Counter tops

[guest hs]

What’s the latest and greatest on counter tops for kitchens?

 

[sintax]

good topic, I know things got a little funky with the Chinese tariffs

I'm due to replace mine, i was thinking about just going with old school granite slabs

 

[NicPaus]

Porcelain. The quartz price to high with tariffs. Granite is cheaper than Chinese quartz.

 

[guest hs]

Somewhere I saw a granite counter top that was a thin layer of granite over something thicker. Was supposed to be considerable less expensive then an entire slab. Can’t find it now

 

[JD D05]

A lot of people are doing big finished pieces of wood also.

 

[Reaper1]

Marble

 

[RiverDave]

I always wanted to do custom polished concrete with embedded features.. stainless steel strips with an angle under them for drying etc.. saw some pretty wild examples awhile back and they were awesome.

 

[rivermobster]

What’s the latest and greatest on counter tops for kitchens?

Who cares. Granite will last forever. I'm real happy with mine.

 

[J DUNN]

I'm "in the business" sort of. We do at least $100k worth of stone per month. We outsource it currently and we don't spec it we just do what architects ask for.

My opinion is Natural stone or Quartz. Porcelain is fine too but not always cheaper. Porcelain is just like quartz but instead of using quartz as the aggregate they use porcelain.

Don't go with the thin veneer stuff, most fabricators hate it.

I always wanted to do custom polished concrete with embedded features.. stainless steel strips with an angle under them for drying etc.. saw some pretty wild examples awhile back and they were awesome.

I did my kitchen a couple years ago and wife wanted concrete for the island. I told her no way, absolutely not. Way too brittle and will crumble under the daily use. Just crap, won't hold up and is just a fad. We compromised on a Quartz that mimic's concrete color. It's impenetrable and looks as good today as the day they put it in. Kid drew on it with sharpies the other night and after a little extra rubbing it came right out with windex.

 

[satellitemike]

Not to hijack your thread Namba, but does anyone know of a granite guy in So CA to do a 11' by 4' for my back yard BBQ?

 

[wzuber]

what size areas r u looking to do..
lots of in-exspensive n options w/ prefab if the dimensions work. maybe post some pix for us to better help u.
concrete is cool with many unique and creative options but comes with regular mainenance issues.

 

[530RL]

There are roughly 300% tariffs on Quartz out of China and just announced, but yet fully determined tariffs on Quartz out of India.

There are also smaller tariffs on Granite, marble and other counter tops out of China and soon India.

End result is all prices are higher regardless of where they come from.

Wives in general are still insisting on Quartz.

With that said, like Joe, I prefer Granite.

Thread here on Quartz.

https://www.riverdavesplace.com/for...-use-quartz-in-a-remodel-or-new-build.185244/

 

[THE WIDGE]

I just had my quartz countertops completed a few weeks ago, cabinets are getting painted now and one of our bathroom remodel. Ill put up a few more pics later, used MSI calacatta ultra which is a huge slab, like big. Jose, my guy did a great job and gave me a great price on the slabs, I used 3 of these, would have been 4-5 with normal slabs. Midor edge, I did a 2 1/4” edge, looks great, highly recommend him. A week later he fabbed a window sill piece with my left overs at no price. Jose 626 466-6035, he’s one of two owners. Matt from chino hills w referral

 

[THE WIDGE]

 

[rivermobster]

Not to hijack your thread Namba, but does anyone know of a granite guy in So CA to do a 11' by 4' for my back yard BBQ?

These guys did my kitchen. Family business. Beautiful work.

https://www.ghwooddesign.com/

 

[THE WIDGE]

 

[rivermobster]

There are roughly 300% tariffs on Quartz out of China and just announced, but yet fully determined tariffs on Quartz out of India.

There are also smaller tariffs on Granite, marble and other counter tops out of China and soon India.

End result is all prices are higher regardless of where they come from.

Wives in general are still insisting on Quartz.

With that said, like Joe, I prefer Granite.

Thread here on Quartz.

https://www.riverdavesplace.com/for...-use-quartz-in-a-remodel-or-new-build.185244/

Glad you found this thread, I couldn't remember the title!

 

[sirbob]

I hear everybody talking about china ... I know three guys that import stone for a living and they never mention china - they are always in italy or croatia - places in europe. I don't know if they do quartz - does quartz only come form china?

 

[HB2Havasu]

Not to hijack your thread Namba, but does anyone know of a granite guy in So CA to do a 11' by 4' for my back yard BBQ?

Try calling Surplus Granite.

 

[Cobalt232]

We did Cambria Quartz in the kitchen and honed marble in the bathrooms. Love the quartz, the marble is just OK. The marble got stained from some of the kids toothpaste.

