Subscribe now and choose from over 30 free gifts worth up to £49 - Plus get £25 to spend in our shop
I'm just about to fit our new kitchen and then get someone in to fit the worktops.
What have people got in the way of worktops and what do you like/dislike about it? Not keen on wood due to staining, swelling and maintenance, so either sticking to some sort of top end laminate or Corian/Staron/etc or granite.
Friends think granite looks great, but is too cold/hard (always smashing things, careless or not I don't know!).
Hive mind opinions wanted (I think! 😉 )
Also any recommended fitters (Berkshire/Hampshire way...)?
Ta!
I've got wood
it's all about budget, really.
price per metre on some of that stuff is frightening.
[edit] [i]"I've got wood"[/i] - any swelling issues?
Do you have any issues with swelling? 😉
I'm a geologist so blatantly the Granite, my kitchen however will be purple quartzite from a very special location.
[i]purple quartzite from a very special location.[/i]
it's going to be from out the ground isn't it, surely?
A good rub over with oil once in a while seems to do the trick.
Peath - seriously no. I oil it once every couple of years (I know, I know, I should apparently be doing it more often - in fact as a result of this thread I promise to do it this weekend).
Yeah... I got a tentative quote and the Carion stuff seemed more expensive than granite.
Originally we just wanted decent laminate, but searching around I can't find fitters (via google mind you...) that'll just measure/cut/install it.
Crag, why is Corian better than granite?
Seamless joints, fully supported 10 year domestic warranty, fully repairable, less likely to smash your crockery on it........
Go for wood. And make it Iroko.
purple quartzite from a very special location.it's going to be from out the ground isn't it, surely?
Oddly enough no!
Corian is amazing and if i had the money it would be in my kitchen.
It's a resin so if you seriously damage it somehow then the repair guys can cut the damaged bit out, fill it with resin and do an invisible repair.
Cleaning it's a dream, just wipe it down with a bit of water and its good as new. I love a kitchen work surface... Sad.
[i]Oddly enough no! [/i]
you've arranged for an asteroid to land in your kitchen?
No, its an overhang off a sea cliff, just giving it time.....
I give my wood an occasional brisk rub with oil and it's looking as shiny and lovely as the day I installed it.
It does have a few small dings where heavy things have been dropped on it, but it is five years old so I think that's part of the character.
My wood hasn't swollen or moved in all the time that it's been laid, and the offcuts for sink / hob make lovely chopping boards that I think will outlast me.
No, its an overhang off a sea cliff, just giving it time.....
Is a cliff not 'the ground'?
"an overhang off a sea cliff"
that's called ground round my way 😉
My wood surfaces had a rather permanent mark from a wet le creuset base! no sanding or oiling got those badboys out, looked like I had the Olympic symbols in my prep space!
psst... Granite 😉
eta
wwaswas - Member"an overhang off a sea cliff"
that's called ground round my way
technically no 😉 several metres N and quite possibly yes :p it's a technicality, and I'm sticking to it.
Meanwhile...the OP is needing answers while you're being a smarty-bollocks.
some idea of budget and amount of actual worktop required would help though.
I've just had granite worktops installed, to me that was my only choice as I've wanted granite for years. I'm not really taken with corian as it looks too industrial and didn't want wood. So far I'm very happy but I can see the possibility of smashing plates etc if dropped.
Granite manufacturer here, based in Cheltenham but travel all over.
Can give you an idea of costs if you wish or if you want any other info i can help. Also sell silestone plus other quartz materials.
Email in profile.
We chose Baltic Brown Granite and as a geomorphologist I will be watching for signs of movement towards the lounge over the next millenia.
We also have a slate floor - may invest in rubber plates add mugs soon the attrition is spectacular
40mm Oak.
Looks ace!
Marks really easy but...
Sort of worth it...
[img] 
[/img]
Fair enough...
It's a 'U' shaped kitchen, 4000mm x 2350mm x 2600mm.
Truth be know, I kinda forgot to budget for it... It's for a new extension, kitchen will be fitted by me and we are doing it cheaply, but not on the cheap... Blimey that doesn't help does it?!
