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Home Improvement - Kitchen Countertops

What he said. We also have a granite/quartz countertop. We were sensible and got white, mainly because our glass splashback is dark blue (surprise,) It has not needed to be resealed in 6 years and still looks new. We got the sink cut out made into a chopping board as well. Maybe that is an option as the granite places can create an off cut into a reasonable cutting board for a fraction of the cost of a whole countertop.

Quartz doesn't need sealing, does it?

I wish we could have gotten the sink cutout but they wouldn't give it to us for some reason. (The stove cutout would also have been nice.) Note that they do not make good chopping boards, though--it's too hard and will dull your knife.

One other thing about Corian and quartz--the material is uniform. With Corian we can buff out surface damage. I don't know what you need to do the same thing with quartz.

Note that a thinner version of Corian also exists for shower enclosures, our builder would not do it, though. We have cultured marble there instead--it's more delicate but held up ok but if it were damaged you can't buff it out.

I am glad I have it as I know I can put it on the wooden table for me to put hot pots on.
I've read quartz is questionable regarding hot pans. Not as much the quartz material but the filler/resin. I typically never put hot things on a counter top, much like I never cut on the counter top.
 
I am glad I have it as I know I can put it on the wooden table for me to put hot pots on.
I've read quartz is questionable regarding hot pans. Not as much the quartz material but the filler/resin. I typically never put hot things on a counter top, much like I never cut on the counter top.

Oh wow! I put hot pans on it all the time!
 
Nice updatee, HaRa. It looks great with the light from the windows coming in, too!


Ours was more than a total gutting.

It started with removing the chimney/fireplace that was in the middle of the room - it was an 8 foot by 4 foot monstrosity that turned a large space into a galley kitchen. We gutted it all the way to the exterior wall. Put supports in the basement to straighten up the floor, added insulation, completely re-wired, new ceiling, new floor, new doors, new trip, new lights - the entire 9 yards and then some.

We went from avocado floor tile and fridge and dark wood cabinets with the huge fireplace - to light maple cabinets, white counter, birch floor, recessed lighting and transom windows into the sunroom and an island counter. It was... transformational. I love it every day.

Before

EB448A0C-B0FA-4A2B-BF40-2BF6A85A3765.jpeg
22E40B28-87AD-4C9F-8DD3-174FAEA4DEB8.jpeg

After

08A1EED5-F071-42A3-BD2B-6B8CD7E54244.jpeg
 
I am glad I have it as I know I can put it on the wooden table for me to put hot pots on.
I've read quartz is questionable regarding hot pans. Not as much the quartz material but the filler/resin. I typically never put hot things on a counter top, much like I never cut on the counter top.

Not recommended......

Ok for soapstone

Oh ok. No issues so far, in fact I did it again tonight. I guess I better get a trivet or pot mats.
 
*meanwhile*

Get a message, 'yeah... our builder says our stuff won't support weight of porcelain sink. You'll need to get some support for it.' *sigh* Would have been nice to know this earlier, but... better now than during install!

*audible*

So now getting a composite sink. It'll be bigger and more versatile, so works out in the end.
Oh wow! I put hot pans on it all the time!


Bilby just corrected me, we have Ceaserstone benchtops.
Oh, you are one of those "Render unto Caesarstone the things that are Caesarstone's" people. ;)
 
Got the quartz installed. Definitely happy with it. Also really like the granite composite sink, likely much more than the porcelain. Having a new stovetop is quite something. I can boil water without a lid now. That is how old the other stovetop was. Which also means learning how to cook with the new stove. And the new range fan light is so much better.

Of course, nothing comes without complications. The new countertop exposed a bit of unpainted wood, so I need to paint that, and I think I'm repainting the entire bottom portion.

The other surprise is the plaster wall behind the dishwasher which was removed. I was expecting the floor under the dishwasher to have issues, but it was in great shape. But the plaster wall behind the dishwasher is falling apart! That complicated dealing with the dangling clothe sheathed electric line, which I can't just turn the breaker off as the same line is hooked to the disposal (also new and nice). I was going to just end the line with some wing nuts in a new junction box, but I think the plaster wall will disintegrate if I try to drill a bolt or two into it! So that led to a lesser short-term code modification. I'll need to get some drywall, bolt that in and get a junction box on that.
 
Got the quartz installed. Definitely happy with it. Also really like the granite composite sink, likely much more than the porcelain. Having a new stovetop is quite something. I can boil water without a lid now. That is how old the other stovetop was. Which also means learning how to cook with the new stove. And the new range fan light is so much better.

Of course, nothing comes without complications. The new countertop exposed a bit of unpainted wood, so I need to paint that, and I think I'm repainting the entire bottom portion.

The other surprise is the plaster wall behind the dishwasher which was removed. I was expecting the floor under the dishwasher to have issues, but it was in great shape. But the plaster wall behind the dishwasher is falling apart! That complicated dealing with the dangling clothe sheathed electric line, which I can't just turn the breaker off as the same line is hooked to the disposal (also new and nice). I was going to just end the line with some wing nuts in a new junction box, but I think the plaster wall will disintegrate if I try to drill a bolt or two into it! So that led to a lesser short-term code modification. I'll need to get some drywall, bolt that in and get a junction box on that.


