Fancy Counter tops

EdJonesJeeper

EdJonesJeeper

The Stig's NC cousin
Joined
Apr 24, 2010
Location
Pisgah Forest, NC
We're buying a new house and fancy counter tops are in our future. As I scour the webs for calculators I came across Recycled Glass counter tops and we love them. Talk me out of Recycled Glass Surfaces and Countertops | GEOS by EOS Surfaces | EOS Solid Surfaces from Home Depot and talk me in to someone local that I can pass the NC4x4 karma to.

Does this recycled stuff break easy? Am I better off with Granite? Will my beers in the fridge get jealous?
 
It all depends... How long do you plan on staying in the house? For resale, people expect granite. Last I checked, it all costs about the same. I am a granite convert, myself, and really don't see the maintenance as a big issue. If you're going to be there for a long time, get what you want.
 
Since I sell everything to do with concrete, I'm gonna vote concrete as well. You can do some amazing things with concrete and there are some killer countertops made out of it. The possibilities are endless with it. Stains, epoxy coatings over exposed aggregate, reverse clay molds, integral color, stamped, polished. If you can think it and afford it, it can be done with concrete. Runs about the same as granite.
 
My builder friends say Granite is on the way out believe it or not...and I guess I am missing the "hard" maintenance granite requires.
Silestone also isnt as temperature hardy, unless Im mistaken...wih is abig concern if you cook as much as we do and look for places to set a hot pot...
 
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I'm planning on doing concrete when we redo our kitchen. The amount of dyes and stains are endless...
 
Granite
 
Ron said:
Silestone also isnt as temperature hardy
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It's not. The ones with metal and glass and stuff in them are all resin based. They'll scorch.

You're supposed to seal granite every six months, but nobody ever does.
 
shawn said:
It's not. The ones with metal and glass and stuff in them are all resin based. They'll scorch.

You're supposed to seal granite every six months, but nobody ever does.
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We seal ours 1x per year.

It takes maybe thirty minutes?
 
When we did our house in FL, we did granite and don't regret it one bit. In the 10 yrs we've had it, no sealing was ever done and they still look great. For me, the biggest benefit is being able to take something out of the oven or off the stove and just set it on the counter. I will also throw out a nod for acid stained concrete. I've done several of those slabs and they come out looking fantastic every time, though I think the sealer for the concrete would discolor from the heat.
 
All you concrete voting folks keep me in mind at Guaranteed Supply Co.
We have everything for decorative concrete, and 13 locations from VA to SC.

As for heat on sealed concrete, it could be a problem being its acrylic based. For nearly the same look I would go with an integral colored or acid stained concrete and very fine polish. Could probably get by with just one very thin coat of sealer. But they do make a high temp USDA/FDA approved epoxy coating.
 
I vote sealed concrete. Seen some works of art with it recently. That is if you are like me and like to be unmatched / different. Quartz and Granite is the exact same look everywhere it is installed.
 
For resale value, granite. I'm really not a fan, because every poorly built McMansion and tract home in our area has granite. For your own enjoyment, do whatever you want. We're doing concrete, whenever that time comes. I'd have polished concrete floors too if i didn't have a crawlspace.

I do like the recycled glass countertops, but I agree that they probably won't withstand the test of trendiness, especially with buyers that walk right out the door when they don't see granite and stainless. Those people are stupid.

Recycled glass tends to look less trendy if the colors are more neutral and don't have a lot of color contrast, which also unfortunately makes them less interesting.
 
"Quartz" is still a resin composite. That includes Silestone, Caesarstone, Zodiaq, etc.
 
77GreenMachine said:
All you concrete voting folks keep me in mind at Guaranteed Supply Co.
We have everything for decorative concrete, and 13 locations from VA to SC.

As for heat on sealed concrete, it could be a problem being its acrylic based. For nearly the same look I would go with an integral colored or acid stained concrete and very fine polish. Could probably get by with just one very thin coat of sealer. But they do make a high temp USDA/FDA approved epoxy coating.
Click to expand...
Parents are about to build a house so I'll let them know. No clue as what they are wanting to do though.
 
granite for the win
all of the countertops surfaces in the house are done in it
 
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