 

[Turnup]

Marble is bitchen except if you have kids, drink anything other than water, cook anything other than boiled water, or use any utensils other than plastic sporks, or use anything other than tupperware for dishes. Lol!
The problem with today, right now, is most people have to completely commit to moving from traditional/Tuscan and moving to modern/industrial..if you go in halfway and just do quartz you won't get that blown away bright pop in the faces of your family and friends. And most people don't want to....paint the house gray or white, paint the cabinets white, put in gray/white floors, change base/case, change door styles, put in a black iron staircase, put in black windows, and more...just to go from granite to the new Bianco quartz. Your $2500 quartz changeout turns into $175k because you don't want to commit halfway. Let the wife talk you into a new house instead

 

[NicPaus]

I hear everybody talking about china ... I know three guys that import stone for a living and they never mention china - they are always in italy or croatia - places in europe. I don't know if they do quartz - does quartz only come form china?

No but it was the best price before the tariffs kicked in. Its manmade not real stone so importers of stone would not deal with it.

 

[Waterjunky]

We did Cambria Quartz in the kitchen and honed marble in the bathrooms. Love the quartz, the marble is just OK. The marble got stained from some of the kids toothpaste.

Good marble is usually the nicest to look at but as you found out, easily stained. Some of the marble I've seen should be hanging on a wall as art.......

 

[NicPaus]

No comparison in real quartz to the manufactured. The home flip and remodel shows got all the ladies wanting the fake white quartz. Here's a pic of real quartz I posted in the other thread. Fabricator is the one I pmd you with number satellitemike.

 

[Turnup]

No but it was the best price before the tariffs kicked in. Its manmade not real stone so importers of stone would not deal with it.

I got a call from Anaheim yesterday (a sunday) telling me my pricing is dropping 25% this week moving forward, we'll see...

 

[JM21]

No comparison in real quartz to the manufactured. The home flip and remodel shows got all the ladies wanting the fake white quartz. Here's a pic of real quartz I posted in the other thread. Fabricator is the one I pmd you with number satellitemike. View attachment 817853

That is quartz? I thought you could only under light onyx?


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[530RL]

I hear everybody talking about china ... I know three guys that import stone for a living and they never mention china - they are always in italy or croatia - places in europe. I don't know if they do quartz - does quartz only come form china?

Quartz that is universal in color and pattern are typically man made.

You can make it anywhere assuming you have the plant and process technology and the skilled labor.

It remains mainly made in China with the exception that production lines for the US have been moved to Vietnam and South Korea due to the tariffs.

Importers have raised pricing of non-Chinese sourced product up to the Chinese price plus the tariffs, even though they are not subject to the tariffs, and that is why the cost of quartz has risen substantially.

 

[HB2Havasu]

Glad we got our Quartz Countertops when we remodeled our kitchen 3 years ago before all this Tarriff bullshit started. It was expensive then, I can’t imagine the prices now.

If I was remodeling today I would go with concrete countertops. I have a great masonry guy that’s an expert making these. PM me if you want his contact info.

 

[Mandelon]

We remodel places all day long. People usually know what they want, and it seems to be 80% quartz, 20% granite. Once in a while we get a request for wood butcher block. Now and then a rental gets laminate. Even with the price increases prefab tops are a good deal for what you get.

Here's a few pics from this morning.

Bath going in.

Kitchen will get a waterfall edge at the end of the peninsula.

Fabbing up in the driveway. Well, soon to be a driveway. LOL

 

[Crazyhippy]

No comparison in real quartz to the manufactured. The home flip and remodel shows got all the ladies wanting the fake white quartz. Here's a pic of real quartz I posted in the other thread. Fabricator is the one I pmd you with number satellitemike. View attachment 817853

What are they using for illumination?

 

[grumpy88]

What's a good counter top for a kitchen that is actually used ? My wife deep fries things . Cooks bacon and sausage . It's inevitable oil is going to end up on the counter . I would love to know what the good thing to go with is

 

[THE WIDGE]

A few more, Jose was well priced, great work, he also ordered all my marble for backsplash and shower at his cost for my tile guy to install. Hopefully kitchen will be done this week with remaining doors to paint and hang. A ton of labor involved painting them the right way

 

[Mandelon]

What's a good counter top for a kitchen that is actually used ? My wife deep fries things . Cooks bacon and sausage . It's inevitable oil is going to end up on the counter . I would love to know what the good thing to go with is?

Granite doesn't like oil and grease. You need to keep it sealed. Or else the grease absorbs into the stone.
Marble is very susceptible to stains. Soapstone looks cool, but scratches easily.
Concrete has to be kept finished or it will soak up oils.
So... quartz!

 

[RCDave]

Silestone

 

[Turnup]

Silestone

This...I would say if you can bend over and take it like a man from HD or Lowes then do it, you'll get a lifetime warranty and these stores will be around alot longer than jose..the rest like me just changeout every 10 years or so because I can do it on the cheap lol.

 

[Rbcconst]

Ive been using a lot of Pental quartz. There material is clean.


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[Deja_Vu]

What's a good counter top for a kitchen that is actually used ? My wife deep fries things . Cooks bacon and sausage . It's inevitable oil is going to end up on the counter . I would love to know what the good thing to go with is?

