Kitchen countertop - which one would you buy again?

[cabbageandbeans]

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?

Your experience may vary, but I find Corian holds tea-stains, and I know someone who had it crack at a corner (they had a one-piece moulded worktop-and-sink installation)

Hi Captain
yes I know there are, but the same issues will happen, as concrete is purous.
I know its not cheap, far from it.
we looked at having a poured polished concrete floor and the expense was out this world, then looked into it and noticed very prone to hairline cracks. that wasn't something we wanted for that type of £ notes.
Corian is prone to scratches and other little things, but can be polished out/fixed. but then that's an added expense to get it fixed, it also does look good, but again more cost than the quartz side of things.
I do know of a company who can make sinks out of granite/quartz to be the same as the worktop, there the only one in the uk. very expensive and its fitted the same as an undermount but with worktop material.
they do look rather nice

DH and I were discussing work tops again last night and he has decided he likes the dark iroko wood the best we are now weighing up the pros and cons of laminate dark wood and real dark wood... For the higher end laminate the price would be very similar for what we need compared to the iroko wood... I am now working on lighter units than the black gloss
Concrete countertops tend to chip on the corners a lot I think. My friend had concrete poured and polished when she did her last kitchen. Cost ALOT and the edges cracked and chipped so it didn't stay so nice. She ended up replacing hers after about 2 years because it looked quite shabby.

nomore the laminates are all around the same quality
the price depends where you buy them and there lengths

It's the shape and thickness that we have been looking for and the pattern texture etc. I have found that the lower priced laminate have a less than convincing colour tone, odd shaped edges and the picture that is laminated is not as good as the more expensive. If I am going to go for wood effect laminate I want it as close to real wood look as I can get it

have you been looking in diy stores?

Look at these below there are 3 main suppliers of laminate to the kitchen independents - all as good as each other but with different variations.

www.axiomworktops.com/

www.duropal.co.uk/

www.bushboard.co.uk/

they don't sell to the end user but will tell you the nearest supplier and you can order samples off them direct

I agree nomore that iroko looks lovely, but it gets a bad press in environmental terms as it rarely comes from managed sources and is often sourced from tropical rainforests.
That said, this supplier has FSC approved iroko
www.norfolkoak.com/worktops/iroko-worktops.php

Is glass not very noisy? I'm thinking of that horrible clattering sound you get from glass chopping boards. I don't need a new worktop so not sure why I'm reading this but do have oak and it looks lovely.

Good point Swedish.

annalouise, could you tell me which co. does the quartz sinks please? Thanks.

"glass chopping boards."

Glass should never be used as a chopping board. As a work surface saver yes, but as a knife wrecker no. Glass is very bad for knife blades as it is much harder than steel. Use wood or plastic, but never glass for chopping on.

I had a maple butcher block top on an island. It looked good until we used it. ; )
Occasionally DH would sand and refinish it. It would stain, get newspaper print on it, and lose the finish with use.

Currently we have laminate, looks new but is fifteen years old. I am not wild about color and may redo with laminate or quartz. I want to just wipe a counter and have it look good. Never ever tile again.

We've just purchased Maia as an alternative to Corian. 1/3 of the price, fewer colours but otherwise pretty much the same thinga

oh, I know that about glass chopping boards bunbaker. I was just pondering on whether the glass worktops were as noisy.

SkiBum - I have maia in the utility room, the white one. I love it, it hasn't stained or chipped.

Hansie - what do you mean never tile again? On your counter top/walls of floor? Must be countertop - I can only imagine how awful that is to keep clean.

Captain - have you ever left a tea bag on your maia? If not would you like to experiment with tea for me? I am VERY concerned about tea stains!

Cabbage - I use a teabag holder, but I don't think it would stain anyway,even being white, it's very good.

I've had it over 2 years, used it as a breakfast bar so lots of possibility for food stains, but it is as good now as it ever was.

I went in the kitchen shop yesterday, am now tempted by quartz. Def veering away from wood, was told it needs sanding and sealing every 3 months. Def not in this house!

OK wise kitchen ladies, I am planning my new kitchen in my head - probably won't become reality for about a year but the floor will be wood - the same as we have in the dining room (knocking through for kitchen diner) and hallway, and I really like the wood floor, cream units (not glossy) and wooden worktop look. Am I mad? - DC 4 is due in the next couple of months when eldest will be not quite 5.5. And, most importantly, what wood effect worktops are there? - I cannot look after a proper wooden one, love it though I would, but am not keen on laminate but all the maia and similar only offer stone effect - I am just dreaming/being greedy wanting wood effect maia aren't I?

Thanks for any advice

Wood doesn't need sanding and sealing every 3 months! Needs 3 coats of oil before installed and then when and as you remember. And you can use cooking oil - which I do whilst I'm making a meal. Just pour some onto the surface and rub in, leave for a few minutes and then wipe off with the tea towel kitchen paper. But it's not "a task" as such- and I am seriously slatternly. I can tell you don't want it but just wanted to point that out in case anyone else is reading this.

I agree Swedish, we had wood in our lastr two kitchens and I only oiled it about once a year and it looked fine. WHoever mentioned every 3 months must have bene trying to sell you a different worktop...

Just started looking at kitchens and veering towards quartz. Definite no to wooden (water marks/mould) or granite (absorbs cooking oil) worktops. Professionals use stainless steel but too commercial/utilitarian looking in a more domestic setting. Engineered wood flooring and veering towards cream units possibly from Howdens (closer and less hassle) or Ikea (value for money). Cheaper units plus laminate in the utility (so I can justify the wine cooler cabinet and boiling water tap!)

OK Cabbage - In the interests of Mumsnet research I left a teabag on my maia surface overnight and have just wiped it off with no marks left at all! I can experiment with beetroot/red wine/ felt tip if you like - am feeling very confident now. Plus it's a bit of worktop i am not going to be using again.

Thanks for your input Edith -I have seen on some internet sites that the surface should be sanded and sealed (maybe not every 3 months tho). And 'oily' woods like teak and iroko have natural oils that protect more against water stains - i would have gone for iroko i think.

Yorky I have a wooden floor and cream units and was going for wood worktops. Some of the more expensive laminates are v good and solid and come in lots of wood colours. Or you could go for a cheaper solid wood, I think Rubberwood is cheap and looks like oak.

captain you are fantastic and highly scientific! This is greatly reassuring as my DH is a great fan of maia. Bring on the beetroot.....and probably more likely in my house the red wine?!! (you are SO much braver than I!)

Ok Beetroot tonight, and felt tip pen. Can't do red wine at the mo, as am on the wagon for 3 weeks.

Stay tuned!