Solid Kitchen Top

[crrabb 0]

Anyone using this solid top called "Urban Works" or issit by urban work? My ID is using this, but so far haven't heard of ppl using. Was quoted around $70-80 pfr, so assume this is a normal brand...

Also, any advise on choosing color for the tops?

[TYM 0]

another word for acrylic is plastics.

granite will last you forever.

Ya ya, granite better, cos mine also granite... !!

[phoenix 0]

hi phx hi mace!

hey phx i remember my contractor quoted me the pricing for my granite top, it was around the acrylic pricing you have mentioned.. and yes i agree with mace granite is a natural stone not plastic and as for the lines or gaps mentioned, mine is non noticible!!

hello mummylee,

actually for acrylic got quite a few brands in the mkt, and even for branded ones like corian also got different "grade".

anyone know if granite also got different grades? if yes, how many types are there in the mkt?

hmm.. as far as i know.. fr reading up, granite tops the max comes in 10ft in a single block.. anything abv would require joining 2 blocks, hence causing it not to have the same 'smooth' finish as those acrylic ones.

Ya ya, granite better, cos mine also granite...

think probably durability is better for granite tops. for acrylic is more on the colors as there are more selections.

do u guys maintain your granite tops? i heard must wipe it wif mineral oil once a yr to maintain it. is this necessary u think??

[applefreak 1]

so far in the market, the more affordable ones are usually 6ft slabs

think you'll have to pay a premium for those 10ft ones

for me, i went for granite top because of the hardiness

no worries about scratching it coz only diamond can do that

as for maintainance, it depends on how well the top was sealed

if not sealed properly, got to buy sealant to seal it once a year

[LouiseBrown 0]

I have had used both granite and Corian tops.

I find the granite one harder to maintain than Corian. The granite top is less smooth than Corian. Granite is also more porous than Corian (being hard plastic, it does not take in moisture at all). The granite (actually I have 4 different colors of granite since I have 4 toilets) somehow look rather dirty after several years of use (maybe it needs some chemical wash). On the other hand, the Corian looks good.

Others may differ which is fine with me.

[applefreak 1]

guess the choice really depends on

1. where it will be

2. what colour you looking at

for me i took granite countertop coz of the fact that it's in the kitchen

things get dragged around a lot so corian definitely will become scratched in no time

on the other hand, if you are particular about the colour

maybe you'd want to consider quartz countertop

hardiness of granite, yet non-porous like acrylic

the best of both worlds, at a similar price to Corian

[GnM 0]

Actually phoenix, may I ask what is your general usage pattern in the kitchen?

Do you cook a lot?

Are you looking for a specific theme for your kitchen?

From my experiences, for the cost of some solid surfaces, you can actually buy natural stone like granite that have the same properties as the higher cost solid surfaces.

So depending on your usage, and your desired theme for the kitchen, then we can better recommend to you which one top is better.

But if you are only looking at solid surfaces, I have a short write up at my blog.

http://gnmrenovation.blogspot.com/2006/09/...id-surface.html

Solid Surface

Solid surfaces are the most common and versatile material used in kitchens of today. They are low maintenance and provide great aesthetics to any kitchen they are installed in. Being a man-made material, they come in a wide range of colors, giving a designer greater flexibility when choosing a theme for the kitchen. They are not porous, thus resistant to staining caused by spills. Like marble, they can be polished to a very smooth level, reducing the look of any joint lines or grout, achieving the illusion that only one main piece of material is used for the kitchen top. Being man-made also allows it to be mould into various shape and sizes, giving the owner more choices in the design of the kitchen worktop.

The only con in this material, it is prone to scratches. But this can be easily rectified, by giving the solid surface a fresh polish to restore it show room shine.

There are numerous brands, each having its own advantage and cons when making a comparison between the brands. Solid surface are mainly made up of epoxy and acrylic. Acrylic being the more resistant component in solid surfaces, the higher the percentage used, the better the top. This of course will naturally increase the price, with the better brands costing as much as natural stones. So the next time your ID quote you a price that you think is too cheap or too expensive for a solid top, in your opinion, look at the composite of the epoxy and acrylic before passing any judgment.

what I usually advise people who are selecting their solid top to do is to ask for samples.

the best way to see which type of surface suits you, get a sample of the various surface and put them to the test!

soak the sample in curry, lemon juice, gif solution and coffee for a day each, or at least a few hours, put a hot pot on it as well... see if it can withstand the kind of abuse. If you are happy with the results, that is the surface for you.

[phoenix 0]

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the tips n suggestions..

I have a related question, if you guys can so kindly add some input. For glass or SS backings, how much shd I be looking to pay for each foot run? Is glass or SS more ex ah? 1 ID told me if I do heavy cooking, the glass might crack leh! is this true? I dunno what she mean by heavy cooking but I told her its normal home cook food lor. Dun have those big big fire like in the restaurant kitchens lah... ahahha

GnM,

Thanks for pointing me to your blog, quite a lot of good info there to read up on.

Yeah, I cook quite a fair bit. But generally I'm quite a careful person. I wouldn't put anything hot on any table top, my mats are always prepared if the pot is still hot. Even on my dining table which is glass

Frankly, I have no specific theme in mind... eh...juz looking for modern simple kitchen type of look....

