Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Property/DIY

Join our Property forum for renovation, DIY, and house selling advice.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

Original poster

Kitchen countertop - which one would you buy again?

131 replies

cabbageandbeans · 13/03/2012 21:42

We are buying a new kitchen and I am really confused about which type of countertop to buy.....

1)Laminate - Have had in the past and I reckon I will chip this easily.

2)Granite - tempted but not black because I reckon I'll have to shine it up ALL the time!

3)Corian - I know very little about this but I was thinking about a light colour and worried about stains, tea etc - on my current light laminate - I always use bleach for stains but have no idea if I can do this with corian.

If I do go for Granite - I guess it would be a lighter colour (maybe oatmeal shade - but have no idea how easy this is to keep looking good. But really don't know because I would like to get a white kitchen (am I crazy with 2 kids?)

I am after low maintenance as REALLY do not want to spend my life trying to make it look bloody perfect!

What have you got and would you buy it again?

OP posts:

sixtiesqueen · 14/03/2012 12:03

Had black granite in last house. Was only ever pristine immediately before house viewings as we were selling.

Now have lovely 'bianco sardo' granite - stunning and everyone comments on it

Vickles · 14/03/2012 13:35

Iroko is the dogs bollocks of wooden surfaces (as I said, we didn't buy it, previous owners did!).

They had it put in 2007 and it's still perfect! You can wipe Danish Oil on it (but that stinks! Some people oil it just as they go off on their holiday!) Someone recommended any natural oil.. olive oil. I thought they were bonkers... but, it comes out even better than the Danish oil.

Here's Howden's lighter colour one...

www.howdens.com/product-range/kitchen-collection/worktops/solid-wood-40mm-616mm-deep/iroko-block/

Or, the darker one like mine...

www.worktop-express.co.uk/wood_worktops/iroko_worktops.html

Vickles · 14/03/2012 13:36

Not a speck of black around the sink... promise!

minipie · 14/03/2012 16:14

I spray it with a kitchen cleaner, wipe, rinse and then polish it with an 'e cloth'. I do this a few times a day.

wow! now I feel like a slattern.

We have black granite, but rather than plain black is is black with lots of greenish flecks in it. A slightly gentler look than plain black, and most importantly, crumbs and smears don't really show up on it.

Whatever material you go for, I would definitely recommend you get something with flecks/pattern of some sort rather than plain.

uggmum · 14/03/2012 16:49

'minipie'. I sounded a bit obsessive then.

My granite is shiny but the rest of my house is certainly not! :)

minipie · 14/03/2012 17:16

everyone has their foibles

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 20:33

Bunbaker and anna LOVE IT! looks just like granite! but I hate all that wiping with a wet cloth and then drying with a paper towel (starting to realise I am very lazy!) I just want to wipe and walk away!

captain - high gloss? how is that for fingerprints/smudges etc - I imagine it to get grubby very quickly (did I mention I am clumsy when drunk - so that means lots of spilling/dropping things, sauce up the walls etc!). On the other hand looks really easy to clean? Or does it also involve the wet/dry wipe technique?

thanks Mrs for the tip - will bear in mind as I WAS looking at lighter granite - so maybe not such a good idea.

I will look into slate too (I KNOW dh will like this as he a it of a nature boy)

OP posts:

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 20:36

uggmum - I just can't commit to all that wiping!

sixties I have to find a picture of your stuff - sounds perfect - just what I want - low maintenance then in comparison to the darker stuff?

OP posts:

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 20:40

vickles - I will research it but bet it costs a fortune. Wonder it cheaper woods are more inclined to go black and rot. That dark one IS beautiful. I just can't believe this IS such a big decision!!!!

OP posts:

annalouiseh · 14/03/2012 20:42

from what you saying candbeans I would look at quartz with a speckle or fleck, no smears to be seen- non porous unlike granite, the detail/speckle will hide anything.
the Maia can look a little plastic so advise ordering samples ( I use to have this as samples when working for various companies) its mainly the darker colours.
we have a light quartz, on my profile

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 20:45

sixties what colour your cabinets out of interest? looked up the granite and I like it but not sure what to put it with maybe a bit too pale with white cupboards?

