Countertops

irvinehomeowner

irvinehomeowner

Well-known member
Okay, I know IR2 told me not to put any more money in my house but I really can't stand the white tile countertops. It's not really the white tile but the stained grout that has accumulated over the years.

I know a good service that can clean it but if I plan on selling this thing in the next few years or even rent it out, I might as well put something that has less maintenance and looks good. And in the meantime, we can enjoy a nicer looking kitchen.

I've been looking around and getting several quotes and despite what the regular IHBers say, it just seems like granite is the most economical choice.

I would like to go with the recycled glass/ceramic eco-friendly material but the cost is so much higher (at least where I got quotes from).

Do you any of you have recommendations and if so, do you know a trustworthy contractor/supplier/vendor that won't try to rip me off?

(and I would like to replace the sink too)
 
I'm no expert on countertops, as all I know about them comes from deciding what kind to put in for our kitchen remodel, but we chose quartz. I didn't want granite because apparently they need to be sealed (although I've heard differing opinions on how often that needs to happen), and I didn't want to deal with the maintenance...plus I like the uniform look of manufactured stone rather than the haphazardness of granite.

One good thing about granite, though, is that it sounds good in your home description when you want to sell your house. My sister totally loves the "granite" countertops in the condo she bought, even though there's no way on earth they are real granite - I think they are Corian - but her agent told her they were granite and it made her feel like the kitchen is fancy and upscale.
 
Yes... I think quartz, quartzite, or whatever brand is just as good. It has the look of granite without the maintenance... and even "quartz countertops" sounds "ritzy" (and you can use it in case you need to do sanctify your lawn... check my grass thread for reference).

That's why I like the eco-top I mentioned earlier, it has the look of quartz countertops but is made from recycled material.
 
I also don't like the maintenance of my white countertops due to the grout. After trying many things (bleach pen, baking soda and vinegar concoctions, etc...), I've discovered that Clorox Cleanup is the best interim fix. I'm waiting to see what the next countertop fad is before I commit. I'm hoping the recycled glass countertop makers start to offer more traditional looking finishes. Currently, I think they really only look good in modern kitchens, which I don't have. I can say with 100% certainty that I do not want granite.
 
[quote author="irvinehomeowner"]Do you any of you have recommendations and if so, do you know a trustworthy contractor/supplier/vendor that won't try to rip me off?

(and I would like to replace the sink too)[/quote]

As a matter of fact, yes, yes I do. I gave you his number, but if you need it again just PM me or email me.
 
I still like the idea of natural stone for the kitchen countertop but I think the shiny granite look might be getting old...if I ever buy our next and final house, I like the look of limestone...it has a matte finish and if you seal it there is no problem with stains, and it has a nice natural stone look. Most granite stockyards have a small selection of limestone slabs.
 
Limestone is nice... but probably more expensive than granite.

I guess I'm looking for the cheapest countertop with the best look in case I need to sell and the best maintenance in case I need to rent.
 
We have "silestone" countertops. Silestone is an engineered quartz that I think looks great and it seems to lasts forever - I have had these in for about 8 years and I have never had to re-seal them or do anything to them. I bought them at the Expo Center which is now out of business, but the Silestone web site has a locator you can use to find a dealer. And if my memory is correct they cost less than granite.
 
[quote author="irvinehomeowner"]Is quartz, quartzite, silestone cheaper than granite?

Like pleather... I guess I'm looking for planite.[/quote]

I've heard that quartz is comparably priced or a little bit more than granite, but I could be wrong.

We are getting Silestone. I think the 2 major quartz brands are Silestone and Caesarstone, but I think they are basically the same (although Silestone allegedly has anti-microbial properties). We chose Silestone because we liked the color selections slightly better.
 
[quote author="Sunshine"]I also don't like the maintenance of my white countertops due to the grout. After trying many things (bleach pen, baking soda and vinegar concoctions, etc...), I've discovered that Clorox Cleanup is the best interim fix. I'm waiting to see what the next countertop fad is before I commit. I'm hoping the recycled glass countertop makers start to offer more traditional looking finishes. Currently, I think they really only look good in modern kitchens, which I don't have. I can say with 100% certainty that I do not want granite.[/quote]
I used to have the white tile countertops. The best way I used to keep the tile and grout clean was to spread bleach over the top (full strength) and let it set for an hour or so. There is a bleach gel that you can get so it doesn't splatter as much. I used to pull the shades down and do it naked so I wouldn't bleach any of my clothes. :-[

Use an old toothbrush (or your spouse/partner's toothbrush if you are mad at them). :-X Give the grout a little extra scrub.

Just be careful that you don't spill bleach on any nearby carpets. I would put down white towels as a precaution.

Hey, whatever worked. I'm a clean freak.
 
[quote author="pebbles"] I used to pull the shades down and do it naked so I wouldn't bleach any of my clothes. :-[
[/quote]

Careful. I've done that when cooking food that has a tendency to splatter badly. Sometimes it's less painful (literally) to just let your clothes take the brunt of it... or, wear an apron.
 