Nothing without pictures......
 
Got the quartz installed. Definitely happy with it. Also really like the granite composite sink, likely much more than the porcelain. Having a new stovetop is quite something. I can boil water without a lid now. That is how old the other stovetop was. Which also means learning how to cook with the new stove. And the new range fan light is so much better.

Of course, nothing comes without complications. The new countertop exposed a bit of unpainted wood, so I need to paint that, and I think I'm repainting the entire bottom portion.

The other surprise is the plaster wall behind the dishwasher which was removed. I was expecting the floor under the dishwasher to have issues, but it was in great shape. But the plaster wall behind the dishwasher is falling apart! That complicated dealing with the dangling clothe sheathed electric line, which I can't just turn the breaker off as the same line is hooked to the disposal (also new and nice). I was going to just end the line with some wing nuts in a new junction box, but I think the plaster wall will disintegrate if I try to drill a bolt or two into it! So that led to a lesser short-term code modification. I'll need to get some drywall, bolt that in and get a junction box on that.

Both kitchen I had done required the wall to be removed to studs as when they took off the old splash back most of the wall came with it.
 
Got the quartz installed. Definitely happy with it. Also really like the granite composite sink, likely much more than the porcelain. Having a new stovetop is quite something. I can boil water without a lid now. That is how old the other stovetop was. Which also means learning how to cook with the new stove. And the new range fan light is so much better.

Of course, nothing comes without complications. The new countertop exposed a bit of unpainted wood, so I need to paint that, and I think I'm repainting the entire bottom portion.

The other surprise is the plaster wall behind the dishwasher which was removed. I was expecting the floor under the dishwasher to have issues, but it was in great shape. But the plaster wall behind the dishwasher is falling apart! That complicated dealing with the dangling clothe sheathed electric line, which I can't just turn the breaker off as the same line is hooked to the disposal (also new and nice). I was going to just end the line with some wing nuts in a new junction box, but I think the plaster wall will disintegrate if I try to drill a bolt or two into it! So that led to a lesser short-term code modification. I'll need to get some drywall, bolt that in and get a junction box on that.


Nothing without pictures......
Sadly, the work for the kitchen isn't quite done yet, so not quite ready for the after shot. Still have the walls to do and the wooden trim that was behind the overhang of the previous countertop that needs painting.
 
Got the quartz installed. Definitely happy with it. Also really like the granite composite sink, likely much more than the porcelain. Having a new stovetop is quite something. I can boil water without a lid now. That is how old the other stovetop was. Which also means learning how to cook with the new stove. And the new range fan light is so much better.

Of course, nothing comes without complications. The new countertop exposed a bit of unpainted wood, so I need to paint that, and I think I'm repainting the entire bottom portion.

The other surprise is the plaster wall behind the dishwasher which was removed. I was expecting the floor under the dishwasher to have issues, but it was in great shape. But the plaster wall behind the dishwasher is falling apart! That complicated dealing with the dangling clothe sheathed electric line, which I can't just turn the breaker off as the same line is hooked to the disposal (also new and nice). I was going to just end the line with some wing nuts in a new junction box, but I think the plaster wall will disintegrate if I try to drill a bolt or two into it! So that led to a lesser short-term code modification. I'll need to get some drywall, bolt that in and get a junction box on that.


Nothing without pictures......
Sadly, the work for the kitchen isn't quite done yet, so not quite ready for the after shot. Still have the walls to do and the wooden trim that was behind the overhang of the previous countertop that needs painting.

Patiently waiting.... In the almost 40 years we have been at this house the kitchen remodel was the single most expensive and the most rewarding project we have done. We have done three bathroom remodels, had the porch replaced with mahogany, put crown molding all around the first floor, painted every room in the house, replaced multiple windows, plus a zillion more little projects.
Going from this:
Original.jpg

to this:
Kitchen2.jpg

I pinch myself every time I walk into the room
 
Sadly, the work for the kitchen isn't quite done yet, so not quite ready for the after shot. Still have the walls to do and the wooden trim that was behind the overhang of the previous countertop that needs painting.

Patiently waiting.... In the almost 40 years we have been at this house the kitchen remodel was the single most expensive and the most rewarding project we have done. We have done three bathroom remodels, had the porch replaced with mahogany, put crown molding all around the first floor, painted every room in the house, replaced multiple windows, plus a zillion more little projects.
Going from this:
View attachment 24735

to this:
View attachment 24736

I pinch myself every time I walk into the room
Very nice.
 
Sadly, the work for the kitchen isn't quite done yet, so not quite ready for the after shot. Still have the walls to do and the wooden trim that was behind the overhang of the previous countertop that needs painting.

Patiently waiting.... In the almost 40 years we have been at this house the kitchen remodel was the single most expensive and the most rewarding project we have done. We have done three bathroom remodels, had the porch replaced with mahogany, put crown molding all around the first floor, painted every room in the house, replaced multiple windows, plus a zillion more little projects.
Going from this:
View attachment 24735

to this:
View attachment 24736

I pinch myself every time I walk into the room

It's really gorgeous!
 
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