Morning All,
My wife and I have been watching TOH for a good many years. When we bought our home five years ago, the standard for countertop material in the kitchen was laminate. Its not bad looking, but its starting to show its age. A few scratches here and there, and their seems are beginning to show. The countertop edges are not 90º dropoffs, as there are rather fancy wood trimming wrapping themselves around the countertop’s perimeter.
Anyway, watched a TOH Classis episode on their 2000 Milton, MA restoration of a 250-year old colonial home. During the kitchen countertop installation, Norm mentions that their choice of soapstone was wise, because compare to ‘solid surface’ materials it was cheaper. He said this right after the installer told him that the soapstone was $150/SqFt installed.
Ok, I know its been about five (5) years since that project, but what the heck did ‘solid surface’ cost back in 2000? I take ‘solid surface’ to mean man-made products like Corian, or engineered quartz, not granite, or other naturally occurring materials (ahem, soapstone). So, during some free time at work I tried to do some internet searches on material costs to get a ballpark idea for soapstone and I got nothing.
As such, I have no idea what soapstone costs to install into a kitchen (or anywhere else), for a given SqFt assessment. I can find granite for $50-75/SqFt, Corian for $38-62/SqFt, etc., but finding soapstone seems to be difficult. I’m in the Atlanta area (well, 45-miles outside downtown in Buford, GA), so the localized market conditions might apply.
Has anyone done a soapstone countertop installation and know what the material (or installed) costs were for your respective market?
Replies
You should be able to locate soapstone at a stone dealer that sells marble and granite also. I will caution you that soapstone is very soft. It if often used for carving. So it has a tendency to scratch and nick. I am not sure about the cost but as it comes from stone dealers I would say it won't be cheap.
Solid surface countertops or a stone with a higher hardness might be a better option for you. I recommend it unless you are doing speculative remodeling (flip this house). It is expensive but it is low maintenance and it lasts the lifetime of the kitchen. If you are environmentally conscious, check out this site's solid surface option. http://www.enviroglasproducts.com/ They make terrazzo out of recycled glass and VOC free epoxy for flooring, landscaping and countertop applications. I saw an article on it in one of my trade magazines.
Other alternatives are tile and butcher block counters, but they require a lot of maintenance.
Whatever you choose do not let the base square footage price fool you. The final cost will depend on how many linear feet touches a wall (backsplashes must be added), color and shape of edging you choose. So bear in mind your project could potentially cost a lot more than the base price depending on what options you choose. Home Improvement stores run specials on discounts off so many feet of solid surface counters. Sometimes they give you a free undermount sink. So watch for these deals if you are interested in Corian or Silestone.
Laminate is still the most affordable option but it has its drawbacks, which you are aware of. Wilsonart does come in a lot of beautiful colors. You can buy it already mounted or by the sheet. We used it on to top our solid oak wetbar. I have added a photo of the inside of the lower level of it. We have not had any issues with it but we don't do much cutting in that area except for an occasion slice of orange for a garnishment. For that we have a small cutting board so we don't scratch it up. We are planning a remodel of our own kitchen and are still considering our options. I am not going with laminate in there but have not decided between solid surface and natural stone. I have plenty of time to research it because when you remodel for a living your house is often the last one done :) Good Luck!
I think I am also going to consider concrete, but from an experimental DIY-er perspective. Yesterday, I went to see a friend that allowed his other friends to experiment with his kitchen before going into business. He showed me a couple of permutations in which dye strength coloration product (one vs. another manufacturer's product) can produce differeng results. I also noticed the differences between polishing and grinding in terms of bringing out the aggregate.
All in all their experimentations produce some pretty substantial ideas in the making, and my friend's friends are now in business for themselves, with what I think is the intent to undercut Home Depot's Expo Center's pricing on concrete. I think I remember reading an article a couple of years back (I believe it was fine homebuilding) where they did what appeared to be a jet-black concrete countertop. I was amazed then.
Unlike 1st-timing DIYer in laying tile (where if you have to tear it up its a PITA), experimenting with concrete-in-form should be relatively easy to trash once the prototypes are 'learned' from. I also wonder what it would be like to not use dyes, which produce a coloration throughout the medium, and instead use acid-etching or acid-staining to a polished pre-formed concrete surface.
I could you any DIY experimentation in acid staining as a developed 'method' for when I get reading to stain the majority of my basement's concrete floor.
I don't know that much about the concrete countertops. We have never done one. I have seen them in the remodeling trade journals we get. It is become a bit more popular but not really in our part of the country. check out this site. http://www.concreteexchange.com/. You might find some help there :)
I love seeing mentions of concrete countertops. I get to brag, and feel like I was the first on my block to have them (well, maybe second) I love my concrete countertops. I did them myself for the bathroom, and will again for my kitchen.
I think that the skill level needs to be a little higher than your average DIY'r. But if your DIY experience is extensive, and you're feeling butch, I say go for it. The possibilities are endless. From shape, to edge profiles, color, aggregates and other additives such as copper, iron, or aluminum shavings. Heavy as all get out, but again worth it. I researched, and bought my materials on Cheng's site. The father of modern decorative concrete. I read the book, trolled some forums for advice and did it. The cost per sq foot was minimal compared to what you would find for granite or other comparable material.
I bought a wet polisher for about $230, and the diamond polishing pads for $150. Very expensive, but since I plan on using it again, coupled with the money I saved on countertops, it is worth it. Afterwards, you could even sell it on ebay and recoup most of your costs.
If you have any questions about it, even with my limited experience, I would be happy to answer. And of course, I have to direct you to my photos. http://neilpuck.photosite.com In the Bathroom chapter are the concrete pieces. I used it for the vanities, the tup surround, the cap along the kneewall for the shower, halfround seat and corner shelves. Good luck!
Beautiful job! I really like the shower area in your folder even though that is not what the post was about!
check out a website called granitetransformations.com . they apply it directly over the old countertops or make them for new construction. advantages are easy installation, heat, stain, and scratch resistant, maintenance free, durable and the costs is less than granite. you might find this to be a viable option.
Edited 3/22/2006 7:27 am ET by samuel
starting to show its age. A few scratches here and there, and their seems are beginning to show
Look at what you're complaining about, and now imagine that in 5 years you'll be saying the same about your $150/sf soapstone counter top. Don't fall for all this trendy stuff, I'd say. Put another laminate in that you like, and buy a 50" tv instead!
All the best...
To those who know - this may be obvious. To those who don't - I hope I've helped.