I use hubby's white undershirts and I usually do the same thing with the bleach on the white tile countertops. I'd love to get rid of them but I'm sure that one thing would lead to another and I'd soon be in debt for an entirely remodeled and reconfigured kitchen! I figure that until I'm ready to do the complete bk approved kitchen in my 1930's house, I'll just have to live with it. Maybe when I'm not paying a fortune in childcare, for now, I'll just dream.
 
I've done all the chemical and labor intensive cleaning of the white tile and grout in my rental many times over and the fact of the matter is when it's worn, all the work and toxins make it look a little better and only for a few days.

My former landlord really spruced up the place when we left and really wanted me to see the results of the fix up since he had consulted with me many times on what to do and even had me meet with the flooring people and contractors to help him make selections. The one thing that he didn't follow me on is that I told him the tile countertops absolutely had to be replaced.

He opted to have them refinished and when I saw them afterwards I was floored....not only was the grout perfect and gleaming, but the tiles themselves were. It seemed to me that the even the tiles themselves were scratched and beyond repair.

IHO, if I were you, I would seriously consider doing what my landlord did. It's only a few hundred bucks. If the house was one that you were going to definitely live in for many years, I'd say pick whatever you want, but it seems like it's more transitional for you. I know you want it to be nice while you're there, but this reface thing will make a HUGE difference for your own livability and sanity and not force to invest several K that you will not see a bit of return on. Listen to IR2 on this one.....heck, listen to him all the time, but he was giving you sound advice based on your situation.

You can even have it done again just before you list it for sale or rent and I doubt doing so will cost you anything in getting it rented or sold. In fact, since you are going to be there for at least two years, granite could cost you not only what you pay for it today, but also cost you in the possibility that it will look dated. Granite is slowly approaching orange shag carpet.

Our countertop was/is 20 year old worn out fake butcher block formica. We have to redo the kitchen and the countertop won't stay the same so we can't just replace it, which is what led me to the paint the formica and what a difference. But, I think about what we are going to do with it once we do actually get to the point where the kitchen gets done and because we will most likely rent the house out, practicality drives what the ultimate selection will be. As much as it's not ideal for what we truly want, I think we'll end up with tile because it's so neutral and now I know that you can get it to look like it was just laid with a professional.
 
[quote author="irvinehomeowner"]Okay, I know IR2 told me not to put any more money in my house but I really can't stand the white tile countertops. It's not really the white tile but the stained grout that has accumulated over the years.

I know a good service that can clean it but if I plan on selling this thing in the next few years or even rent it out, I might as well put something that has less maintenance and looks good. And in the meantime, we can enjoy a nicer looking kitchen.

I've been looking around and getting several quotes and despite what the regular IHBers say, it just seems like granite is the most economical choice.

I would like to go with the recycled glass/ceramic eco-friendly material but the cost is so much higher (at least where I got quotes from).

Do you any of you have recommendations and if so, do you know a trustworthy contractor/supplier/vendor that won't try to rip me off?

(and I would like to replace the sink too)[/quote]
My mom's friend's husband owns his own counter top business and the my granite countertops in my Irvine condo (the kitchen and all 3 bathrooms). His price was very reasonable and the quality of the work was top notch. PM me if you want to get his contact info to get a quote.
 
[quote author="SoCal78"]
[quote author="pebbles"] I used to pull the shades down and do it naked so I wouldn't bleach any of my clothes. :-[
[/quote]

Careful. I've done that when cooking food that has a tendency to splatter badly. Sometimes it's less painful (literally) to just let your clothes take the brunt of it... or, wear an apron. [/quote]

You may wish to double check your blinds. I've noticed that many closed blinds when viewed at the right angle are nearly transparent when backlit at night. The combination of angle of view and distance makes the the blind act like a grate and virtually disappear.

In my prior complex, this was an issue for the courtyard/boardwalk style side walks and the second story bedrooms when the horizontal blinds where turn down instead of up and for the vertical blinds when viewed from the direction of turn.
 
You may wish to double check your blinds. I've noticed that many closed blinds when viewed at the right angle are nearly transparent when backlit at night. The combination of angle of view and distance makes the the blind act like a grate and virtually disappear.

In my prior complex, this was an issue for the courtyard/boardwalk style side walks and the second story bedrooms when the horizontal blinds where turn down instead of up and for the vertical blinds when viewed from the direction of turn.


Luckily my cleaning energy runs out by 3 pm - before the sun goes down. <!-- s:cool: -->:cool:<!-- s:cool: -->
 
We selected this product over granite because it didn't need to be sealed and I prefer a more consistent pattern. I feel they have a better range of colors and patterns than Caesarstone. I love Amarillo Palmira in the Mesopotamia Series and have used it in two different homes.

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http://www.silestoneusa.com/colors/colorsByFamily.cfm?FamilyID=5&ColorID=75&Def=1
 
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