OP posts:

ANTagony · 14/03/2012 20:47

We have a mix of granite and wood. Granite either side of sink - so no mould. The granite is black with specks. I just wipe with a damp kitchen towel after food prep. I don't dry it and it's not streaky. It doesn't mark which is fantastic. It's great for pastry making and scraping dough on.

We got the granite from a local place it was £500 for three pieces cut, polished and finished. One really big bit for our island and two pieces work top depth square. We chose it from an off cuts sheet so it was about 25% normal price.

The other work top is long below windows and is oak from magnet. Once we'd sealed it after first install it's been low maintenance except when I put a rusty tin on it and had to sand back and re-oil one area.

ZuzuBailey · 14/03/2012 20:51

I wanted something very practical and easy care so chose this (in Pumice). Four years on it still looks new and I just clean it once in a blue moon occasionally with a damp cloth.

It shows nothing.

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 20:51

I think I have something like this in my bathroom and it doesn't need ferocious cleaning (although toothpaste shows up SO much!) but I don't love it as much as black (particularly with speckles) granite.

Would it be weird to have a completely other type of granite in the kitchen? Maybe I should go with the same?.....Arrrrrrr

OP posts:

Pannacotta · 14/03/2012 20:55

I am going to have a mix of wood and quartz in our new kitchen.
Quartz round the sink where I need something practical and waterproof (and I want an undermounted sink and drainer grooves) and wood for the main worktop and prep space.

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 20:58

anna What Fabulous kitchens! I would be happy with either old or new! Stunning! Will now look into quartz.

OP posts:

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 21:00

Thankyou everyone for your ideas! I have a LOT of research to do! You have opened my eyes to a whole new world of countertops which I didn't know existed!

OP posts:

annalouiseh · 14/03/2012 21:09

the older, with walnut worktop dh picked due to the look with the black.
walnut being one of the stronger woods did bow at the front edge of the hob and I burnt it with a hot pan (not using the hot rods other side of hob) and got a rust ring on it (i left a wet tin sitting on it for a day) i clumsy also.
when dh came home after being away he went mad and had to re-sand and oil it and it wasn't even 6 weeks old hah

Original poster

cabbageandbeans · 14/03/2012 21:14

ok so definitely no walnut for me!

OP posts:

margoandjerry · 14/03/2012 21:15

I have Zodiaq by Dupont. It's good. It's some sort of quartz and polymer mix (I read that on the website - obviously I don't really know what it means ). Mine is not fleck-y - it's quite plain. Looks good, robust, doesn't take a lot of looking after.

annalouiseh · 14/03/2012 21:16

haha - walnut is stronger of the stronger woods, its a hard wood, oak and others are a soft wood but that will happen with most, just need to be careful and get the feeling we aint??
I'm already on course breaking his new one........ haha

sixtiesqueen · 14/03/2012 21:20

Cabbage, I have two colours of unit - most of them are painted in Farrow and Ball's 'Elephant's Breath' but the island is oak. The F and B colour is sort of putty-ish. I had a blog online when we were renovating the house and you can prob see pictures on there - sixtiespalace.blogspot.com

I swear to God it always looks clean even when it's not. That bloddy star galaxy stuff in the last house drove me potty.

IvanaHumpalot · 14/03/2012 21:20

I've got Caeser stone in white - don't be scared, tea coffee etc... wipes off with the flash spray. My friend had Granit Transformations. She chose a lovely white one with bits of twinkle and mother of pearl - not at all disco.

NoMoreMarbles · 14/03/2012 21:31

vickles the iroko wood looks beautiful! if you dont mind me asking (and sorry if you have already said) what colour units do you have with that colour worktops? i am leaning towards black gloss but would that be too dark? a pic of my design is on my profile and my room would be quite small... im sure my questions will drive people mad before i do the kitchen i keep changing my mind (last time i looked at it i was set on grey gloss but looking at pics and in person it is quite dull and i want to keep the room as airy-feeling as possible i realise black may not help)

sixtiesqueen · 14/03/2012 21:31

oh regarding the photo of the granite - you'll have to go backwards to November 22nd I think to see it - the photos are a bit washed out and the kitchen wasn't fully installed but you'll get the idea.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6