Any clue as to whats the avg price per foot run to pay for granite tops?

[applefreak 1]

my contractor charged me $100psf, but dun think can find that kind of price now

another reason why i love natural stone - can just dump hot hot pot on it. no worries

[MaCe 3]

Hi everyone! Thanks for all the tips n suggestions..

I have a related question, if you guys can so kindly add some input. For glass or SS backings, how much shd I be looking to pay for each foot run? Is glass or SS more ex ah? 1 ID told me if I do heavy cooking, the glass might crack leh! is this true? I dunno what she mean by heavy cooking but I told her its normal home cook food lor. Dun have those big big fire like in the restaurant kitchens lah... !! ahahha

heavy cooking - machiam my mum who boil the soup for HOURs! just imagine how much HEAT is generated.

of cos the glass will crack.

depends on how and what you always cook lor.

during my reno - my budget went dried - so no money for granite but can actually squeeze a bit for such simi LG or whatever plastic so called solid top.

What we did is - told our contractor to give us the cheapest top avaliable. Next time got money can anytime change the top to granite without damaging the cabinets below.

IMHO - plastic is still plastic - whatever high grade premium grade it is STILL plastic. try putting a boiling hot pot on the plastic top and see got burn marks or not. Where else granite - no matter how cheapo the grade is - it is still a piece of STONE, you cant burn marks on a piece of stone.

[phoenix 0]

my contractor charged me $100psf, but dun think can find that kind of price now

another reason why i love natural stone - can just dump hot hot pot on it. no worries

can ah? can juz put a hot pot no problem? but i see my aunties granite top.. after a few yrs dun look so good liao. lost its 'shine'....maybe never maintain thats why... must polish i think.

heavy cooking - machiam my mum who boil the soup for HOURs! just imagine how much HEAT is generated.

of cos the glass will crack.

depends on how and what you always cook lor.

during my reno - my budget went dried - so no money for granite but can actually squeeze a bit for such simi LG or whatever plastic so called solid top.

What we did is - told our contractor to give us the cheapest top avaliable. Next time got money can anytime change the top to granite without damaging the cabinets below.

IMHO - plastic is still plastic - whatever high grade premium grade it is STILL plastic. try putting a boiling hot pot on the plastic top and see got burn marks or not. Where else granite - no matter how cheapo the grade is - it is still a piece of STONE, you cant burn marks on a piece of stone.

LG top cheaper then granite? U sure or not? Not sure if LG got many range, but if its the LG Hi-Macs, I doubt its gonna cost lesser then granite unless the granite u were looking at is a very high grade premium type. hehe.. at least that was the impression that I got when I went to classic kitchen the last time.

hmm boiling soup for hours, I do that maybe twice a mth. so i guess can forget abt glass? i wouldn't want it cracking. haiz... looks like can also forget abt a glass stove got to go for SS liao.

[applefreak 1]

actually for glass stove still can cook big time

just ensure that nothing sharp ever come into contact with the surface

same goes for the backsplash

think for all countertops maintenance is very important

as long as you wipe it down everyday after use should be okay

will take a pix and share few years down the road if this forum is still here

[JS21 0]

Where can I find quartz countertops? Is the quartz also a natural stone or a man-made material?

I'm still having a headache over my countertop. I would NEVER do Corian or other types of solid surfaces, don't like man-made materials.

Initially I wanted to do granite, but I've read that granite gives of radiation and is bad for health. I tried to ignore that fact, and still wanted to go for Bianco Romano granite, which is white and resembles marble somewhat. Then who knows the stone supplier told me that granite is poisonous and ask me to switch to marble or lavastone. Really thankful she reminded me again! She said black and red granite is the most poisonous of all granites. Marble is often used in Italian kitchens. I almost wanted Carrara white marble, then contracter/supplier told me white marble will turn yellow in the future! So I decided to go for lavatop, which gives off strong energy and is good for health. But lavastone is not pretty looking, comes in black or grey only. There're color lavatops through glazing but currently not available in Singapore as supplier can't find large enough kiln. Anyway, have yet to confirm anything, so might change to quartz if it's prettier looking. Can anyone tell me more about quartz countertops?

[applefreak 1]

from what i gather, quartz countertop is a man-made top using natural quartz stone

it's like the 'granite' sinks on the market, where 80% of the material consist of granite

quartz is a natural stone which is as hard, if not harder than, as granite

saw samples at earnest interior but it's at $140psf

[MaCe 3]

can ah? can juz put a hot pot no problem? but i see my aunties granite top.. after a few yrs dun look so good liao. lost its 'shine'....maybe never maintain thats why... must polish i think.

LG top cheaper then granite? U sure or not? Not sure if LG got many range, but if its the LG Hi-Macs, I doubt its gonna cost lesser then granite unless the granite u were looking at is a very high grade premium type. hehe.. at least that was the impression that I got when I went to classic kitchen the last time.

hmm boiling soup for hours, I do that maybe twice a mth. so i guess can forget abt glass? i wouldn't want it cracking. haiz... looks like can also forget abt a glass stove got to go for SS liao.

i said cheapest top - LG top aint cheap. wat we got is just a plain wood top.