I really wanted not to have the bother of fitting the worktop myself, just so I don't screw it up and I it glares at me every day. We can probably push to granite, which I've had a quote for about £2200... but that'll be top top end and mean that I will have to give up on my 'I need a 29" niche' dream...
P.S. rogerthecat... we've got a slate floor too... Can I afford to replace the crockery that often?!
I suspect that as a percentage you won't save more than 20-25% going for any 'real' materials over granite and if you like the look of that then why not go for it?
you can use the 'look I went without a bike for that worktop' argument for years to come too 😉
talk to pyekid though...
If budget is your concern and you are handy with wood, you can make the framework to carry the granite yourself then get the granite company to fit the surface.
You just need to be v careful with levels.
Re slate floor, you just get good at catching things on your feet!
Corian - best part of my kitchen!
I have a joint that nobody can see and also a small coved upstand at the rear, only 10mm. The cove means that the silicone joint where the tiles reach the top never comes into contact with any water so should therefore last a lot longer. Nearly 6 years so far.
The cove also makes cleaning easier.
Do your research and make sure you get a good installer.
First, work out what you are going to DO with your worktop. Then how long you want it to last and how much maintainance you want to do on it. Everything has advantages and drawbacks.
For instance - Mrs PP makes wedding cakes. You can't roll icing (or pastry really) on wood because it has a texture and you need smooth icing. So no wood for us.
Corian melts so we couldn't see the point in that either
Granite is lovely but slightly porus and needs occasional treatment.
When we looked 2 years ago quartz was the best performing according to all the info. Looks the same and granite but not as porus and very slightly cheaper. So we have quartz. 2 years on its not been touched and still looks brand new.
[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5203/5254878000_1a47b24ab8_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/5254878000/ ]IMG_0714[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/peter_atkin/ ]PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5162/5254855794_9bc2dd9e74_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/5254855794/ ]IMG_0690[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/peter_atkin/ ]PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr
we've got a slate floor too...
Big error on your part, they look great for about 2 minutes after cleaning, then...
I just picked up the router jig and bits and did my own joints with some cheap Ikea stuff. I had to scrap one short bit as it turned out my walls weren't perfectly at 90 deg so then did a quick calculation and a dummy run with some mdf and got it perfect. Very impressed with the result considering it was the second time I had ever used a router and 1st time I had done worktops and it was a U shape too.
Could always go that route and then replace it in a few years.
If I wasn't planning on renting it out I would have gone for some wood instead of the laminate. Ikea wood is only 30mm so I would space it up underneath to allow for a thicker replacement in future.
Had a friend who went for granite because it looked great. Now she is not so happy as if you knock a glass over on it it often breaks and some spilled (can't remember what) can cause stains. She still loves the look, it just isn't as easy to look after as she imagined
And don't get me on to people who cut up their veg on granite work tops 🙁
If you want super beardy these folks do recycled glass embedded in resin http://urbnrok.com/
Yes we have it. We got it sent to us and I got a call to thrash back the 30mins home from work on th bike one day as the delivery guy couldn't get it off the lorry 🙂
Nice stuff, recommend it. Think the price is similar to granite. I just sent them a rolled up piece of wallpaper that I cut to the right dimensions
we had oak in our old house - was lovely, but I did feel that I was having to look after it.
Originally we just wanted decent laminate, but searching around I can't find fitters (via google mind you...) that'll just measure/cut/install it.
Ours was fitted by 'mr mitre'... a franchise thing. Our local (croydon) fitter was excellent YMMV. They do laminate etc. as well as solid wood. I fitted and levelled all the units, then he turned up to measure, cut and fit the worktop.
[url] http://www.mrmitre.com/ [/url]
Dave
I've got corian, had it for around 4 years now and looks as good as they day we had it fitted. Any stains come out with cream cleaner. Bloody expensive though, think ours cost about £6k but I'd definately recommend it.
[i]edit: just read the post giving your budget, forget my recommendation.[/i]
I did a makeover on a cheap and nasty B&Q kitchen. It was that nasty orange-coloured knotted pine. Not good. Spent a few weekends sanding and painting in suitably middle class Farrow and Ball type blue/grey (but Dulux paint) with Aubergine colour kick board. Had little budget for worktop and eventually went for very cheap laminate from big DIY place in Matt wood finish to look like the nice real wood blockboard stuff people have pictured above. Overall effect of total package looked really good and worktop didn't look cheap at all. Much better that the other "fake" finishes like glossy fake granite. If you are on a budget I'd look at that. Though if you are considering corian you are not on what I would call a budget!
