How to Choose a Kitchen Countertop
Countertops have an enormous impact on the look and feel of your kitchen. The many choices available offer varying cost, weight, durability, upkeep and aesthetics. Consider customizing each work zone with the most appropriate surface. Install luxury materials only where you need them to save money.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Determine a budget for your countertops. Whether you're buying counters for one room or every one in the house, give yourself a maximum price.
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2
Explore material options. Laminate, rock maple, granite, marble, engineered stone, limestone and stainless steel are common varieties. They range in price and utility. If you're new to refurbishing or replacing counters, you might want to looks at material costs before determining a budget.
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Decide the primary reason for getting the countertops. Some actually serve a cost-saving purpose, typically because of their durability. Others a just easy to look at. After exploring some of the benefits of each material (pros and cons often overlap from one material to the next), decide what's right for you. It might be worth investing in a luxury counter because of its added home value and scratch-resistant material.
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Tips & Warnings
Most price quotes are given per installed square foot.
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Comments
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qanda
Mar 08, 2009
you can expect to pay about 75 - 100 a square foot for quartz. It's worth it since you won't have to seal it...those who say "engineered stone are trying to sell granite. Granite guys claim that it's not natural. Quartz tops are 93-94% quartz. Ask the granite guy how natural the petroleum sealants are...and why you have to seal them once or twice a year...wonder where those chemicals go? Plates? Hands? I don't know...and I really wouldn't want to find out. -
qanda
Mar 08, 2009
you can expect to pay about 75 - 100 a square foot for quartz. It's worth it since you won't have to seal it...those who say "engineered stone are trying to sell granite. Granite guys claim that it's not natural. Quartz tops are 93-94% quartz. Ask the granite guy how natural the petroleum sealants are...and why you have to seal them once or twice a year...wonder where those chemicals go? Plates? Hands? I don't know...and I really wouldn't want to find out.
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qanda
Mar 08, 2009
If you're thinking of buying a stone top get a quartz top. Cambria is by far the best...Silestone is probably number 2. Cambria's made in the USA...MN to be exact...so you're not writing a check to China (buying granite) and your not writing a check to spain (Silestone)...if you don't care about the looks check out Avanza, LG Viatera, ceaserstone, and the other quartz. They are scratch resistant and stain resistant. No stone is heat resistant..if someone tells you it is walk out of their store because they either 1. have no idea about thermal shock or 2. are just trying to get your money.
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qanda
Mar 08, 2009
If you're thinking of buying a stone top get a quartz top. Cambria is by far the best...Silestone is probably number 2. Cambria's made in the USA...MN to be exact...so you're not writing a check to China (buying granite) and your not writing a check to spain (Silestone)...if you don't care about the looks check out Avanza, LG Viatera, ceaserstone, and the other quartz. They are scratch resistant and stain resistant. No stone is heat resistant..if someone tells you it is walk out of their store because they either 1. have no idea about thermal shock or 2. are just trying to get your money.
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chipsurfer
Sep 30, 2008
Laminate countertops have withstood the test of time for over 50yrs. They continue to improve on durability and wear resistance, as well as unimaginable design options. See WilsonartHD for example. For the the design life-cycle, why would you want to waste your money on any other product?
