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  Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
   
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | What would you prefer for kitchen counter tops? If you were looking to buy a home, is there any one counter top that would be a deal breaker? |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
 
Location: Missouri | I'm having soapstone put in mine.
Edited by just4fun 2014-12-31 6:27 PM
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 The Vaccinator
Posts: 3810
Location: Slipping down the slope of old age. Boo hoo. | I had quartz placed in the kitchen and bathrooms of our new home -- and granite on the porch counter top.
I would not want a kitchen with tile counter tops due to trying to keep the grout looking decent, nor would I want to have to do maintenance on a wooden butcher block. My husband has stainless in his shop and I think it's great for there, but not in the house. I have seen custom concrete counter tops that are fabulous -- and we did consider it for our home, but did not have access to anyone in our area with - what we felt - was enough experience to produce the design/color/style we wanted. I would not want marble either due to staining issues -- it IS beautiful. Granite can also absorb stains -- our son left a candle burn down pretty far while it was sitting on his granite and it has left a red stain -- it's embedded into the granite now.... ugh. Thankful it was HIS house and not ours! :)
Anyway - those are my opinions. I think you should select whatever works best for you and pleases you - and requires the least maintenance so you can spend more time riding horses. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. |
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 More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | I'm glad you posted this missroselee. I'm doing my kitchen soon and we are replacing counter tops along with painting cupboards. My house is over 100 yrs old and I want something from that era. I was told soapstone or butcher block. I like the looks of the butcher block. I know the maintenance will be a pain but that's what I'm leaning towards. I've heard granite stains bad and I've heard quartz is really good. I guess for you its what you want for look.
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Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
Edited by just4fun 2014-12-31 6:57 PM
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | just4fun - 2014-12-31 6:56 PM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
I agree, I think butcher block is beautiful. I love character too. It'll require lots of maintenance but its what I'm leaning towards. |
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Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | CYA Ranch - 2014-12-31 7:01 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 6:56 PM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
My concern is that I really wanted a prep sink on the island, and don't know if that will work since the wood will be unsealed? Trying to figure that one out... |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | just4fun - 2014-12-31 8:06 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-12-31 7:01 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 6:56 PM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
Butcher block isn't really unsealed though. What makes it butcher block is that it's treated. Kind of like wooden cutting boards (at least the hand made ones)
Biggest problem is that we just plain can't afford granite, not on a house we aren't keeping. But the second part of that is we need to do something that won't turn away buyers. |
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Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | missroselee - 2014-12-31 7:16 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 8:06 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-12-31 7:01 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 6:56 PM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
Biggest problem is that we just plain can't afford granite, not on a house we aren't keeping. But the second part of that is we need to do something that won't turn away buyers.
Quartz is cheaper then granite, although still kind of pricey. Alot of peaople really like concrete and the finishes can be very pretty. Although cost wise I have no clue what concrete costs. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I still like my solid surface. It's been 4+ years now. I have granite in the bathrooms...the kids' vanities have blue toothpaste stains despite sealing. |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | Here's the kitchen before. Right now all the cabinets are taken apart while I am refinishing them.
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 No Tune in a Bucket
Posts: 2935
Location: Texas | We put solid surface in our kitchen probably 15 years ago and it still looks great and I am not particularly careful with it. It comes in lots of different colors and I like it. My sister has granite in her kitchen and it was just a little higher priced than my solid surface, but it is really pretty and she likes it. No help here. |
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Expert
Posts: 1409
Location: Oklahoma | What I think is the cheapest is tiling. I have tiled countertops and I love love love!!! It doesn't scratch and you can cut on it and it cleans super easy. I get so many compliments on my countertops! and you can do any design! I used the big tiles with the small 4x4 tiles. |
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I Am a Snake Killer
Posts: 1927
Location: Golden Gulf Coast of Texas | I have soapstone and love it. It scratches easily but doesn't stain or burn. Color selection is small tho, mine has a lot of veins in it and really looks nice! I have seen some really nice concrete also. It would be my second choice. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | missroselee - 2014-12-31 7:16 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 8:06 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-12-31 7:01 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 6:56 PM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
Biggest problem is that we just plain can't afford granite, not on a house we aren't keeping. But the second part of that is we need to do something that won't turn away buyers.