Granite doesn't like oil and grease. You need to keep it sealed. Or else the grease absorbs into the stone.
Marble is very susceptible to stains. Soapstone looks cool, but scratches easily.
Concrete has to be kept finished or it will soak up oils.
So... quartz!

Exactly, Quartz is the best performing surface with the least maintenance and the chicks dig it... lol

 

[NicPaus]

That is quartz? I thought you could only under light onyx?


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Yeah its Quartz they only had 1 slab left and more on the slow boat coming but customer did not want to wait otherwise we would of used it in the kitchen also. Kitchen also real quartz but not transparent.

 

[NicPaus]

What are they using for illumination?

Sheets of LEDs that connect to each other. I cut them out so it fits around the sink. Uses a transformer that's inside vanity. That little top was $400 in LEDs and transformer. The kitchen would of been $6000 in LEDs.

 

[NicPaus]

Exactly, Quartz is the best performing surface with the least maintenance and the chicks dig it... lol

Lol is right. Fake Quartz stains easily. Have had at least 3 jobs get stained not long after install by owners kids and 1 the owner spilled coffee. The granite I used in my kitchen is 10X more resistant to stains. I can spill grease on it and it wipes right off and leaves nothing behind.

 

[MSum661]

What's a good counter top for a kitchen that is actually used ? My wife deep fries things . Cooks bacon and sausage . It's inevitable oil is going to end up on the counter . I would love to know what the good thing to go with is?

Granite doesn't like oil and grease. You need to keep it sealed. Or else the grease absorbs into the stone.
Marble is very susceptible to stains. Soapstone looks cool, but scratches easily.
Concrete has to be kept finished or it will soak up oils.
So... quartz!

Glass. Not cheap and heavy as hell. But I like them and will do it again on my next home.
LED backlit too.

 

[Mandelon]

Wow, that's beautiful.. I'd sure be afraid of chips and breakage. That real quartz is amazing looking. We don't do those sorts of high end jobs. I know our guys' limits... LOL and it's below that!

 

[Mandelon]

Lol is right. Fake Quartz stains easily. Have had at least 3 jobs get stained not long after install by owners kids and 1 the owner spilled coffee. The granite I used in my kitchen is 10X more resistant to stains. I can spill grease on it and it wipes right off and leaves nothing behind.

But when the grease doesn't get wiped off.... I've been in quite a few places where they cook with a lot of oil and grease. The granite on either side of the range is discolored from the oils absorbing into the granite. Maybe from the edges next to the range where it didn't get sealed???

I do think granite is more durable, but it sure seems like it is less popular lately.

 

[NicPaus]

But when the grease doesn't get wiped off.... I've been in quite a few places where they cook with a lot of oil and grease. The granite on either side of the range is discolored from the oils absorbing into the granite. Maybe from the edges next to the range where it didn't get sealed???

I do think granite is more durable, but it sure seems like it is less popular lately.

Most granite will stain with grease on a regular basis the sealer gets worn off. The one I used has like rock pieces on top that are not porous and it's dark gray. Got lucky got it on black Friday 2 years ago for $120 a piece . Fabricator hooked me up and it cost me under a grand to do with 3 pieces and I have a corner sink base with a top piece behind. Bitch to fabricate. I have enough pieces to do my river pad but no time. I forgot the name but headed there this week and will post it and get a current price. Did not see on the black Friday list they emailed me. Probably cheaper than quartz and it has exceeded my expectations by far on how durable and stain resistant it is.

 

[BajaMike]

Granite and marble are too fussy,, easily stained. I like quartz or polished concrete....alway solid and looking good and not so trendy is out of date in 2 years. Granite is so yesterday.....sick of the look and maintainence.

 

[WYRD]

Our house has granite and looks horrible. Pretty sure it just needs to be polished sealed and recaulked an it will look good again. Anyone know who does this and an idea of cost?

 

[Mike Honcho]

Okay all you stone experts please let me know a quality stone sealer brand name and where to get it? I used to get something at lowes was like 60.00/ quart worked well but no longer there. Any tricks or secrets to keeping granite sealed?

TIA

 

[wet hull]

I have a really pretty porcelain slab available in Vista, CA. White marble look. Went a different route. My cost was $1350, its 111"x 60" . If anyone is interested a good deal will be given.

 

[82daytona]

Yeah its Quartz they only had 1 slab left and more on the slow boat coming but customer did not want to wait otherwise we would of used it in the kitchen also. Kitchen also real quartz but not transparent. View attachment 817943

That’s quartzite. I have the same in our house. Your backlit piece was some sort of onyx.


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[530RL]

Technically, all "quartz" is man made and all "quartzite" is natural stone.

When looking at brands, remember that like boxes of macaroni and cheese, a lot of quartz may have different names, but may be made in the same factory.

Also, when buying the same "color" make sure you match the batch/run numbers as the color can be slightly different. If it is a bathroom versus a kitchen, you probably can not tell the difference but if the slabs are going next to each other, you sometimes can.