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Porcelain tile is frequently put on a plywood substrate or directly over existing plastic laminate countertops. However, to make sure a rock-solid, lengthy-lasting installation, Tiganella prefers using 3/4-in.-thick plywood capped with 1/2-in.-thick cement backerboard. It’s tough to estimate the price of a tile countertop since much depends upon the tile selected and complexity from the installation. Simple solid-color tiles cost less than $1 per sq foot, however the average price is more within the $3 to $5 per sq foot range. A professional installation will definitely cost between $30 and $50 per sq foot, plus the price of the tile.
WOOD
Wood is yet another traditional countertop material which has lost prominence through the years due both towards the prevalent recognition of granite and solid surfaces, and also to the mistaken perception that wood can harbor bacteria and germs. Actually, based on a 1993 College of Wisconsin study by which microbiologists intentionally contaminated wooden cutting boards during testing, 99.9 % from the bacteria introduced died within 3 minutes of contact with the wood’s surface. The research discovered that wood cutting boards are safer, bacteria-wise, than plastic ones. Wood maintenance could be something, though: While memory seals can safeguard a counter for any couple of years, many proprietors choose to remove natural beauty and heat of wood having a less glossy mineral oil finish. Maintaining an oiled surface, which requires reapplication every 4 to 6 days, is much more of the commitment than most busy homeowners are prepared to make. But, just like porcelain tile, you will find secondary surfaces where using wood is sensible, like a baker’s prep area, a dining counter or perhaps a food chopping block. Actually, wood may be the only countertop material suggested for cutting, slicing and chopping.
Wood counters are usually produced from rock walnut–an very dense, blond hardwood–but teak, walnut, cherry and oak will also be used. You will find 3 ways that wood countertops are fabricated: edge grain, finish grain and wide plank. Edge-grain counters are constructed with lengthy, thick strips of wood which are glued along with the edge grain facing up. Finish-grain counters (butcherblocks) are built of relatively short, square sticks of wood which are became a member of along with the tough finish grain facing up. These counters are often 4 in. to 12 in. thick. Wide-plank counters are created by edge-gluing wide boards together. This is actually the most breathtaking and traditional type of wood counter, but it is even the type that’s most prone to cracking and warping, when not meticulously maintained.
Wood counters are frequently carried out with mineral oil or some kind of varnish, but Richard Brooks of Brooks Custom in Mount Kisco, N.Y., protects his wood counters having a lengthy-lasting marine oil finish. Prefab slabs of edge-grain counters could be special-purchased for the most part lumberyards and are generally offered through national wood dealers, for example Lumber Liquidators. The Fir 1/2-in.-thick x 25-in.-wide counters are usually obtainable in 8-foot and 12-foot lengths. Count on paying about $200 to have an 8-foot-lengthy walnut counter exactly the same size in cherry is almost $250. Finish-grain and wide-plank counters should be customized with a cabinetmaker that are experts in wood counters. Prices vary with respect to the wood species used, but typically they are comparable with quality granite counters: $100 to $200 per sq foot.
CONCRETE
Concrete counters, which carefully resemble slabs of gemstone, have become more and more popular. Unlike the concrete counters from the late-1980s, that have been put messily atop the cupboards, today’s fabricators offer precast counters that come in a workshop and delivered–fully cured and handle–towards the job site. There several benefits of precast counters, based on Gerry Santora of Chicago-based Soupcan: "Precast molded slabs are very flat and incredibly smooth, when compared with hands-troweled finishes. And put-in-place counters are well known for curling up in the corners because of uneven curing." Put concrete needs several days of curing time prior to it being adequately sealed, which results in a huge inconvenience for house owners.
Precast concrete counters are usually 1 1/2 in. thick and obtainable in slabs as much as 10 foot lengthy. A number of colors is possible with the addition of pigments towards the concrete during mixing. Once cured, the slabs are honed and sealed to avoid staining. Cracking is definitely an issue with concrete, and fabricators frequently use wire mesh, metal rebar or fiberglass fibers to bolster the counter. Santora prefers to utilize a combination of nylon and stainless fibers, that they claims produces 80 % less cracks than counters reinforced with wire or rebar.A higher-quality precast concrete counter costs from $85 to $100 per sq foot, which is not outrageously costly considering that every counter is customized on your own.
Resourse: http://popularmechanics.com/home/interior-projects/how-to/a3080/how-to-choose-the-right-countertop/
Selecting Your Kitchen Countertop
Video COMMENTS:
Richard Laurendeau: Granite is now sealed for 10 years. My sister inlaw has one and after 7 years it still looks like new. Cheaper than quartz. Plus you can choose from a slab giving you a better idea of what it will look like.
icyhotonmynuts: You forgot to mention quartz's heat resistance, which is very low.