Kitchen remodeling. Countertops.

[Sgt Beavis]

Hi Fellas,

I'm preparing to do some remodeling to the kitchen in preparation to selling our home. I want to replace the counter tops and back splash, paint the cabinets, and paint the kitchen. I don't want replace the kitchen floors. They aren't my cup o joe but they are in good condition.

On the countertops, they are a hideous sea foam green corian. I'm thinking of the lowest costs, highest return options here. I know I can have them resurfaced or do it myself. I could also have them replaced with either butcher block (very cheap from ikea) or another solid material (like granite or quartz). The only issue in replacing them is that the counter tops are glued down to the cabinets. Removing them without damaging the cabinets could be tricky.

I'm looking for any advice on removing the counter tops. Even if I go with granite, I'd like to save myself the money on demolition. The corian is glued to plywood strips that are themselves glued to the top of the cabinets. Any thoughts on how to get this done without damaging the cabinets? At the moment, the only thing I can think of is a sawsall but that can be problematical in small spaces.

Any thoughts on resurfacing? Good idea or bad idea? I'm just looking to sell the house. I would gut the whole thing and start over if I was planning on staying.

[Tremor14]

I just redid mine, there was no glue, just a bunch of ill placed screws, it took some time but i got it up without issue, you my want to use one of these and a crow bar.



funny you say the color was terrible, i went to Ikea and bought a black countertop, i was surprised when i opened it, that the reverse side was a turquoise. well when i went to set the first piece i noticed the black side would scratch just from a finger nail, so i flipped it all around and used the turquoise side.

I think it turned out alright but at the end of the day this isn't my dream house, and whoever comes in behind me is going to want to do it their way, so i am just in it to make it fun for me.

[black2002ls]

Cost is the biggest factor in new tops. Granite is going to run $25/sq ft and up depending on your stone preference. Quartz is in that ball park as well, one benefit to quartz is that it isn't porous like granite or a natural stone and they have an antimicrobial agent added into the mixture. (This may not be true for all quartz products, we install silestone which has the antimicrobial) if you know that you will be selling in the future, I would do granite or quartz, even if it is 2cm and a cheaper selection. It makes a great selling point, and is a much more durable product from a maintenance stand point.

These are the tops going in my kitchen at some point next year. We will be newing new cabinets at the same time.







Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[Tremor14]

with all that being said, i bought two pieces of counter top at $89 each, and did the install myself.

[bard]

Cost is the biggest factor in new tops. Granite is going to run $25/sq ft and up depending on your stone preference. Quartz is in that ball park as well, one benefit to quartz is that it isn't porous like granite or a natural stone and they have an antimicrobial agent added into the mixture. (This may not be true for all quartz products, we install silestone which has the antimicrobial) if you know that you will be selling in the future, I would do granite or quartz, even if it is 2cm and a cheaper selection. It makes a great selling point, and is a much more durable product from a maintenance stand point.

These are the tops going in my kitchen at some point next year. We will be newing new cabinets at the same time.







Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

That stone is amazing. On a related subject, I have that same sink but hate the partition. Is there a replacement of the same shape without the divider? I don't want to have to replace the hole top just to change the sink.

[black2002ls]

with all that being said, i bought two pieces of counter top at $89 each, and did the install myself.

My current tops are cheap lowes formica. I found a peice with a busted back splash. They cost about $100. I removed the splash and created a tile transition.

That stone is amazing. On a related subject, I have that same sink but hate the partition. Is there a replacement of the same shape without the divider? I don't want to have to replace the hole top just to change the sink.

Thanks. It is called Thunder Cream. We replaced it in a home, and these needed a new place to live, so it is currently sitting in my garage waiting for new cabinets.

On the sink, I am not sure if they make the same sink without the divider. However, the stone can be cut, it makes a mess, but you could find a sink that is close to the same dimension(would need to be just a bit bigger) and have someone install it that can cut/polish the stone

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[03mustangdude]

Get granite tile the giant ones made for countertops. You get more grout lines but you save thousands.

[diablo rojo]

Here's the thread from mine.

http://www.dfwmustangs.net/forums/showthread.php?t=51268

Counter tops got resurfaced today

[black2002ls]

Get granite tile the giant ones made for countertops. You get more grout lines but you save thousands.

I can't stand grout lines in a countertop. IF they are done like a seam in a granite slab install,with epoxy, it may be ok. I had tule counters in a rent house, regular 12x12 tile, it was THE WORST surface for food prep and any kind of baking! Depending on the size ofvthe kitchen, granite/quartz can be relatively affordable.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[Cooter]

I love natural stone. There are more durable surfaces, but I just love natural stone. If I was doing a huge project where a quality granite job is just out of budget, I would look into concrete. I don't know how that compares money-wise

I would rather have quartz than piecemealed granite squares. I don't mind a line in the corner, but that's the only seam I can live with.

But for a project with a big oversize island, it's gotta be single slab

[Tremor14]

i'll grab some pics of my parents kitchen tomorrow, but i do agree, if you have an island it can only be one slab.

[03mustangdude]

I can't stand grout lines in a countertop. IF they are done like a seam in a granite slab install,with epoxy, it may be ok. I had tule counters in a rent house, regular 12x12 tile, it was THE WORST surface for food prep and any kind of baking! Depending on the size ofvthe kitchen, granite/quartz can be relatively affordable.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

I have 7 grout lines in my kitchen doing the granite tile. I would have had 3 if I did slabs due to the way the kitchen is.

I diy it for under 500. If i got the same granite it would have been over 4k.

[War Machine]

We have Taj Mahal Quartzite in our house, and its fucking baller as shit.


BTW I have a counter top guy who will cut and install for 50 a sink hole, 18 a foot labor cut and install, and he will wholesale you the stone.

we just did a house with Carrera Marble cost was 46 a foot installed

[black2002ls]

We have Taj Mahal Quartzite in our house, and its fucking baller as shit.


BTW I have a counter top guy who will cut and install for 50 a sink hole, 18 a foot labor cut and install, and he will wholesale you the stone.

we just did a house with Carrera Marble cost was 46 a foot installed

That is an excellent price! I may need his number to do my install next year. I have no issue setting the stone, its cutting it to fit that is my concern!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

[8mpg]

$46/ft for carrera is a little more than quotes I got prior to doing my counter tops. I had quotes for carrera 3cm for $40/ft. I really wanted Statuary marble which was $45 (higher end stone) and calcutta gold was $47.

Granite at $25/ft would be a killer deal if you could find it. Im sure thats for something like galaxy black, uba tuba (whatever its called) or some other low grade marble.