Kitchen Countertops Most Popular

Dear Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee,

We are thinking about getting new kitchen countertops and having a difficult time deciding what to go with. My husband thinks that we should just get laminate which is cheap and within our budget. Granite is my favorite, but it costs a lot. If we decide to sell our home some day, what type of countertop would people like to see?

Signed,

Countertop clash

Dear Countertop clash,

Home buyers want to see top materials when buying a home and granite is one of the most popular countertops. However, when remodeling, you should stay within your budget. Laminate is inexpensive, and there are many nice styles from which to choose, even ones that look like granite.

There are about 10 different types of kitchen countertop materials such as laminate, granite, marble, silestone, Corian, concrete, tile, wood, stainless steel, or glass.

Below are brief descriptions, pros, cons, and prices installed for these 10 popular countertop materials as outlined by Home Depot (www.homedepot.com) and HG TV (www.hgtv.com).

10 Popular Kitchen Countertops (alphabetical)

1. CONCRETE: cement with reinforcement such as steel or mesh

Pros: wide variety of colors, patterns, and textures

Cons: expensive, can stain, regular maintenance - wax every six months and seal annually

Cost: $75 to $200 per square foot

2. CORIAN, AVONITE, SWANSTONE: acrylic polymer

Pros: durable, nonporous, stain-resistant, wide selection of colors and patterns, shallow cuts or scratches can be removed with an abrasive pad

Cons: expensive

Cost: $90 to $150 per linear foot

3. GLASS: can be custom-made slabs or pieces of glass tile

Pros: durable, wide selection of colors, patterns, and textures

Cons: expensive, cannot be repaired if scratched or cracked

Cost: $85 to $150 per square foot

4. GRANITE: natural stone

Pros: durable, hard to scratch, heat resistant, wide selection of colors and patterns

Cons: expensive, maintenance - may need to seal twice a year

Cost: $100-$200 per linear foot

5. LAMINATE: thin layers of plastic bonded to particleboard. The laminate can look like granite, marble, Corian, or hardwood

Pros: inexpensive, easy to care for, wide selection of colors, patterns, textures

Cons: cannot be repaired if scratched, dented, burned, or stained

Cost: $25-$60 per linear foot

6. MARBLE: natural stone

Pros: heat resistant, wide selection of colors and patterns

Cons: expensive, could chip and stain easily, needs regular maintenance - seal every other week for the first year, then every other month

Cost: $75 to $200 per linear foot

7. SILESTONE: quartz blended with resin binder to imitate the look of granite or marble

Pros: durable, nonporous, easy to clean, stain and scratch resistant, wide variety of colors

Cons: expensive

Cost: $110 to $250 per linear foot

8. STAINLESS STEEL: gray metal surface

Pros: heat resistant, easy to clean

Cons: expensive, may dent

Cost: $85 to $150 per square foot

9. TILE: tiles can be made of ceramic, porcelain, glass, or stone Pros: durable and easy to clean, wide range of colors and textures

Cons: can chip or crack, maintenance - need to clean grout lines

Cost: $10 to $90 per square foot

10. WOOD: butcher block countertop made from high density wood or hardwood such as oak, maple, cherry, or walnut

Pros: easy to clean, wide range of colors and finishes, stains can be sanded out

Cons: maintenance - treat with mineral oil monthly.

Cost: $30 to $150 per square foot

For more information on kitchen countertops, go to www.homedepot.com and www.hgtv.com