Kitchen Countertop Suggestions

Keesha

Keesha

🐟
Location
Canada 🇨🇦
My husband and I are renovating our entire kitchen including all cupboards. We strongly disagree on what the countertops will be made of. I want granite which is pricey but I’ve found some excellent sources where it’s about $100 a square foot including installation. That’s Canadian dollars so about $75-$76 US which isn’t bad at all.

Our kitchen is 10 x 12 1/2 feet and we are putting down large porcelain tiles for the flooring and adding beautiful grey cupboards. I’d like the under the counter sink but it man is being difficult.

Not me though. 😇lol

Any countertop suggestions?
 

My wife is in charge of "remodeling", and unless I see something that is obviously not going to work, I "go with the flow", that said, she researched thing thoroughly when she had our kitchen remodeled. I was a bit dubious about the rearrangement she made, but it has proven to be excellent.
She did pick granite, and it has held up very well. She does put some kind of wax on it every few months, but it is easy to do.
 
That’s a great link 🌹 Rose.
Thank you.
I know there are alternative choices like cutting board style made of wood or bamboo that look quite attractive but I’m not sure how well they are to maintain.
 
Ok, we were in the food manufacturing biz and learned a lot about the FDA requirements for food prep...did you know that caterers or commercial kitchens are not permitted to prepare food on granite? Its porous. When caterers come to homes that have granite, they roll out a covering over the granite to place and prepare food on. In restaurants, granite is ok for bars, where alcohol is sold, but not where food is prepared.

As a food manufacturer we were required to have a bacteria free -safe non porous surface, like stainless steel. I had Corian installed in my home "work" kitchen. Its non porous and no maintenance is needed.

Also, there is still that pesky raging debate about the radon. Wouldn't have it. There are other non porous choices if you want that hard stone look...lol.

https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20080730/granite-countertops-a-recipe-for-danger#1
 
Granite is beautiful but very expensive. When I was having my house built in 2005 (cookie cutter house) and picking my options, I had countertops in kitchen and two bathrooms in a formica that LOOKED like granite. I love it! And my ceramic floor tiles are the color of dirt and seldom show dirt. I'm usually sorry about decorating decisions I make, but those two decisions were win-win.
 
Catlady said:
Granite is beautiful but very expensive. When I was having my house built in 2005 (cookie cutter house) and picking my options, I had countertops in kitchen and two bathrooms in a formica that LOOKED like granite. I love it! And my ceramic floor tiles are the color of dirt and seldom show dirt. I'm usually sorry about decorating decisions I make, but those two decisions were win-win.
Click to expand...
My friend in Florida had that stone looking formica installed after her villa was destroyed in a hurricane a few years ago.
She loves it and its so "warm", not cold like the stone is. Its amazing what they are doing with formica and I do think its an excellent economical choice. It never dawned on me to look at formica when having the kitchen redone. Formica would have been commercial food grade/ FDA & EPA safe, too.

Assume you picked a "vein" type pattern? That's what my friend has. Used to say "I love that great goddess formica and her son Dow Corning...lol. Engineered products are so wonderful for wear and tear and just plain "utility" purposes.
 
Liberty said:
Assume you picked a "vein" type pattern? That's what my friend has. Used to say "I love that great goddess formica and her son Dow Corning...lol. Engineered products are so wonderful for wear and tear and just plain "utility" purposes.
Click to expand...

I don't know what you mean by the ''vein'' type, here's a pic of my kitchen counter.

IMG_8967.JPG
 
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Having read all this, I'm really fussy about cutting anything on the installed countertop regardless of what it is made from. I have about five cutting boards which can be washed which I cut all my food on. I would never consider cutting on anything that takes the edge off a knife. So what is there to wear out on a countertop? Nothing. It's all for looks and nothing else.
 
Camper6 said:
Having read all this, I'm really fussy about cutting anything on the installed countertop regardless of what it is made from. I have about five cutting boards which can be washed which I cut all my food on. I would never consider cutting on anything that takes the edge off a knife. So what is there to wear out on a countertop? Nothing. It's all for looks and nothing else.
Click to expand...

I agree, Camper. I can't make myself use the countertop as a cutting or even a dough kneading board. I use a board which works fine, I just hate it for kneading because it moves around. I don't use wood boards because they're porous, I use some kind of white plastic I bought decades ago at "Bath and Beyond". When kneading dough, I just stick a couple of potholders under the board and they make it more steady.

What kind is your favorite cutting board?
 
I LOVE my granite countertops. I looked at everything else but it was a no brainer for me - they're so gorgeous, can handle heat without burning or melting, and are cool to the touch (my preference for pizza dough and cookie making). Went with grey/white/brown with gold flecks. Goes perfectly with our cabinets, flooring and back splash tile.

Porous/non porous isn't concerning because other than stretching pizza dough I don't use the counters themselves as cutting boards or food prep surfaces. Don't actually know anyone who does, now that I think about it.

DH seals the counters every six months just as we are about to go on a trip. No biggie. The entire process takes about 30 minutes.

I also LOVE my huge farmhouse type single-basin sink.

Catlady - here's an easy trick: Put a damp kitchen towel under your cutting board and it won't move around when you're kneading dough.

To answer your question, I have cutting boards of various types and sizes, different ones serve different purposes. Little flexible plastic ones for chopping veggies, a large bamboo board for hot foods like pizza (no meat so I don't care if it's porous), and a very large silicone one for rolling out cookie dough.

1577383073864.jpeg
 
Catlady said:
I agree, Camper. I can't make myself use the countertop as a cutting or even a dough kneading board. I use a board which works fine, I just hate it for kneading because it moves around. I don't use wood boards because they're porous, I use some kind of white plastic I bought decades ago at "Bath and Beyond". When kneading dough, I just stick a couple of potholders under the board and they make it more steady.

