Countertops in kitchens: what are they?

[gk90]

We're thinking about home improvements including a kitchen remodel--before that I never really thought about countertops. But I do remember that the ones in the villas looked good, including the ones in Kidani. Does anyone with more of an eye for kitchens know what kind of material they are?

 

[Shleedogg]

I'm fairly certain they were granite.

We've been "planning" a kitchen remodel for 2 yrs. We were about to do it when I got pg w/ DD and quit my job, then again a year later and we decided to buy DVC instead. Granite slab is, on the cheap end, $55/sq ft at Home Depot.

We recently remodeled our bathroom with marble tile that we got from the Tile Shop. On our way out we noticed big granite tile, 2 ft deep (counter top depth) that came with edge pieces to match. It's much more economical. I think it was around $20/sq ft. DH and I have decided we'll be going that route. I'd just make sure you pick a tile color where the grout color will blend well and it won't be too obvious that it's tile and not slab. Right grout color combined with fewer grout lines because of larger tile = a much more economical solution to slab granite.

 

[MinnieGirl33]

IIRC, with the exception of OKW, they are all granite.

 

[DenLo]

Granite is very popular right now (as many of us hate cleaning grout) and it is in many of the DVC resorts, AKV and BLT for sure as I know them since they are my home resorts.

Just an FYI, one thing many people don't know is that granite has to be resealed annually. And it is for a very good reason, granite is porous and germs will not only be on top which is easily cleaned but will contaminate the sublayers which can filter up. http://www.ehow.com/how_2106339_seal-granite-countertop.html

 

[gk90]

Thanks, I thought they might be granite but wasn't sure since countertops weren't on my radar during our last trip. A relative who's a realtor told us that if we want to spruce up our home with a view to reselling then we really need to think about putting in granite in the kitchen.

Schleedogg, the granite tile suggestion looks good but the closest Tile Shop to us is 120 miles away I found a company a few miles from us that has an ad for granite slab as low as $39.99/sq ft installed which sounds too good to be true? Costco in our area has it for $65/sq ft installed.

 

[CdnKayDee]

Granite looks nice but have you looked at quartz. It seems to have the same properties as granite but does not need to be resealed. We just did our kitchen in quartz and love it. Not cheap but I couldn't make the promise to seal it every year.

 

[gk90]

CdnKayDee, yes, we're also looking at quartz as a possible. Actually I was also wondering whether the villa countertops might be Corian or some kind of manufactured/engineered stone?

 

[ddonshik]

Granite at BLT. Looked very nice.

 

[DenLo]

Both BLT and AKV have granite. We have Corian at home so I'm positive the resorts are different.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Just an FYI, don't buy black or black flecked, which is awful! You can't tell if there are crumbs on your counters, and you can't see where to wipe.

 

[es45]

Just an FYI, don't buy black or black flecked, which is awful! You can't tell if there are crumbs on your counters, and you can't see where to wipe.

Ahh, this could be a positive for me. I am the only one who bothers to clean the counters at home. I have to wipe them down from top to bottom anyway because somehow my children and DH spread the mess to the far corners. This way it would look good BEFORE I clean too...