Counter Tops
 

Is it possible to mount and put together yourself?
I have a small kitchen with only one joint.
Would like to learn the process.
can anyone help?
looking at a corian top with built in backsplash. built in sink also.

Re: Counter Tops
 

go to home depot and grill/milk the counter guy for information

Re: Counter Tops
 

If you want to do Corrian or Granit you will not likely find some one who will allow you to make the template. I just redid my counter with Granit tile. It looks great and was MUCH cheaper then Corrian or the equivalent Granit. If I went solid granit with this color it was going to cost me 115sqft. I paid 17 sqft. Cleaning it is a little harder but not bad. Corrian is also soft so it does scratch and chip. My mother has it and she said never again, next time she is getting Granit.

Jon

Re: Counter Tops
 

You can now purchase Pre fabricated 26.5" granite tops with 1 long and 1 short edge polished, Should be able to find a local fabricator to to cut the Sink/faucet holes and cut to fit, Much cheaper than having a full slab fabricated, We buy for about 45. A sq. Ft., Drop me a PM if you need a source.

Doug Biddle

Re: Counter Tops
 

For a small kitchen, it is almost worth it to have someone do it for you. The counter-top at my beach location is a total of 24 s/f (with one joint and one sink). The amount of money you'll save won't be worth the amount of aggrevation, mess and worry (if YOU crack the counter-top pre-installation, you'll own a very nice rock collection. If the counter installer cracks it, it's his problem). To save a few $$$ on installation, demo and prepare the new substrate yourself, to the specs of the installer. Then, all he has to do is measure, cut and install.

As the other's have mentioned, I would avoid Corian. There is a new(er) product out (Silestone?) that is pretty tough...made from quartz and about comparable in price to granite. Endless color selections, including black with silver flakes. That's what I'm having installed. Total cost...about $1300.00.

D. Ocean
Pompano Beach, FLA

Re: Counter Tops
 

Here's what I did on my counter. I broke up 2"x2" mosiac tiles, and fit them in. It's easy as hell. Indestructible, and the color combinations are endless.

Re: Counter Tops
 

have you concidered concrete tops? Just about any handy homeowner can pull off a relatively simple installation. If you want to get intricate with built in drain boards, inlays, pot holders, and really custom colors look into hiring someone to do it. That is if someone in your area is doing concrete tops, they are hard to find. They are pretty reasonable if you do it yourself but the prices sometimes make granite look cheep on the really custom stuff. Drop me a line I can send some pics.

Re: Counter Tops
 

thanks
just got back from home depot
now thinking of tiling over current counter top
more time consuming, but might be a better route to go
Found out hte troubles with Corrian as Jon stated :(
thinking ceramic tiles are more withstanding and can also contruct better looking patterns ;)
Now back to the drawing board for color and design :)

Re: Counter Tops
 

My wife and I own a kitchen cabinet/resurfacing business here in Sarasota. I have no idea what prices are up there in "Taxachussetts", but down here you can get top grade granite installed for about $ 50.00 per square foot. If you want the hottest thing going in countertops, research "Silestone". It is much more durable than granite and does not ever lose it's "shine", and comes with a blanket 10 year unconditional guarantee. If you have any questions about any type of countertop email me at:
[email protected]
Russ

Re: Counter Tops
 

The big disadvantage of tiling a countertop is grout lines. If you choose a light-colored grout, you (or the missus) will forever be scrubbing to keep it clean-looking. Go with a solid countertop and you'll have more time to clean more important things...like your boat.

D. Ocean
Pompano Beach, FLA

Re: Counter Tops
 

MN If you decide to do a tile wathc the grout lines like said. you can also go and do the 12x12 granite pieces with the orunded bullnose on it. Just lay some hardy board down over the existin top cuts with a rock knife set the screw heads flush and use an adheasive under it. smooth top with out tearing out the old tops, use a 1/8 notch trile and spread away evenly. I have a couple of pics from when we did a couple of tops here with the 12x12's that I can email ya. to look at. Just put a good sealer and use a smooth grout in the grout joints. Usually takes a wekeend to do it all start to finish on an average size kitchen. To cut down on the grout joints use the 25x25,s with the bullnose.

Re: Counter Tops
 

[QUOTE=MnFastBoat]thanks
just got back from home depot
now thinking of tiling over current counter top
more time consuming, QUOTE]

If you choose tile, pick out a porcelain tile, ceramic tile chips too easily.

Re: Counter Tops
 

Concrete is great. I did over 100 SF for about $550 and over $250 of that was for stain in which I only used about 1/10th of what I bought (could only find stains in gallon containers) One day to setup and pour, about an hour to stain and about 3 hrs. to seal. 7000 psi product when done. We have had ours for about 4 months now and we love it.

Re: Counter Tops
 

If you already have Corian or a solid surface resin style countertop, fixing scratches and bringing it back to looking new is just like what you'd do on your gelcoat. Same process. Just as easy.

Wetsand, then buff. Same materials, same buffer. Only difference is you gotta clean up the kitchen when you're done.

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I just made an office count top for my basement, L shaped 30" wide with 10' and 6' L. Make a template first any inside 90 corners watch out the laminate wants to tear. As for edging you can get a bit for your router that lives a nice edge. Was quoted $700 by Homedepot Cost me about $200 in materials.

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Check around, the cost of building a house in the NE is slightly higher then it is in Florida. A average 1-2000sqft house in MA is over 450,000 bucks and that is a fixer upper. New construction costs are rediculous. I am working on three houses now that are in the 20-38 million dollar ranges. We can get premium granit for 50 bucks. The color combo that I wanted however was the most expensive granite that I found, so ya want it, you pay for it... :D

Jon

Re: Counter Tops
 

Re: Counter Tops
 

If you had the $$, I'd do Silestone......I really liked the product but for our countertops we just couldn't afford to do it all within our budget. We're doing tile. We picked some that requires very little grout. Planning to do the whole dang house tile actually, kitchen, all bathrooms, shower, tub. We picked out several colors for each application. It was basically cheaper for us to tile everything, then to do just silestone in the kitchen.

Re: Counter Tops
 

Ya mean like this????

It was cheap and easy, 12x12 Granite Tiles, the most expensive part was all the Black Bullnose!!! Thanks to Cuda for a few pieces of advice, I did it all myself including the backsplash in one weekend.

Re: Counter Tops
 

Jon you are so right on "what you want is what it costs". I was over at one of my granite suppliers last month and he showed me this gorgous "sea blue" granite that was $185.00 per sq. ft. Yowsa.........

Re: Counter Tops
 

The Corian and Corian style countertops are the easiest to maintain, but then they require the most maintenance. The products are basically a hard plastic. They do scratch and they will stain. It seems like Corian was actually a more durable product six/eight years ago.

Granite and especially Marble will chip. They will both lose their "shine" in your heavy work stations and at some point will have to be refinished.

Silestone is virtually indestructable. Comprised of 93% natural quartz stone and 7% acrylic, it is a man made product. I've hit samples with a claw hammer and can't chip it. You can put hot pans on it, nothing. I've read and keep on file, 5 different "comparison tests" of all the different countertop products, and Silestone handily won them all. The acrylic shine will never diminsh, and down here it is the only "solid surface" material approved by the Health Dept. for commercial food prep because of it's non-porous characteristic. It is the only product that offers a ten year unconditional guarantee.

I've installed about thirty of these tops in the last 18 months. They are simply great.