Should you replace your countertops?
Countertops wear out, as they are heavily used, and don’t get me started on what teen-agers with kitchen knives and block of cheese will do to the countertop. Cutting boards? Who needs those? So you could probably use a new countertop. Price varies tremendously, depending on the material chosen.
Countertop materials are chosen not only for appearance, but perhaps more so for resistance to staining from spills, damage from chopping and chipping from dropped pots and heat resistance.
- Stone countertops include granite, limestone and marble; these are very sturdy and are not likely to ever go out of style. They are at the top end of pricing, all well over the $100/per square foot price range.
- Engineered stone is made from 93% quartz, so is often referred to as simply quartz. These hover around the $100 mark, from a low of around $70 up to $130. They are an excellent choice, as they require no maintenance, and can be molded to any shape, and come in a multitude of colors.
- Concrete countertops are an interesting use of concrete! These look nothing like your standard concrete in any other application. The surface is smooth and can be stamped and stained for a gorgeous countertop.
- Stainless steel countertops are not just for the commercial kitchen; they are sometimes found in residential kitchens, for good reason. It won’t stain, rust or otherwise corrode; it is a very sturdy, maintenance free material, with a reasonable price; $75 – $100 per square foot.
- Budget friendly laminate can be found that mimic stone, wood and quartz, and can be replace when needed, without breaking the bank. Laminates are excellent at resisting stains, impacts and heat, although I wouldn’t put a hot pan right off the stove on it. Laminates can be as low as $10 (not sure what this low price will get you!) to $50 per square foot.
This is obviously not an exhaustive list of materials and costs; installation can add to costs, and some materials are more labor-intensive than others to prepare and install.
