Kitchen worktops which is best

[les chicken]

We or SWMBO has decided to upgrade our/my kitchen. I enjoy and do most of the cooking.

The carcases are fine so just replacement doors. As the sizes are varied I am going to make the replacements out of sweet chestnut frames with oak faced mdf panels. Only 32 doors and 6 drawers to make !!!!!.

The question is what is the most versatile worktops corion etc. The existing worktops are a type of woodblock that have been there since time began. We do not want wooden doors and wooden tops but do not want to go down the granite (mega bucks) route.

But we would like to be able to take a hot dish out of the oven and put on the worktop without destroying it or using special racks.

What would the forum recommend.

Les

 

[Mike.C]

Les, QVC or Ideal World the shopping channels (in their kitchen programs) use worktops that they put hot saucepans on straight from the hob or oven. I have no idea who manufacturers them but maybe if you email them they will give you the info.

Cheers

Mike

 

[CNC Paul]

Hi Les,

Corian is more expensive than granite + you cannot put hot pans on Corian, you wuold need to have pan rails.



Paul

 

[Oryxdesign]

You can put hot pans on Silestone but it's probably nearly as expensive as granite. It's made of Quartz and polyester.

 

[Harbo]

It's got to be granite or insert a section of tiles.

I did that when I burnt an existing formica type top!

Rod

 

[Mike.C]

Harbo wrote

It's got to be granite or insert a section of tiles.

No seriously Rod, the wife watches those shopping channels kitchen shows and I have seen it with my own eyes. Its certainly does not look like granite.

Cheers

Mike

 

[Paul Chapman]

But we would like to be able to take a hot dish out of the oven and put on the worktop without destroying it or using special racks.

As another option, firms like Neff and others who do the domino-style hobs, make stainless steel landing plates that you can inset into your worktop, on which to put hot pans and dishes straight from the hob or cooker. They fit in much the same way as an inset stainless steel sink. They are about the same size as a two-ring domino hob. A far cheaper option than something like a granite or Corian worktop and they look quite good in my view. It would also be possible to retro-fit one of these landing plates to an existing worktop in many cases.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[MooreToolsPlease]

Theres a few companys now who make granite that goes over your existing worktops,
Its about 1/4" thick and then has a lipping glued on the front.
It comes in about half price of completely solid granite,
Might be worth a search

 

[manso]

The advantage of Corian is that it can be supplied with sinks and tops moulded as if one piece, including lips and upstands - actually glued, but you'd never know.
We saw this as outweighing any problems with hot pans - not that we've had any - but just in case, the installer routed channels to take stainless steel rods as trivets right beside the hob. Our top came with a 10 year guarantee - not sure if that's standard.
If you research tops all are in some way compromises.
Regards

 

[les chicken]

Thanks for the replys, there doesn't seem to be a solution at the moment to our problem.

The wood block tops have got to go, just shows how versatile wood is, no wonder we all like making things out of it.

Les

 

[jasonB]

The Corian fabricator that I use tends to supply a separate piece of corian with the hot rods set in and rubber door buffers as feet, easier to keep clean and you can move them to were you want.

As the labour in Corian is about the same as granite I tend to suggest granite to customers unless they need something that can only be done in solid surface like thermoforming or the need for large areas without visible joints,

Personally I don't really like it in kitchens better in bathrooms.

The other options are the solidsurface materials bonded to a chipboard core such as Getacore, minerelle, etc you can do quite a bit with them except bending and they do sinks that can be bonded in. If you are doing it yourself then they join in much the same way as laminate, just need a good sander to finish them.

Jason

 

[J D Architectural Joinery]

What about slate

 

[jasonB]

Slate can be a bit soft and therefore scratches very easily.

Been working in a kitchen this week with a "flammed" black granite, very nice

J

 

[Rknott2007]

I've heard of this before, but I've never seen it done.....

Hows about pouring a concrete worktop?
Just an idea :lol:

 

[Oryxdesign]

Concrete poured and then polished so you can see the stones cut in half looks the biz.