What kind is your favorite cutting board?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure they are white plastic and I buy them at Dollarama. I have five on the go all the time.
The nice thing about them is that you can really brighten them up again with bleach.
What I do is put down a paper towel and sprinkle it with bleach, then I put another one on top of that and let them sit for awhile.
They come out really clean and bright and are sterile and all the knife cuts are gone.
 
Catlady said:
Ohhhh, that is just gorgeous! And love that island, too. (I know that's not your friend's). I ''thought'' I had a lot of counter, but no longer think so. I thought of getting an island, but don't want to spend the money. My kitchen is big, I could do it.
Click to expand...
Get an Ikea island and put it together yourself. Really inexpensive. I have one. It has one of those butcher board tops and two shelves. Quite a space saver in a small kitchen like mine. And it looks good.
 
Liberty said:
Ok, we were in the food manufacturing biz and learned a lot about the FDA requirements for food prep...did you know that caterers or commercial kitchens are not permitted to prepare food on granite? Its porous. When caterers come to homes that have granite, they roll out a covering over the granite to place and prepare food on. In restaurants, granite is ok for bars, where alcohol is sold, but not where food is prepared.

As a food manufacturer we were required to have a bacteria free -safe non porous surface, like stainless steel. I had Corian installed in my home "work" kitchen. Its non porous and no maintenance is needed.

Also, there is still that pesky raging debate about the radon. Wouldn't have it. There are other non porous choices if you want that hard stone look...lol.

https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/news/20080730/granite-countertops-a-recipe-for-danger#1
Click to expand...
I've known a few people who had granite and took it up. Too hard to maintain and worried about contamination. Friend left a stick of butter on counter to soften for morning toast. Stain never came out.
 
StarSong said:
Catlady - here's an easy trick: Put a damp kitchen towel under your cutting board and it won't move around when you're kneading dough.

To answer your question, I have cutting boards of various types and sizes, different ones serve different purposes. Little flexible plastic ones for chopping veggies, a large bamboo board for hot foods like pizza (no meat so I don't care if it's porous), and a very large silicone one for rolling out cookie dough.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll try that trick.

You have a LOT of counter space, I like that. My mother always said = You never have enough counter space, never enough closets, and you must have at least TWO bathrooms (in case one is being used and you simply HAVE to go, LOL).

Re the cutting board, I have a large 17x14 one similar to this, but without the grooves. I bought a long time ago at Bed&Beyond. Still looks like new and if it stains I wash with a mild water/bleach solution.

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/st...te-cutting-board/100705?keyword=cutting-board
 
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gennie said:
I've known a few people who had granite and took it up. Too hard to maintain and worried about contamination. Friend left a stick of butter on counter to soften for morning toast. Stain never came out.
Click to expand...
Yes, it depends on the type of Granite I think. Never cared for granite or any "cold" feeling countertop...lol. Love the Corian...no bacteria worries and we have matching Corian cutting boards. When they came to install it - with a wonderful built in sink, they attached a piece under the sink for matching if ever it was needed - and gave me a couple matching cutting boards!
 
Catlady said:
Ohhhh, that is just gorgeous! And love that island, too. (I know that's not your friend's). I ''thought'' I had a lot of counter, but no longer think so. I thought of getting an island, but don't want to spend the money. My kitchen is big, I could do it.
Click to expand...
I have a gigantic center island (51"w x 7 ft. -84" l )...kitchen is really large, have 65 cabinets...lol. Still cleaning out some of them from our biz days. Had so much raw material from which we formulated the products - in jars and containers - in specific drawers. I'll try to take a pic of it, after cleaning up a bit.

Really do recommend a center island if you do any amount of prep work. It saves so much "fussing around". Provides lots of extra counter space, too. Just be sure to leave at least 40" clearance around it. Also do not recommend putting a sink or stove in it. its a cleaning nuisance - normally you want free island clearance. You know,
extra steps do matter when you are working hard!
 
Liberty said:
I have a gigantic center island (51"w x 7 ft. -84" l )...kitchen is really large, have 65 cabinets...lol. Still cleaning out some of them from our biz days. Had so much raw material from which we formulated the products - in jars and containers - in specific drawers. I'll try to take a pic of it, after cleaning up a bit.

Really do recommend a center island if you do any amount of prep work. It saves so much "fussing around". Provides lots of extra counter space, too. Just be sure to leave at least 40" clearance around it. Also do not recommend putting a sink or stove in it. its a cleaning nuisance - normally you want free island clearance. You know,
extra steps do matter when you are working hard!
Click to expand...
65 Cabinets ??????
653613_poster_l.jpg
ooooh much as I'd love a lot more cabinets the thought of cleaning down over 60 cabinets....noooooo !!
 
Liberty said:
Yes, it depends on the type of Granite I think. Never cared for granite or any "cold" feeling countertop...lol. Love the Corian...no bacteria worries and we have matching Corian cutting boards. When they came to install it - with a wonderful built in sink, they attached a piece under the sink for matching if ever it was needed - and gave me a couple matching cutting boards!
Click to expand...

Oh, I like those Corian counters, this below is the kind I would like the best, a little like your friend's I think =

traditional-kitchen.jpg
 
Liberty said:
Really do recommend a center island if you do any amount of prep work. It saves so much "fussing around". Provides lots of extra counter space, too. Just be sure to leave at least 40" clearance around it. Also do not recommend putting a sink or stove in it. its a cleaning nuisance - normally you want free island clearance. You know,
extra steps do matter when you are working hard!
Click to expand...

I don't want to spend the money on a permanent island, am thinking more of Camper's suggestion. Need to think about it. Thanks for the 40'' advice.
 

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