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[Desertdi]

I had tile at my former residence........it was great because you could put a pot or pan down straight from the stove.........but the maintenance is a killer (broken and stained grout).

[Theresa1121]

I am not sure what your budget is, but you will never be sorry if you put in granite countertops and a tiledbacksplash. We updated our kitchen and I at first chose formica, as this is a modest home, and the guy doing the work pulled a fast one, used an old blade and the counters were not acceptable. We were out $1000. I then did what I should have done in the first place which was find a reputable granite installer, picked it out along with a great under mount sink and a friend of ours did a tile backsplash. It will add so much to your home and I still smile every time I walk in my kitchen, love cleaning those counters and sink is great.

Good luck with whatever you choose!

[Theresa1121]

double post

[Marienkaefer2]

In my first house, which I.had built in 2000, I had a white tile counter in the kitchen, which I LOVED. It fit the style of my house back then (cottage-y) and tile counters were still popular. I.never had any issues breaking things, and it held up well. Currently, I have granite counters with a white subway tile backsplash, and I LOVE this look.

[southernfriend]

Just finished my kitchen redo. I went with a Caesarstone countertop and full wall "backsplash". No maintenance, no annual resealing (granite), no grout to clean. The new glass tiles look great for a backsplash but then, there's that grout.

[Ibby114]

On 3/13/2015 JeanLouiseFinch said:

We've ruled out the tiled countertop. Thanks to all who commented.

We went out tonight to just look at a bunch of things and came across an acrylic product that's smooth and looks like stone, but is seamless and can be repaired if something falls on it and damages it in anyway.

I changed my formica countertops to quartz last year and it looks great!! It really updated my 1990's kitchen with minimal expense- I bought the Allen & Roth brand at Lowe's. It's their house brand so it's better priced than the 'name' brands. Plus Lowe's has great sales on a selection of choices every few weeks. I even got a full backsplash in the quartz! I would've considered tile on the backsplash - the results look great on the all home rehab shows- but I HATE grout! I'm trying to find someone to seal my existing bath tiles, but it's pricey to do after the fact.

[jaxs mom]

On 3/13/2015 JeanLouiseFinch said:

We've ruled out the tiled countertop. Thanks to all who commented.

We went out tonight to just look at a bunch of things and came across an acrylic product that's smooth and looks like stone, but is seamless and can be repaired if something falls on it and damages it in anyway.

Just don't get corian, that stuff melts if you put a pan on it. I accidentally picked up a hot pan with a damp towel and had to set it down fast and it left a permanent melted raised ring on the counter.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

On 3/14/2015 southernfriend said:

Just finished my kitchen redo. I went with a Caesarstone countertop and full wall "backsplash". No maintenance, no annual resealing (granite), no grout to clean. The new glass tiles look great for a backsplash but then, there's that grout.

Thank you, southernfriend. DH and I are going out today for more product comparisons. There's a Caesarstone dealer about 25 miles from us. Getting a ballpark price estimate online, it's within the budget. It sounded interesting when I was reading the comparisons between quartz and granite. Lots of leg work and internet research to do before we make a final decision. We're doing the countertop, backsplash, painting the rest of the room, and getting new appliances.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

On 3/14/2015 jaxs mom said:

On 3/13/2015 JeanLouiseFinch said:

We've ruled out the tiled countertop. Thanks to all who commented.

We went out tonight to just look at a bunch of things and came across an acrylic product that's smooth and looks like stone, but is seamless and can be repaired if something falls on it and damages it in anyway.

Just don't get corian, that stuff melts if you put a pan on it. I accidentally picked up a hot pan with a damp towel and had to set it down fast and it left a permanent melted raised ring on the counter.

Funny that you should mention that jaxs mom. I said the same thing to my husband this morning and he said, "we never put anything on the counter like that anyway." That may be true, but one can always have a situation where then need to put something down quickly or just have a moment of forgetfullness. I was surprised at how nice the acrylic looked, but for that reason alone I'm interested in looking at the quartz.

The sales clerk did tell me that the acrylic solid surface could be repaired. I think Corian is a similar product. Have you called your dealer to see about getting a service call?

[violann]

Above all- I hate "modernized" kitchens in old houses. We've had Wilsonart finishes on our counters for about 5 years, and they're amazing! They look fabulous, and there's not one flaw in them. They are NOT your Grandma's Formica!