When our house was built, I went with a simple, inexpensive countertop for the bathrooms and kitchen. The countertops in the bathrooms are just a standard white. The kitchen countertop was a laminate with a marble blue/black pattern. The kitchen also has an island with the same countertop pattern.
After nine years, the island countertop has held up fairly well. A few scratches here and there, but it still looked ok. The countertop area underneath the dish drainer near the sink is a different story. The coloring is all faded with tons of scratches. The constant contact with water really damaged the laminate countertop.
The boys father decided to redo the countertop in the kitchen. That was my birthday gift three years ago. A few months ago he finally started working on replacing the laminate countertop. He picked out a light colored stone countertop. He completed the island, but has yet to start the rest of the kitchen, so I will probably have a mismatched kitchen for another three years.
It looks nice, but the sealant he put on is not holding up well at all. Just a drop of water, eats right through the sealant. If you look at it in the right light, you can see all these light blotches. I'm not real happy about that. Apple cider vinegar leaked out of the blender and made a huge blotch too. He either didn't seal the countertop properly, or he needs to use a different sealant. Based on the damage to the island, the area near the sink/dish drainer will be ruined very quickly if he doesn't do something differently.
Granite countertops are also really nice. They look so much better than laminate countertops. Granite countertops are more heat resistant and scratch resistant than the laminate. Granite countertops are more expensive though. They also need to be sealed. Upgrading the kitchen is a good investment as it brings more value to your home.
After nine years, the island countertop has held up fairly well. A few scratches here and there, but it still looked ok. The countertop area underneath the dish drainer near the sink is a different story. The coloring is all faded with tons of scratches. The constant contact with water really damaged the laminate countertop.
The boys father decided to redo the countertop in the kitchen. That was my birthday gift three years ago. A few months ago he finally started working on replacing the laminate countertop. He picked out a light colored stone countertop. He completed the island, but has yet to start the rest of the kitchen, so I will probably have a mismatched kitchen for another three years.
It looks nice, but the sealant he put on is not holding up well at all. Just a drop of water, eats right through the sealant. If you look at it in the right light, you can see all these light blotches. I'm not real happy about that. Apple cider vinegar leaked out of the blender and made a huge blotch too. He either didn't seal the countertop properly, or he needs to use a different sealant. Based on the damage to the island, the area near the sink/dish drainer will be ruined very quickly if he doesn't do something differently.
Granite countertops are also really nice. They look so much better than laminate countertops. Granite countertops are more heat resistant and scratch resistant than the laminate. Granite countertops are more expensive though. They also need to be sealed. Upgrading the kitchen is a good investment as it brings more value to your home.
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