How to Choose a Countertop | Ask This Old House

Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner select a new countertop. (See steps below.)
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Richard presents options for countertop materials. Richard showed options for laminate colors, which were provided by Formica [www.formica.com/en-us/]. Richard also discussed wood, engineered stone, and natural stone. The kitchen showroom belongs to Right Angle Kitchens & Design [rightanglekitchens.com/]. The natural stone showroom where homeowners can select their own slab and also provides factory sealing is Stone Decor Galleria [pickyourslab.net/].
Steps for How to Choose a Countertop
1. Visit a showroom that has full-scale kitchens on displays. There you’ll see various countertop materials in realistic kitchen settings.
2. Laminate counters are composed of thin sheets of plastic laminate glued to a particleboard substrate.
3. Plastic laminate comes in a wide range of solid colors and patterns, including ones that resemble stone.
4. Wood counters are available in several hardwood species, including teak and maple.
5. Don’t use wood counters near sinks or other wet areas.
6. Natural stone counters are cut from granite, marble, soapstone, limestone, sandstone, and slate, to name a few.
7. Note that natural stone is porous, so it must be sealed regularly to prevent staining.
8. An alternative to natural stone is an engineered product called quartz composite. It’s extremely hard and more stain-resistant that natural stone.
9. If you’re interested in a natural stone counter, visit a stone fabrication yard and view the full-size slabs in person.
10. Marble is a popular countertop material, but because it’s calcium-based, it’s softer and less scratch-resistant than granite. Marble must also be sealed more often.
11. Marble can be factory-sealed prior to fabrication, which dramatically increases its stain resistance.
12. The marble slab is placed in an oven and warmed to open up its pores.
13. Next, liquid penetrating sealer is sprayed onto the warm surface, and then buffing wheels evenly distribute the sealer and force it deep into the surface of the marble.
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How to Choose a Countertop | Ask This Old House
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Пікірлер: 62

  • @neveenjo5398
    @neveenjo53983 жыл бұрын

    That white Marble slab!! OMG .. so beautiful.

  • @meg-k-waldren
    @meg-k-waldren6 жыл бұрын

    3:44. That old school exit off camera still rocks.

  • @CoasterCrazyy
    @CoasterCrazyy2 жыл бұрын

    just a note of the wooden island he showed. There is maintenance that must be done to retain the beauty of that countertop especially if you use it as a cutting board.

  • @johnpalermo2422
    @johnpalermo24225 жыл бұрын

    The blue marble is incredible omg

  • @dreamichelle7225
    @dreamichelle72255 жыл бұрын

    2:19 that blue bayou is marvelous, my favorite that I’ll own someday💙

  • @chazz256

    @chazz256

    5 жыл бұрын

    Blue Bahia

  • @pragawa
    @pragawa4 жыл бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @descargasdenia3161
    @descargasdenia31617 жыл бұрын

    En España utilizamos la encimera de la cocina de este material

  • @CrowleysGraniteTV
    @CrowleysGraniteTV3 жыл бұрын

    Great video.

  • @johnnypoppyhead4116
    @johnnypoppyhead41166 жыл бұрын

    learn about that expensive garnet kitchen tops . what my neighbor did..1. split wine -stain it..she had to pay extra $$$ for contractor to come back and put on a sealer ? 2. the color.. dark parts of the rock..she had mice droppings -MICE - poop and could not see it .

  • @cfoster6804

    @cfoster6804

    5 жыл бұрын

    You post this on all the countertop videos. If she had mice it's a no brainer that she shouldn't go with black countertops. And if she kept up on the sealing she wouldn't have had that problem. Granite is not for lazy people.

  • @chazz256

    @chazz256

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@cfoster6804 Yeahhh I'm more concerned with her having mice on her countertops. YIKES..

  • @mrbreez33
    @mrbreez336 жыл бұрын

    Marble Kitchen Ohh Yeah!!

  • @c0mputer
    @c0mputer3 жыл бұрын

    Mark Alangelo, stone carver. and mason

  • @andreakallfa2637
    @andreakallfa26377 жыл бұрын

    Where is showroom located? Town, city?

  • @LuxuriousQuartzSlabs
    @LuxuriousQuartzSlabs6 жыл бұрын

    stone countertops installation is important

  • @JohnR84
    @JohnR844 жыл бұрын

    But no Quartzite samples shown... This is real stone. “Quartz” is used to refer to the manufactured stone chips + epoxy countertops.

  • @186bingo

    @186bingo

    3 жыл бұрын

    Yeah Quartzite is gorgeous

  • @marutn.8481
    @marutn.84815 жыл бұрын

    He just got her into paying more for that sealer. The marble will still need to be sealed 1-2 times a yr depending how much you use it. Even if its sealed, it doesn't mean the marble will not stain. Quartz, marble, granite, quartzite, etc will all stain if it's not maintained.

  • @srd2725

    @srd2725

    2 жыл бұрын

    laminate really has a lot of advantages

  • @towtruckaj

    @towtruckaj

    Жыл бұрын

    @@srd2725 Laminate is the worst in most categories idk what you're talking about.

  • @srd2725

    @srd2725

    Жыл бұрын

    @@towtruckaj laminate is easy to clean, doesnt stain easily, doesn't require sealing like granite does you have to be careful about scratches, but thats easy if you just use a cutting board

  • @towtruckaj

    @towtruckaj

    Жыл бұрын

    @@srd2725 laminate is only stain and water resistant when the laminate isn’t cut, laminate often peels on the edges, it’s not scratch resistant, it’s not very hit resistant, it doesn’t resistant burns. On the flip there are countertops that don’t stain, don’t absorb water, take impacts well, don’t burn easily, etc and still don’t require sealing.

