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I put in Formica Solid Surface in my kitchen about a year ago. It has been a great disappointment. It looks okay, but water stains have been a big problem. If you don't mind wiping the water off your counter every time I guess it should not be an issue. The second problem is durability. The material is so soft, it scratches if you are not careful. We have to use a mat to work on, or it will scratch consistently. I don't know about you, but countertops should be durable.
I had the work done by Lowes. Probably would not use them again. They were not horrible, but I would probably spend a little more and go with a smaller outfit.
We had Formica solid surface installed February 2010. We are still fighting with Lowes. It was never finished properly to begin with. It looks like crap, doesn't hold up under any kind of wear. Should have gone with the Wilsonart laminate as it probably would have held up better. We let Lowes rep talk us into the solid surface and we've been sorry every since. It was way more expensive. For a little more money and going with a smaller dealer we could have had Granite for the same price as we paid for this junk. Shop around and research carefully the product or you will be sorry. We are and Formica will not stand behind their guarantee. The are pushing it off on the installer and Lowes and we are getting nowhere with either of them.If you go with this product definitely do not go with a darker color. It shows everything.
We had Formica solid surface installed February 2010. We are still fighting with Lowes. It was never finished properly to begin with. It looks like crap, doesn't hold up under any kind of wear. Should have gone with the Wilsonart laminate as it probably would have held up better. We let Lowes rep talk us into the solid surface and we've been sorry every since. It was way more expensive. For a little more money and going with a smaller dealer we could have had Granite for the same price as we paid for this junk. Shop around and research carefully the product or you will be sorry. We are and Formica will not stand behind their guarantee. The are pushing it off on the installer and Lowes and we are getting nowhere with either of them.If you go with this product definitely do not go with a darker color. It shows everything.
I had the Formica countertop installed. Scratches in less than 2 months. Not as good as Corian . Had I known the product was plastic I never would have purchased it! It is pretty but everyone needs something that holds up well in the kitchen, this does not! Very disappointed! A coffee cup will even leave a scratch. I was told any ironstone, pots, pans etc will scratch it....only found this out after 2 months! Wouldn't recommend this product to anyone! They do not guarantee scratches and told me how to sand them out. Suppose to be solid surface but also said I need to use a filler, why if solid. VERY DISSAPPOINTING!!
Concrete is very tricky to install. You need a pro.
Only do concrete if YOU like it and YOU plan to live in the house for 10+ years. You will most likely have to swap it out when selling.
I installed my kitchen 16 years ago with plain old fashion laminate. It has zero scratches. ALL counters, no matter what material used, even stainless steel, will get scratches if you drag-push dishes, mixers, coffee makers, pots, cans, milk containers or cut sandwiches, potatoes and onions on it.
Corian and its knockoffs engender a lot of scorn from the HGTV crowd <sigh> but I've put it into two kitchens. The first kitchen was installed ten years ago and the Corian still looks brand new, despite the house being a rental. The molded-in sink option is just great as far as I'm concerned: looks neat and no food or yuck collects around the edges. It will scratch if you abuse it (cut on it with a sharp knife) but the installer will give you the sink cutouts to use as cutting boards. I'd personally rather have high-end Corian than cheap granite for the same $$.
Have you considered soapstone? After tons of research, that's what we've decided on for our kitchen renovation. Haven't put it in yet but we're very excited about it. We've talked with several people who have it in their kitchens and they LOVE it. It's no more expensive than mid range granite and a little less expensive than most of the quartz products we looked at.
It DOES only come in one color, however - well, variations of one color, which is gray. It has subtle white streaking in it. It is completely non porous and extremely heat resistant. It can scratch but you just buff the scratches out (if they bother you) with some fine sandpaper or steel wool. Soapstone develops a patina over time. It requires zero sealing or special finishing, but if you prefer a more glossy finish you can polish it with mineral oil ever three months or so. Otherwise you just wipe it down with gentle soap and water and a cloth.
To answer your question about Formica - that's what's in our current kitchen and we HATE it. HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT. It shows everything, even water spots. It scratches easily and the edges can chip easily also. And don't you dare forget and put a hot pan down on it! (We moved from a home with granite counter tops and I admit - the first time I cooked something I forgot that the counter top won't take heat and put a hot pan down on it. I immediately realized what I'd done and jerked it back and thankfully it didn't leave a mark, but I know from past experience that it takes just a second or two to leave an ugly, permanent brown burn mark on a Formica counter top.)
You all do know that this thread is really old right? As for some of the comments…what on Earth are you doing to your countertops? In my houses growing up and all my houses as an adult(40 plus years) I have had formica or Laminate. I have never had scratches or water stains and I do a ton of prep work and cooking.
As for choices over the makers of Laminate I would go with Wilsonart over the Formica brand.
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Concrete is problematic