Correct. It is treated and you also work in bees wax if I remember right. I read somewhere how to season the counter. If it gets stained or scratched then you can sand it down and start over. |
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Veteran
Posts: 146
| Consider granite tile, much cheaper than granite slab and still have the look/feel of granite. You don't have any grout seams when doing granite tile. You could also pick a smooth/polished surface porcelain tile that looks like stone with either no grout seams or minimal ones. I think in the long run you will get your money back if you are selling the house. Pictures of granite tile countertops.
https://www.google.com/search?q=pictures+of+granite+tile+countertops...
Cost comparison between granite tile and granite slab: http://www.countertopspecialty.com/granite-tile-countertop.html
Edited by 4Horse 2015-01-01 11:02 AM
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She's a Tough One
Posts: 3199
| CYA Ranch - 2014-12-31 10:38 PM
missroselee - 2014-12-31 7:16 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 8:06 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-12-31 7:01 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 6:56 PM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
Biggest problem is that we just plain can't afford granite, not on a house we aren't keeping. But the second part of that is we need to do something that won't turn away buyers.
Mineral oil as well to keep up the maintenance. Know somekne b who has it and loves it. |
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I keep my change in my pockets
Posts: 2985
Location: MN | mreklaw - 2014-12-31 9:45 PM
I have soapstone and love it. It scratches easily but doesn't stain or burn. Color selection is small tho, mine has a lot of veins in it and really looks nice! I have seen some really nice concrete also. It would be my second choice.
Can you post a pic of your soapstone counter? Please! |
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10D Crack Champion
| RocketPilot - 2014-12-31 7:46 PM We put solid surface in our kitchen probably 15 years ago and it still looks great and I am not particularly careful with it. It comes in lots of different colors and I like it. My sister has granite in her kitchen and it was just a little higher priced than my solid surface, but it is really pretty and she likes it. No help here.
Dumb question here, but when you say "solid surface" what exactly is that surface? |
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I Am a Snake Killer
Posts: 1927
Location: Golden Gulf Coast of Texas | dawnb - 2015-01-01 11:26 AM
mreklaw - 2014-12-31 9:45 PM
I have soapstone and love it. It scratches easily but doesn't stain or burn. Color selection is small tho, mine has a lot of veins in it and really looks nice! I have seen some really nice concrete also. It would be my second choice.
Can you post a pic of your soapstone counter? Please!
Sure. At least I will try! We renovated ours about a year and half ago! These pics don't show the veins very well.
Edited by mreklaw 2015-01-01 1:11 PM
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | http://www.oldtownhome.com/2012/11/14/Best-Method-for-Treating-a-Bu... |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | We have a place here that will cut and sell us the granite and let us install it ourselves. But you have to purchase it by the slab (you get the leftovers)
When we went to check it out, the only two colors we liked were on the pricier side. They gave us a sample piece of each that we brought home.
Now that the cabinets are halfway done, we don't like either piece with them. Last night I got curious and grabbed the sheet from the company, and it turns out we really like the cheapest peice with the cabinets, based on paper. We are going to swing by and grab a sample of it.
Then to save a little money, I think we will do all the counter from the stove around to the peninsula. But the little peice betweent the fridge and stove I think we will do butcher block so we have a built in cutting board. |
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Damn Yankee
Posts: 12390
Location: Somewhere between raising hell and Amazing Grace | |
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I keep my change in my pockets
Posts: 2985
Location: MN | mreklaw - 2015-01-01 12:56 PM
dawnb - 2015-01-01 11:26 AM
mreklaw - 2014-12-31 9:45 PM
I have soapstone and love it. It scratches easily but doesn't stain or burn. Color selection is small tho, mine has a lot of veins in it and really looks nice! I have seen some really nice concrete also. It would be my second choice.
Can you post a pic of your soapstone counter? Please!
Sure. At least I will try! We renovated ours about a year and half ago! These pics don't show the veins very well.
I really like it! Thanks for pictures! |
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Three 4 Luck - 2014-12-31 8:36 PM I still like my solid surface. It's been 4+ years now. I have granite in the bathrooms...the kids' vanities have blue toothpaste stains despite sealing.
