Budget kitchen countertop question

[punkin]

So 7 years ago we bought this house with new formica countertops. They were pretty bad quality to start, but now after 7 years, they are scratched and stained and I am thinking of replacing them. I do not want to spend a lot of money and I am not looking for "prestige" materials like granite. I just want something that will last more than 7 years. Is granite really my only option? Obviously formica does not work for me.

This is not a design oriented question-it is a budget question. What will give me the best bang for my buck?

 

[dawson5]

my mom wanted granite but could not afford it. She found granite tiles and did it for a fraction of the cost. She has a very, very small kitchen though. It does look very nice and who ever did it, did a great job.

 

[DawnM]

I agree with tile. Granite, quartz, or even ceramic tile looks very nice but is about 20% of the cost (so 80% savings.)

I would like to put in granite tile, but in our area tile is seriously frowned on and our house won't sell. If we planned to live here forever I would just do it, but we don't.

Dawn

 

[punkin]

I have never seen tile countertops around here. Does the grout get dirty quickly and does it trap bacteria? I need to check this out as a possibility. My kitchen is a small galley, so we are talking maybe 10-12 linear feet.

 

[dawson5]

I think my mom chose a dark grout, quite honestly I really don't remember.

Her kitchen is seriously tiny. Think she has maybe a foot and a half to the left of the sink, two feet to the right and a small counter, probably two feet, next to the stove. I want to say she used 12 inch tiles, tightly spaced.

Where she lives, this is a huge upgrade. Her whole kitchen is tiled, even the ceiling. It is a 1920's home (it might be older, this is a guesstimate) and still has all the original tile, wood flooring and baseboards. Some how her home escaped the 70's need to paint everything.

I'll be going home for Christmas, can take a pic then. This might give you an idea though:

http://4wolf.com/PICT0110.JPG

Her's is black. You can seal the grout, would recommend it definitely.

 

[punkin]

That does look nice! If you remember to take pics and post them after Christmas, I'd appreciate it. I am saving up money to do this so we are probably not going to do anything before March/April time frame anyway.

I live in a very high end area in a very low end house (good school district) so everyone around here has stainless steel, granite, and hard woods while I have white appliances, formica, and linoleum. I am trying to change the counters and the floor (which is not as bad as the counters) without breaking the bank. I really cannot keep up with my neighbors.

 

[laurafergie]

I have tile counter tops and we tiled them for the exact same reason as the OP - the budget. Tile counter tops are only non-hygienic if they are allowed to degrade. Seal them very well when they are put in and then yearly and you will have no trouble. We bought our 12x12 granite tiles on a closeout for .40 each. It cost less than 50.00 to tile the entire kitchen, including the cement backerboard, thinset and grout.

 

[Blue.Fairy2]

if you pick a gout closer to the color of the granite it almost disappears and looks great. Here are some pics:

http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5440435/granitecountertop-main_Full.jpg


http://tileartcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/CIMG0010.JPG

 

[wmharley]

there are companies that put a granite cover over your existing counters for a fraction of the cost.

http://new.granitetransformations.com/

 

[EMom]

I love granite, but I can see not wanting to put the money in. So tiles are an option....either granite or some other sort. It's a MUST to not use light colored grout. You will fight stains, even if you seal it. Go with a dark grout. It doesn't have to be dark brown or black, but avoid white, any shade of beige, etc. The darker the grout, the less stains will show. Just imagine tomato sauce bubbling over on to the tile and think of what that could do to grout. Get a color that could camo that. Then seal it well and redo it however often you need. (Maybe yearly?)

If granite is the standard where you live, you really might want to go with granite tile. But it can look AWFUL if installed poorly. When you get to edges, etc. it gets tricky. Either get a good tiler or read up on it before you start.

 

[punkin]

This is definitely not a DIY project. I wouldn't even know where to start.

 

[Pigeon]

I think granite tiles come out nicely in a kitchen because the grout lines are typically very, very thin and are almost indistinguishable. I had ceramic tile in a previous house and hated it with a passion.

If you don't want tile, you could get a better laminate. Wilsonart makes some that are quite durable. You can't cut on them and you can't put hot pots on them, but with a little common sense they last for a very long time. They have some great looking patterns.

Another option to consider is Corian. I redid my kitchen last summer and was planning on Wilsonart laminate. But a few local kitchen places had a deal on Corian that made it actually cheaper than the laminate. I had to stick to certain colors/patterns, but still had a choice of about 24 different colors, which was more than enough for me. Again, you can't put hot pots on it or cut on it.

I'd never really considered Corian because I thought it would feel to plasticky, but I love mine. It has the integral sink and it's so easy to keep clean.

Go to some kitchen places and look around. You might find some interesting options.

 

[punkin]

Go to some kitchen places and look around. You might find some interesting options.

I think that makes the most sense, of course. I'm just trying to get an idea of what's out there. For example, I've never actually seen granite tiles in a kitchen so that's a new one.

 

[hmillerbarilla]

We did our kitchen 3 years ago and we chose corian. It was less $$ than the granite (there are often sales on corian) and I think it looks great. I have had no stains either. I am very happy with it.

 

[SnowWhitee]

I also have some friends that got a great deal on a butcher block island top. They went to a local company that custom makes them (for tons of money) and were able to buy a piece that someone ordered and never picked up - for a fraction of the original cost. So you could see what is available and if that would work for you. No grout. You can cut on it and sit pots on it - just sand down when you think it's gotten too ugly. You might get lucky and find pieces in the sizes you need or be able to put a couple of pieces together.

 

[DebMcDonald]

We have Wilsonart laminate and people mistake it for granite lmao:I have no idea how), but I've had more than a couple say to me - I thought you had granite. We have a pattern called Jamochia Granite and I also love Butter rum Granite.

I had Corian in my last house with the built in corian sink and I absolutely LOVED IT!! I would do it again in a second. It's very indistructible.

 

[kkwis2]

Another option is to find a granite remnant. We remodeled a bathroom and did this last summer. We went right to the source (the place everyone else orders their granite from - and charges you for calling and ordering it through them!). We were able to go to their place of business, look at the remnants they had at that time (these are the pieces that have been partially used or were cut wrong for a different job, etc.), and pick what we wanted. We might have had a smaller number of choices, but we saved a ton of money (at least 50%) and LOVE our new countertop. We put in a six foot countertop with two sinks. I guess it would depend on the size of your kitchen and what they have in stock at the time. You have time, though, so you could start looking now, and if they don't have something you like, just keep checking back.

Good luck!

 

[X and G's mom]

if you pick a gout closer to the color of the granite it almost disappears and looks great. Here are some pics:

http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/5440435/granitecountertop-main_Full.jpg


http://tileartcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/CIMG0010.JPG

OMG that first one is stunning! Is that yours? If so, how do I go about getting something like this? Would Home Depot be a good place to start?

Sorry to jump into the thread!

 

[JandJ]

We chose Corian, which we bought through Costco, saved 20% over other retailers, and got 2% cash back. I wanted light colored countertops (we replaced black formica) but I'm not a fan of light colored granite. I love the Corian because you cannot see the seams. The only drawback for me is you can't put a hot pan on it like you can on granite. Can you put a hot pan on the tiles or will it hurt the grout?

Another option is Silestone, which our neighbor used. She said she can cut right on it and can put hot pans on it, but it costs less than granite and does not have to be re-sealed.

 

[punkin]

OMG that first one is stunning! Is that yours? If so, how do I go about getting something like this? Would Home Depot be a good place to start?

Sorry to jump into the thread!

Please, jump right in. More opinions, questions, and suggestions are always great.