My parents are redoing their kitchen and are torn as to what material to use for the countertops. Each time they decide on something, someone tells them bad things about the materials. They had been looking at granite, then Corian, then Zodiac and another option (I forget what it was called). Does anyone have any experience with various materials (good or bad)???

Thanks!
Lydia

I loved my Corian counters....durable, easy to clean, attractive and heat resistant...The only real drawback I know of is the cost,but I think it is worth it.

Try to contact Renee; she and her husband are in the cabinet busines, and should know quite a bit about countertops.

I have ceramic tile and butcher block counter tops. They are great.

I found this site that looks pretty good. It tells you the some of the advantages and disadvantages of many types of counters. The left side of the page has more choices. It is really going to come down to whatever works best for their needs.

example:


If you need to dice, chop, and slice: Any stone or wood

Roll dough and make pastries: Marble, another stone, or stainless steel

Set down hot stuff: Any stone, tile, stainless steel, or concrete

Spill without staining or having to first apply sealants: Solid surface, engineered quartz, or stainless steel

Perform little or no maintenance: Laminate, solid surface, or stainless steel

Protect kids and the elderly: Any material with the corners rounded

Some things to consider while browsing the link below

Countertop options

Any material they wish can be used for a countertop.

All materials are now sealable, failing that a coating of clear resin will work - I have often thought of using cork (I love the look of it) finished off with about 1/2 inch of clear resin as a table top or counter top.

Their best bet is to look for something that they like balanced against budget. Style can be more important than functionality - Just remember that any surface can be sealed and protected.

A high durability, low maintenance, long lasting material that can be molded and given texture and color to match nearly anything is Concrete. Concrete is making a huge impact on the kitchen design industry just because it is so versatile, holds up well under daily use and is "cheap" the magic words which sells it the most.

Any countertop that is selected will not stand up to cutting - Except glass. Everything else will scratch and gouge in time.

All materials can be used, if treated properly, sealed or coated all materials will last for a long time under daily normal use.

Stainless steel is popular in commercial kitchens because of its high durability - however the down side is that it needs to be cleaned often and will chow every little mark, debris or dried water drop. It is popular in domestic kitchens because it looks pretty. I find that a a few of my clients who have stainless steel and children find the most problem with little hand prints - on the refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, etc.

Corian and other man made materials tend to hold up rather well. People are moving away from Formica and Laminates simply because Corian and similar simulated stones look richer and look nicer.

Formica and laminates are low end price wise, still come in a wide variety of textures and colors still holds up for years under normal use.

Wood is making a small come back due to the new resins and sealants. I have thought seriously of redwood countertops with 1/4 to 1/2 inch clear resin. The new resins stay clear for decades, are hard to scratch and pit. Durable and can be used to cover almost any material.

Tile is always great, the downside is (and always has been) the gout. There are new sealers out which do last for a number of years before needing to be resealed.

Concrete. Not just for driveways and side walks. Concrete is making a minor hit on the kitchen because of its wide range of color, texture and the ease of molding it. It is also rather cheap, and once sealed lasts for years.

The downside is that it takes several days (or more) to make the mold (in the kitchen) pour it, cure and finish. Ideally one would want to have the concrete poured in place.

All Materials have their downsides. All materials will scratch, cut, gouge, pit, stain, etc. etc. etc. under the right circumstances. All of them will break, burn, chip, crack, etc. etc. etc. if not properly installed.

All materials can fall out of style rather quickly.

It comes down to what they want to look at for the next 20-30 years, resale value if they plan on selling the house and cost to install.

Durability, ease of cleaning is similar across the board. Their options are far larger than they may be aware.

Cheers

David