We've just fitted 2nd hand granite worktops, as my parents are having a new kitchen fitted. They're 17 years old and were a pig to remove, but now fitted look amazing. The fitter couldn't believe how new they still looked. I don't know if there's much 2nd hand stuff on ebay!
Re: corian etc I personally wouldn't touch it. Yes its amazing how damage etc can be repaired but imho it marks too easily. My Mrs would wreck it and I'd have yet another job to put right.
To quote "Corian melts so we couldn't see the point in that either"
At what temperature? Certainy it won't happen unless you light a fire on it!
As a material it can be thermoformed to allow you to bend it and form profiles but this is at a temperature of 180 - 200c.
Glass. It's very shiny.
Given that the granite is at least 50 million years old, I don't suppose another 17 years would change it much!
My thoughts (am joiner/kitchen fitter):
-Laminate is the best solution on a budget but gets knackered by water spillage around the sink.
-Wood looks great but doesn't cope with any water droplets lying on it; you need to wipe it down after using the sink (or you have a tap that doen't splash and be really carefull).
-Granite very durable but cold and hard.
-Corian is just a brand name for Acrylo-cyanide 12mm sheet which you glue round a plywood subframe:It's actually quite cheap, but there's a big investment in tooling/time etc and a big margin for sorting screw-ups/fussy customers and it sells as a niche product. It is horrible to machine.
Other acrylo-cyanide products are either pre bonded to chipboard core (Minerelle) or solid. 25mm solid is a total bastard to machine. You can't put hot pots on it like you can with granite. Scratches can be buffed out.
[quote=chickenman ]
-Wood looks great but doesn't cope with any water droplets lying on it; you need to wipe it down after using the sink (or you have a tap that doen't splash and be really carefull).
You've never been in my kitchen 🙂
[i]Re: corian etc I personally wouldn't touch it. Yes its amazing how damage etc can be repaired but imho it marks too easily[/i]
With what - tea, coffee stains just clean off easily with cream cleaner. We have white tops and they're spotless, much easier to clean than laminate.
Another benefit of Corian (other Acrylo-Cyanide products are available) is the ability to have a seamless join of sink & work surface, as well as work surface & upstand/splashback. As chickenman notes, the brand has a premium price-tag; even getting a kitchen at cost through family, it was £5k to fit a large kitchen & utility. Liked it so much, bought 4 slabs for another £1200 to make an island unit (3 sides + top) a few years later.
Look at glass worktops!!! Fellow tradesman friend of mine installing and spraying them, sounds crazy but iv sin some and "tested" them and they seem amazing!!!! Any size shape colour etc, oh and if you want granite try romania, the company i work for import it for peanuts and cut/prep here then sell on to kitchen installers.
We just ordered Black Quatrz tops - not been fitted yet, but got a fantastic price as the company had loads spare from a contract. So we got it 50% off materials and labour including full templating rather.
I was working for the right company at the right time....
My corian worktops, including fitting, cost £300!!! 😀
tbh What people spend on their kitchens makes X0 cassettes look like cheap consumable...
In our last house it came with a newish basic kitchen and wood-effect laminate worktop - my wife painted it all with eggshell paint. Looked like a new white kitchen, friends even thought we'd bought a new one.
10 years later when we sold the house, she painted it again. All viewings commented on how clean/fresh the kitchen was.
But, when I put in the kitchen in our new house we'll be using Bamboo worktops. Love the look of the 'end-grain':
http://www.bambooflooringcompany.com/images/uploads/CHworktopangle.jp g"/> &w=580&h=435&ei=-zN4UMngLoWa0QXo0oDoDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=5&sig=101090050581490456565&page=1&tbnh=106&tbnw=141&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:102&tx=66&ty=61" rel="nofollow" >Bit of a random one, polished concrete? I've seen it done on grand designs with bog standard concrete but there are also companies selling stuff that looks (according to the pictures) pretty good.
No idea on cost. Think its normally mixed and layed on site.
Solid Beech.
