The Pros and Cons of Countertop Options

 

Whether expanding your kitchen, adding an island, or building a new home, the right kitchen countertops are an essential ingredient for your cooking pleasure. Countertops can make a huge difference in the value of your home, and the right countertop can also bring out the gourmet chef in you. You will want to consider style, beauty, durability, and price. The do-it-yourselfer may also want to bear in mind the ease of installation. Here are a few options to ponder:

Plastic Laminate

Laminate is the most widely used countertop material in home improvement.

• Pros: It is inexpensive and low-maintenance. It resists grease and stains, and it comes in a vast array of colors, and patterns. It also can come prefabricated with its own seamless backsplash. It is ideal for the do-it-yourselfer who loves to update the kitchen frequently. (Note of Caution: If you have allergies or asthma, the materials and glue in laminate could bring on a serious attack.)

• Cons: Laminate does have its drawbacks. Since it is, basically, made in layers (hence the name "laminate") the dark under layer (usually pressed wood) may be visible. The top is also susceptible to damage from sharp knives and hot pans. It easily melts at the touch of a dropped cigarette, and once damaged, it cannot be easily repaired.

• Installation Tips: To keep laminate looking new longer, reserve for less used areas of the kitchen. Locate seams at corners to avoid wear and tear. It is one of the easiest countertops to install yourself.

• Cost: $15 to $60 per running foot.

Ceramic Tile

Beautiful and durable, ceramic tile is the experienced do-it-yourselfer's dream come true. This is where you can celebrate your creative side. You can make that counter anything you want. How about a mural? Or how about using your children’s drawings as patterns? Or simply go with your favorite colors broken up and mixed? It can be as simple or as complex as the artist in you desires.

• Pros: Ceramic tile is heat, scratch, and stain resistant. Damaged tiles are easily replaced.

• Cons: Grout can stain or collect food particles, therefore giving way to bacterial infestation. Tiles can chip or crack, and if used for cutting it can dull your knives. Scrubbing with abrasives can ruin a high-gloss finish.

• Installation Tips: To cut cost, use solid-colored tiles and create your own patterns. Use epoxy and acrylic grouts, which are more stain resistant. Remove stains from regular grout with ordinary household bleach.

• Cost: $4 to $8 per tile.

Solid Surface
A solid surface countertop is a step up from plastic laminate. It comes in a larger variety of colors and patterns which are uniform throughout the piece. It can resemble glass, granite, and any other stone.

Pros: Since the color goes through the entire counter, scratches and blemishes can easily be buffed out. It is strong and self-supporting, so it needs no underlayment. It is non-porous. It resists both mildew and stains. It can be ordered custom-formed to hide seams, and it can be designed to suit your taste.

Cons: It can be cut easily by sharp knives. Hot pans will leave a permanent discoloration. Installation is difficult for the do-it-yourselfer.

Cost: It's expensive at about $125 to $200 per running foot, professionally installed.

Stone

Nothing beats stone for sheer beauty and durability. This high-end choice is for the serious cook. Marble and granite are the most popular choices.

• Pros: Granite is impervious (when properly sealed) to cuts, scrapes, burns and stains. Marble must be frequently sealed with mineral oil (which is not particularly food friendly, since it is made from petroleum). Its beauty is undeniable, and both surfaces are perfect for the serious gourmet cook. Pie crusts, pastries, and homemade chocolate love these surfaces.

• Cons: Both stones are expensive, heavy, and often difficult to cut. They are brittle, so they must come in thick slabs. Marble requires frequent resealing. Both are expensive to repair. Both require regular waxing and polishing to maintain sheen.

• Buyers Tip: You may be able to find suitable pieces at an antique salvage yard.

• Costs for New: Expect to pay up to $200 a running foot, installed.

Stainless Steel

This tough surface is very popular with the high-tech crowd. It is the counter of choice in most upscale restaurants.

• Pros: It is tough and impervious to stains and hot pans. It gives your kitchen a contemporary look.

• Cons: It shows nicks, and it scratches easily. Avoid scouring powders, and never use steel wool to clean it. It needs a solid, firm underlayment, or else it will dent. While beautiful, stainless steel is very cold to the touch.

Butcher Block

True butcher block uses end-grain hard-wood for counters; however many counters come in a lesser grade. You will want to make certain that you have a true hardwood.

• Pros: The warm natural appearance of hardwood is an attractive choice for the homeowner. It is ideal for cutting and chopping. It's relatively simple to install, for the do-it-yourselfer, and it is easy to repair. Surface scratches are easily sanded out.

• Cons: It must be sealed or frequently treated with mineral oil. It must be cleaned immediately after food preparation and moisture exposure. Protective surface sealers are not always food safe. It is humidity sensitive, so it is not recommended for high humidity areas. It scorches and dents easily. If it becomes contaminated with meat juices or dirty vegetables, it must be disinfected, then resealed.

• Buyer's Tip: Many cooks use olive oil to season the wood after each use; however this can also darken the wood.

• Cost: About $50 a running foot.

These are just a few of the counter choices available to the homeowner. Each must be weighed by the evidence of your own kitchen traffic patterns, whether or not you are the sole cook, or anyone can just haul out a knife and have at it. Each material is suitable in the proper environment; however, the final choice is up to you.