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Weighing countertop options

 
While cabinets account for the largest percentage of the budget for a kitchen or bath remodel, countertops and appliances take the next biggest chunk. When it comes to countertops, consumers face a wide selection of materials, colors and prices, as well as maintenance and durability options.

Selections range from low-cost laminates to high-end copper or concrete. Combining countertop materials is becoming popular: for example, butcher block for a cutting surface, granite or marble for baking preparation, and laminate or solid surface for the rest of the counter space.

Mark Ducharme, owner of Coastal-N-Counters in Mashpee, countertop-replacement specialists, predicts engineered quartz will dominate the market over the next 10 years. Sold commercially as Zodiaq or Silestone, these resin-bound natural quartz surfaces combine the beauty of stone with the practicality of solid surface.
Ducharme sees a variety of customers on the Cape and Islands—from upscale second homeowners to more practical primary homeowners. Generally, he divides customers into two categories “hard and shiny” and “practical.” The “hard and shiny” customers, he says, tend to be between 30 and 55; they’re looking for stone countertops, most usually granite. The practical homeowner is generally over 55 and is seeking a low-maintenance countertop with good value, such as solid surface.

“What people are looking for in the high-end home is uniqueness,” says Ducharme. “I’ve got people looking for copper, concrete. These are very impractical countertops but unique. Some people want natural. That’s a very important word to some people: natural. They want stone.”

The more mainstream customer, Ducharme says, opts for solid surface or stone. “To me,” says Ducharme, “the most practical product there is is solid surface. I have solid surface—Corian—in my house, and I could’ve had whatever I wanted.”
Here is an overview of countertop materials, citing both advantages and disadvantages. Most of these products require professional installation:

Laminate
For decades, laminates were the most popular counter surfaces in American kitchens. This material remains in demand due to its lower cost, ease of installation and wide variety of patterns, textures and colors. A disadvantage: laminate is very difficult to repair if scratched, so it should never be used as a cutting surface. It is not heat resistant. Highly visible seams can trap dirt.

Solid surface
Consumers often choose solid-surface countertops, such as Corian or Swanstone, because they are low maintenance and virtually seamless. They offer a variety of color options. Some solid-surface products can withstand exposure to hot pans. Scratches and other stains can usually be buffed out with abrasive cleansers, Scotch-Brite or sandpaper. Impact resistance varies by brand. The more acrylic content, the greater the impact resistance.

Stone
Stone surfaces, such as granite and soapstone, remain popular. They usually cost more than other materials. Porous stone surfaces require periodic sealing to resist heat and stains. Granite is the most requested of these stones because of its deep, rich colors and highly polished luster. Granite is the hardest and least porous of all stone counters. Drawbacks include visible seams and weight.

Engineered quartz
An alternative to granite is engineered quartz. Natural quartz aggregates with an added polymer, this countertop option has a more uniform look than natural stone and resists staining and scratching without sealing. Engineered quartz offers heat resistance and high impact resistance. Like stone products, it has visible seams.

Concrete
Concrete counters don’t look as industrial as they sound. A variety of pigments can be mixed into the material to create an endless array of colors. Concrete counters need an occasional sealing, but once that’s done, they resist scratches, hot pans and stains. Choose very strong base cabinets not only to support the extra weight, but also to avoid cracks from settling.

Metal
Once the design choice of the 1950s, stainless steel has made a comeback in recent years, in part due to the popularity of commercial-look appliances. Though expensive, stainless steel is easy to clean, sanitary and heat resistant, but it scratches easily and shows fingerprints. Copper countertops are attractive, sanitary—and expensive. If left unsealed, they tarnish. They are also easily dented and scratched.

Ceramic tile
Ceramic tile comes in a wide range of colors and designs, and the high-gloss glaze resists stains, scratches, heat and moisture. It is a relatively inexpensive countertop option. The biggest drawback is the tile grout, which easily discolors and requires frequent scrubbing. Tiles can crack from a sharp impact.

Butcher block
Also known as rock maple, butcher block is the choice of gourmet cooks because the wood surface won’t dull knife edges. Full-size maple counters were popular in the 1970s, but today real butcher block is usually used only in specific food-preparation areas, such as an island or cutting-board space. Butcher block can be damaged by moisture and hot pots and pans. It should be regularly treated with mineral oil to renew its finish. If exposed to raw fish or meat, the wood must be thoroughly washed.

Sources: The Swan Corporation, Coastal-N-Counters.

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