Lovely to look at and easy maintenance - a good coating of linseed oil once a month (or so) does the trick. Doesn't like standing water, though any marks are easily removed with a light sanding.
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8330/8080478120_8ede15cacb_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartie_c/8080478120/ ]DSC04153[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/stuartie_c/ ]stuartie_c[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8048/8080485311_6b14a9e489_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartie_c/8080485311/ ]DSC04154[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/stuartie_c/ ]stuartie_c[/url], on Flickr
No idea on cost. Think its normally mixed and layed on site.
might as well get granite if yer going that extreme.
as for 'solid' beach, wooden draining boards not great idea.
What is left in a house to 'exploit'- utility rooms ?
Beech here and my brother's is Oak.
[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3202/5759641316_4d06844b93.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/brf/5759641316/ ]Kitchen[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/brf/ ]brf[/url], on Flickr
we've got Corian, but if it were my choice, we would have had cumbrian slate.
but if it were my choice, we would have had cumbrian slate.
Gone are the days of lebanese red, moroccan green, afghani black 😥
Strangely we are still undecided... We want to have the kitchen complete by Christmas, so we need to pull our fingers out!
Just not sure about the cold/hardness of the granite and we cannot justify the extra costs of the Corian/other worktops.
We have some not super expensive laminate.
You can put wet things on it or drop liquids on it and it doesn't stain.
You can take things out of the oven and pop them on it almost straight away and it doesn't seem to mind (I think this kind of laminate is something like 180 degree heat resistant normally).
You can knead bread on it.
It cleans dead easily same as anything else.
Seems to have lasted for about 5 years now and still looks the same.
When we got a different cooker and needed slightly more width, it was an hour or so job for the guy to cut the worktop down, move the cupboards underneath it, and put the ends back on the surface.
And best of all, if the worst came to the worst and it got stained or whatever, or if you need a bigger worktop fitting, you could probably replace it for way less than it'd cost to get repairs done to a fancy surface.
Only thing you can't do is chop directly on it, but I don't think there are any surfaces where you can chop on them (assuming you don't want to either blunt your knives or damage the surface).
On the other hand, it doesn't look as fancy as some more expensive surfaces. And you can see the joins at the corners.
laminate and get a new bike/car/nice holiday with the change
We have, get this, pure white granite.
It looks great and everything but any stain on there and it's panic stations until the appropriate cleaning fluid gets it out. We have plenty of glass and granite blocks to put wine and tea on. Our sink surround is Corian and I'm not quite so worried about that.
the granite guy told us not to put pans straight off the stove or oven onto the granite. He reckoned it can damage it and make it crack.
As the spammer resurrected this thread I'll ask here;
what do you clean it with samuri? We have a white Samsung 'fake stone' worktop and tea etc leave marks pretty easily.
Stainless steel for me ... I like industrial looks.
The granite guy left some specialist cleaning spray. Can't remember what it's called now but that works where nothing else will (tea, wine, and once my wife left a handwritten note on the worksurface which got wet and the ink stained). He told us to just use light soap and water first (for stains), then the spray he left. He said worse case we should call him out and he'd bring some extra-specialist cleaning stuff that only he could use.
Trick with stone tops i.e. real or 'fake' i.e. quartz (94% stone) composite, granite, marble is to wipe em down straight away.
Stick with Granite or mainstream big brand quality quartz (silestone, cimstone, samsung)
Any surface will have a stain/watermark if you leave it long enough but acids etc act quicker i.e. tea, coffee, wine, oil.
Use coasters religiously or accept that it will age if you're lazy and messy or
Lighly soapy sponge all over (I always do it as I finish washing up .. skim off the same bubbles from the top of the water on a sponge), then 'buff' of with a clean tea towel
Takes 30-60seconds at the end of washing up.
Corian is 'seamless' but due to high resin content can start to look old after a few years. It's guaranteed of course .. so it'll will still be functional but it will look older. The resin seams wear and age faster. Go and look at airport desks/station ticket counters etc to see what I mean.
Granite here. Obviously not cheap, but I treat ours once a year, and other than not allowing acidic liquids like orange juice/wine to sit on it, it's as good as day 1.
If you do get a ring, a bit of stone soap will bring it out.