Kitchen countertops and ceramic tile

[Indy_Guy_77]

Do you need new counter tops or do you "need" new counter tops?

This.

And do I need to drive to Jamestown & kick your heiny, Mister?

Make do with what you have for now. Same with your Jeep.

Throw that money at your debt that you were complaining about.

Seriously.

You owe that to your wife & future kids. Get yourselves on the right track!

But if you have a broken counter & need it replaced... Then get a laminate top. Do it "right" when you have the money to throw at it.


-J-

 

[pjcalla]

Personally, I wouldn't go with the tile, as everyone has said, the grout will look like crap after awhile. When we bought our house, we "remodeled" the kitchen to get rid of the '70's look. We painted and glazed the cabinets, and replaced the harvest gold counter tops. We chose laminate. When we completely demo and replace the kitchen we will probably go quartz. My wife designs and sells kitchens, so I think she knows what she is talking about. With any natural stone, there is quite a bit of maintenance involved (sealing, waxing, etc.).

With all counter tops, including granite, contrary to popular belief, you cannot simply put hot pots and pans on them. You will always risk burning/scolding the surface, which will show up over time. ALWAYS use a trivet.

Anyway, we went with one of the "granite" looking laminates. Yea, you can tell it's not granite, but we liked the look and the price. Here are a few pics of the laminate we chose.

Sorry the pics are a little blurred. You can't really tell from the picture, but the surface is actually a little rough, like granite. It looks a lot better than the pictures. There are thousands of different types and looks of laminate these days. Depending on where you are, I can give you my wife's info, and see if she can help you out.

Good luck.

 

[cburnworth]

on the extreme side there is always concrete. I have a small island that has tile on it, it is a pain in the but!. I would definitely go solid surface. Depending on how much you need lowe's & menard's always have counter tops that have been returned.

 

[justanotherjarhe]

Concrete is actually a great alternative. It is pretty labor intensive, but it can be done cheaper than other hard surface alternatives. There is a ton of diy info out there on the subject.

 

[theweakerbrother]

This.

And do I need to drive to Jamestown & kick your heiny, Mister?

Make do with what you have for now. Same with your Jeep.

Throw that money at your debt that you were complaining about.

Seriously.

You owe that to your wife & future kids. Get yourselves on the right track!

But if you have a broken counter & need it replaced... Then get a laminate top. Do it "right" when you have the money to throw at it.


-J-

I know this may sound harsh but believe us when we say it is purely out of love.


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It will change your life. I wouldn't mind going back and taking it again as a refresher. If you lived closer, I'd offer to take it together.

 

[lovemachine]

I know, I know. I gave up on the Line X idea when I found out the price.

For the counter, I wouldn't put any money into it. My dad has leftover tile and grout from his bathroom and kitchen project. So I would be able to fix my countertop for free

Believe it or not, I AM listening to you :P

This.

And do I need to drive to Jamestown & kick your heiny, Mister?

Make do with what you have for now. Same with your Jeep.

Throw that money at your debt that you were complaining about.

Seriously.

You owe that to your wife & future kids. Get yourselves on the right track!

But if you have a broken counter & need it replaced... Then get a laminate top. Do it "right" when you have the money to throw at it.


-J-

 

[Mr. Habib]

But, but just think of cool a Line X kitchen counter top would be. Seriously, if you do go with tile, make sure that your cabinets tops are stiff. Any flex will make your new tile pop loose and crack.

 

[Mog]

In THAT case, I'd go with the tile countertop in a heatbeat! If you need a repair, and can do it with materials on hand, go for it!

For the counter, I wouldn't put any money into it. My dad has leftover tile and grout from his bathroom and kitchen project. So I would be able to fix my countertop for free

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I know, I know. I gave up on the Line X idea when I found out the price.

For the counter, I wouldn't put any money into it. My dad has leftover tile and grout from his bathroom and kitchen project. So I would be able to fix my countertop for free

Believe it or not, I AM listening to you :P

woo hoo!

But, but just think of cool a Line X kitchen counter top would be. Seriously, if you do go with tile, make sure that your cabinets tops are stiff. Any flex will make your new tile pop loose and crack.

This & more this.

Also, make sure your starting surface is level. Check it 4-5 times. Check the level while you're laying the tile. Check it often.

(this has to do with one of MY pet peeves...un-even joints & such that make pots/pans/glasses/cups/etc not sit level)

-J-