Countertop options today are huge. Whether you want wood, laminate, granite, soapstone, concrete, or stainless, there is a lot of dreaming to do! How do you know which one is right for you? Before you look for the pros and cons of the various materials, you have other basic questions to answer.
The Décor of my Kitchen (and entire house)
Not every material is going to look right in your home. You probably already have a good idea of what you’re looking for, but you will want to make sure you have considered your options. If your home décor is modern, that changes your options, in the same way that Early American, or Country, There are so many! I don’t see one called “Newlywed Austere”, or “College-Student-Ikea,” but they are out there. Come on, admit it, you know they are out there. Sometimes, the décor you have is the décor you want to change, and as life continues, it might change again. If you are in that category, going with a mainstream countertop is a good choice, and that is certainly the easiest on the budget.
You’ll read online about your countertop being “The showpiece of your kitchen”, or, “the most practical space in your kitchen”, and while that is true? That doesn’t have to necessarily mean that your countertop selection needs to break the bank. You can easily spend $5,000 or more from some of the more exotic choices. If I had my first choice, I’d like to have a wood slab countertop. Or, so I think. One good test is to ask yourself, “How long do you think it would take before I regret my countertop decision?” Yeah, I’m not sure my wood slab countertop would pass that test. Or maybe it “wood”. (Sorry. I couldn’t resist)
The …Budget
We don’t often talk about this dirty little secret, but here it is: the natural enemy of any budget is PERSONAL DESIRE. When we want something badly enough, we tend to find a way to get it. This is a major part of the project planning stage. But, everyone’s budget is different. There are a wide variety of options available at Home Depot and Lowe’s, which we recommend because you can walk into the store, look for yourself, and ask a lot of questions before making a final decision. But, that’s not for everyone. There are specialty shops, and specialty craftsmen that do an excellent job with more unique choices. But, do yourself a favor, and get answers to your questions before making your purchase! We’d be happy to talk with you about your options.
Size and Weight Issues
This isn’t as important as you might think, because the surface area plays into the load-bearing capabilities of a cabinet, and for most of us, that’s a calculation that eludes us. We just tend to think: Wood? Heavy. Stone? Heavier. Metal? Uh, you lost me. Maybe cardboard is an option. “Honey? Can cardboard be painted?”
We’re happy to have a conversation to help you make the right choice for you. We don’t install all types of countertop, but we can help steer you in the right direction to someone in your area to help with that. If we can install it, we’ll tell you that right up front!
Durability and Replacement
Your overall purpose in remodeling is a key question: Why are you replacing the countertop? Is it a quick and easy replacement for renters? Do you plan to live there a long time and want a countertop you’ll love for years? Do you tend to want to replace things every five years or so? All of these questions go into making your decision, and you might benefit from some consultation along the way.
We don’t have a financial relationship with this page but we found that Plain And Simple Countertop Price Chart (countertopinvestigator.com) provided some valuable information. As you endeavor to make your choice, this would be a very helpful site to check. We’re here to help!