take out any defects. Also if you damage your top, repairs can be made that will be almost invisible to you. This material is around the same price as granite. It also provides a warranty unlike most false warranties granite fabricators offer. The actual material is warrantied and sometimes the installation is also warrantied. Most solid surface companies certify there fabricators. I believe that solid surface fabricators are by far the best fabricators in the countertop industry.

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Engineered stone, this material is almost in the middle of solid surface and granite. Typically 93% quartz and 7% resin binder, this material is at heart a stone. Its mixed together and formed under a giant press with heat to form slabs like granite. It is then processes just like granite with the surface polished and then distributed to fabricators the same way granite slabs are. The advantage to this material over granite is the uniformity and the strength of the material. There is no fissures or deformities that could cause it to fail. If it happens to fail most manufactures warranty there material.

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Stainless steel, I believe this material belongs in the restaurants. It has a cold industrial feeling. If you like this then it is the perfect material for you. If its used in a restaurant it has to be be clean, that's why stainless is used, durable and clean.

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Butcher block, is a nice accent with another type of material. Using this in the whole kitchen is a waste. I am just not a fan of butcher block, but it does work well as a kitchen surface.

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Tile, I still don't understand why anyone would use this material for a countertop surface. The grout lines promote so much bacterial growth and looks dirty with in the first year. It is a very durable material, the actual tiles are very resistant to staining and bacterial growth but that is negated by the grout. It is an easy do it yourself project, I'm assuming why it is still being used.