  • @johnsain
    @johnsain3 жыл бұрын

    Granite and Marble for natural beauty

  • @whoeverwhoever400
    @whoeverwhoever4005 жыл бұрын

    i'd like to order a 10' long diamond countertop please.

  • @melanieaway
    @melanieaway6 жыл бұрын

    um, bring a paint chip too. Otherwise those white undertones may clash...

  • @VP411Designs
    @VP411Designs3 жыл бұрын

    What is the difference between cultured marble, stone resin, polymarble, solid surface and Acrylic composition? What can be considered major positives and negatives for each of these types of bathroom vanity counters with built in sinks integrated in one piece? Are these fabricated vanities durable long lasting, heat resistant, color change resistant, chip resistant and any other item to consider?

  • @billytheweasel

    @billytheweasel

    3 жыл бұрын

    This was more of a sales vid for home owners than useful info...

  • @nicholassmith82
    @nicholassmith825 жыл бұрын

    Now, look at this showroom. *You mean the kitchen remodeling department at Home Depot?

  • @cfoster6804

    @cfoster6804

    5 жыл бұрын

    😂

  • @dannersmyers
    @dannersmyers7 жыл бұрын

    3:01 who the hell is markelangelo? LMFAO!

  • @traymuse3810

    @traymuse3810

    7 жыл бұрын

    Danny M Sicilian, he's part eggplant.

  • @SaraPause

    @SaraPause

    6 жыл бұрын

    I think he said Michael-Angelo

  • @balajiLILG

    @balajiLILG

    5 жыл бұрын

    Danny M Michaelangelo's twin brother

  • @ehsanulhaq4964

    @ehsanulhaq4964

    5 жыл бұрын

    I thought he said marbleangelo 😁

  • @lostinmyspace4910

    @lostinmyspace4910

    4 жыл бұрын

    @@traymuse3810 Part eggplant with a brain like mozzarella

  • @johndavis6498
    @johndavis64984 жыл бұрын

    what is that black counter in the beginning of this video?

  • @neveenjo5398

    @neveenjo5398

    3 жыл бұрын

    Quartz.

  • @wave7707
    @wave77077 жыл бұрын

    laminate for rental properties or low end flips

  • @traymuse3810

    @traymuse3810

    7 жыл бұрын

    wave of people that can't afford anything else

  • @Luckingsworth

    @Luckingsworth

    4 жыл бұрын

    Laminate for everything! Natural stone counters are nice but they all too often get replaced and destroyed within 50 years anyway. We dont have an endless supply. Natural stone should only be used for smaller and less permanent pieces (a coffee table for instance) that dont need to be ruined when somebody decides they no long like the look anymore.

  • @auzblake69
    @auzblake692 жыл бұрын

    I install granite countertops everyday. Quartz/quartzite/marble/all of it. Maybe the vudeo rubbed me the wrong way, he didnt do a good job. Granite is my preferred choice.

  • @ksho8196
    @ksho81962 ай бұрын

    So why not laminate? Seems more durable than all these stone materials.

  • @rogermurph101
    @rogermurph1013 жыл бұрын

    So you pay for that sealer, which I’m going to bet is rather expensive, THEN they cut the stone to fit? No more sealer on all those cut surfaces.

  • @TheHeadlessHorseman
    @TheHeadlessHorseman7 жыл бұрын

    2:00 he gets fresh!!

  • @foxfiresidechats5227

    @foxfiresidechats5227

    4 жыл бұрын

    The Headless Horseman bruh same Richard is WILD Lmao

  • @Maxid1
    @Maxid17 жыл бұрын

    3:01 "Markelangelo"? Is he related at all to Michelangelo?

  • @edgar4531

    @edgar4531

    6 жыл бұрын

    Mikey Mike

  • @jeanettekniebusch9532
    @jeanettekniebusch95326 жыл бұрын

    Not true sone me quartz they put vein in in to look like marble.I would never pick that quickly, men!

  • @SpellDreamsDOTCOM
    @SpellDreamsDOTCOM7 жыл бұрын

    bet those seals are toxic too...

  • @MrJoshcc600

    @MrJoshcc600

    4 жыл бұрын

    You dont eat it...

  • @bryanorso711
    @bryanorso7116 жыл бұрын

    Hi, Quartz does come with veining and movement just like natural granite and marble. Quartz is a much better product then granite. 1. Granite is porous - Quartz is not 2. Granite is NOT food prep safety approved, Quartz is 3. Granite has NO warranty - Quartz has a 10 year warranty 4. Quartz is much stronger then Granite.

  • @Arteolike

    @Arteolike

    6 жыл бұрын

    Put a hot tray of cookies straight of the oven on quartz... in a small kitchen you need all the useable space you can get, and that means considering moving hot pans onto the counter.

  • @cfoster6804

    @cfoster6804

    5 жыл бұрын

    @@Arteolike Put them on the floor

  • @rogermurph101

    @rogermurph101

    3 жыл бұрын

    @@Arteolike I’ve put hot pans on my quartz countertops. Nothing happens. Is something supposed to happen?

  • @kiminseattle3476
    @kiminseattle34765 жыл бұрын

    She must have lot of dough but almost color blind and no taste.

  • @fbksfrank4
    @fbksfrank44 жыл бұрын

    Awful customer, get that job done fast.

  • @suran396
    @suran3965 ай бұрын

    This wasn't terribly helpful. I need a down and gritty pro's and cons

  • @descargasdenia3161
    @descargasdenia31617 жыл бұрын

    En España utilizamos la encimera de la cocina de este material

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