I like my solid surface too. It's LG and was cheaper than granite and quartz, and requires zero maintenance.
Here is a before and after of ours:
Before -
After:
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Sideways Riding Expert
Posts: 11371
Location: ND--it snows, it floods, it snows, it floods | Am I the only person that doesn't care for granite? And from what I've seen quartz is more expensive then granite but I don't really like the quartz either. I'm thinking I will go butcher block for my island and some type of higher end laminate for the rest of the counters but that is just me. I'm not a big fan of the stainless steel either if that helps. LOL I just don't care for the "Shiney" aspect I guess. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 209
| I work in real estate, Laminate is a big turn off for people and not a very good surface. A lot of people like granite but it has it's downfalls and tends to be extremely pricey, other good options that hold up great (can put hot things on it can cut on it, doesn't need refinishing ect) are silestone, quartz and corian. They all look great and are just as good if not better than granite, not sure on prices though. |
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Red Hot Cardinal Fan
Posts: 4122
| missroselee - 2014-12-31 7:16 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 8:06 PM CYA Ranch - 2014-12-31 7:01 PM just4fun - 2014-12-31 6:56 PM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-31 6:47 PM I'm not sure if your survey your wanting us to vote for what we would like, or what we would hate to see?
We are getting ready to remodel our kitchen and we are putting in quartz. It wears better and less maintenance then granite. The 3 most disgusting to me are tile, lamanite, and wood/butcher block. The wood and the tile are dirty germ infested breeding grounds and lets face it, flat ugly. Laminate is cheap, looks cheap and damages very easily. Butcher block is actually naturally resistant to bacteria and has been used safely for a long time. I'm having it put in on our island. I wouldn't want it everywhere, but really like the idea of using it and having it show character over time.
Biggest problem is that we just plain can't afford granite, not on a house we aren't keeping. But the second part of that is we need to do something that won't turn away buyers.
If you haven't already, out Neighborhoods Home Improvement in Lebanon. I've heard that they have extremely reasonable granite there. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 260
Location: Oregon | when we were looking at putting our kitchen in, quartz was actually more expensive than granite for the most part. there were a few super expensive granites that we saw, but mostly it was cheaper than quartz. We found a granite that we really liked, and it was even on sale when we went to pick it out, so it was a win win for us! |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Granite... I love, love, love it. Wouldn't want anything else. |
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More bootie than waist!
Posts: 18425
Location: Riding Crackhead. | docschic - 2015-01-02 4:00 PM Am I the only person that doesn't care for granite? And from what I've seen quartz is more expensive then granite but I don't really like the quartz either. I'm thinking I will go butcher block for my island and some type of higher end laminate for the rest of the counters but that is just me. I'm not a big fan of the stainless steel either if that helps. LOL I just don't care for the "Shiney" aspect I guess.
I guess I'm weird like you. Its just not for my house. Since my house is a century old IMO putting granite in wouldn't look right. |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | If when find the oppurtunity to buy the house we're renting, I'd do concrete. Hubby loves granite. But my dad is a home builder, and he can make concrete look like any flavor of granite. Color, veining, texture, shiny/dull, beveled, stone or designer edges. Any thickness. It is gorgeous, gorgeous stuff. And it wouldn't break the bank. |
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | CYA Ranch - 2015-01-02 7:43 PM docschic - 2015-01-02 4:00 PM Am I the only person that doesn't care for granite? And from what I've seen quartz is more expensive then granite but I don't really like the quartz either. I'm thinking I will go butcher block for my island and some type of higher end laminate for the rest of the counters but that is just me. I'm not a big fan of the stainless steel either if that helps. LOL I just don't care for the "Shiney" aspect I guess. I guess I'm weird like you. Its just not for my house. Since my house is a century old IMO putting granite in wouldn't look right.
I am going to agree....we completely stripped and renovated the kitchen here 7 years ago and put in a high end laminate.....I think that it looks great and matches the "value" of the house. Too many times, people put so much money in their counter top and it doesn't raise the selling price of the home. I will try to attach a picture.
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