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Granite Countertops Still Popular Choice
Granite Countertops
 Granite has been a popular countertop choice for
15 or 20 years, said Barbara Dillick, another of the Kitchen Design Group partners. With so many more quarries producing granite today, it's becoming
increasingly affordable and available, she said.
Because granite is stone, it's ''pretty much indestructible,'' Dillick said. Like all stones, it can
take the heat from hot pans set right on top of it. You can have granite sealers applied in the countertop fabrication process that practically eliminate the problem of stains seeping into the
porous stone, she said, and there's no need to reseal periodically. What's more, granite is
a natural material, Nairn noted — a plus for ecologically minded consumers.
The color and texture of granite can vary quite a bit, even when it comes from the same
quarry, so Kieft recommended against choosing granite from just a sample. Instead, ask to see the slab that will be used to create your countertop.
Some granites are softer than others, which means they're more apt to absorb stains,
Dillick said. Soft granites usually have webbing glued to the back for stability in shipping, she said.
And some granite is being imported from China in ready-cut slabs, which require more
seams when the countertops are installed, Dillick said. Those granites are usually thinner
(three-quarters of an inch thick as opposed to 11/4 for most granite) and are, therefore, less strong, she said.
Granite that's been sealed is easy to clean, although stains that are absorbed into the
stone and don't eventually disappear need to be removed with a poultice, Dillick said.
You can expect to pay around $50 a square foot for the most basic granite countertop,
with the cost rising substantially from there for uncommon granites, fancy designs or complicated installations.
All the kitchen designers hesitated to provide a square-foot cost for countertop materials, because so many factors, including the style, the edge treatments and the complexity of
the installation, figure into the price. In fact, Kieft urged consumers to be wary of
companies that advertise prices, because fabrication costs might not be included, he said.
Plastic Laminate Countertops
Affordable and easily available, plastic laminate is the most common countertop material.
A laminate countertop is made by gluing a thin sheet of plastic to a base of medium
-density fiberboard, particleboard or a similar material. It ranges in price and quality from
cheap, prefabricated slabs sold at home centers to custom countertops with elaborate edge treatments. You can even buy laminate countertops with integrated,
lipless sinks, but the price will rival solid-surface materials such as Corian, said Betty Nairn,
general manager of Cabinet-S-Top in Medina County's Granger Township.
Laminate has its limitations, principally in its durability. It will scratch, and hot pans will
damage it. What's more, the seams need to be sealed so water doesn't get in and warp
the base, Nairn said — and just as importantly, those seals need to be maintained.
On the plus side, laminate comes in a huge array of colors and designs. It's also
lightweight, Nairn noted, making it relatively easy to install and eventually remove. It's
easy to clean with soap and water, but you can't use abrasives or harsh chemicals on it, she said.
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