DIY kitchen counter

[EricU]

I somehow backed into renovating the kitchen.  I'm trying to keep it cheap and quick. The ugly yellow formica counters and backsplashes have been a clear and present danger for 20 years now. The danger being throwing $30k at a house that is not worth putting that much into it.  Well, I got roped into removing a hanging cabinet over a peninsula, and one thing led to another.  If we did things right, there would probably be $2k just cleaning up the electrical wiring and plumbing. I already agreed to new floors.  

Anyway, I don't really like the cabinets, and putting a $2k counter top on them just seems stupid.  Wife wants new counters and daughter is pushing for high-end materials.  Because she doesn't pay for anything, just spends.
We had a tile counter in a previous house, and we liked it until it came time to clean it, which is a pita.  I am thinking much of the pita is removed if I used 12" or larger floor tiles.  I know that's out of style, but if we ever sell the house the new owners are almost surely going to waste a batch of money replacing the kitchen. I feel like I could tile a lot faster and cheaper than anything else, but maybe I'm thinking wrong.  We are in a mini building boom right now, don't think that the counter guys are really that interested in small custom jobs.

Are there other materials I should be considering?

[Robert Adams]

You can get granite countertop tile. It's countertop depth and about 2' wide. Then you edge it with countertop edge made from the same granite. It's a little hard to find but might be an option. 

    Our house had tile countertops and I hated it. Plywood is better than tile... Any time you set something small down it would tip over from the grout lines. The bathroom was done that way as well and it's even worse as nothing stands up without balancing it. 


       There is also soapstone if you can get it locally. II can be cut with regular ww  tools and easy to make drainboards. And there is also zinc which isn't bad eiher.

      I'm having granite done in our kitchen. Just under 50 sqft as we have a farm sink which takes out a little bit. At a cost of rroughly $700 but at that price material choice is limited. The material is actually not very expensive, it's the cutting that costs.

[Splinter Puller]

I did half of my new kitchen in hardwood butcherblock.  I bought cheap birch block from Menards and spray dyed it dark walnut and then spray finished with clear polyurethane.  The cost was under $500 for about 16 lineal feet including a wide island.  Looks great and still like new after a year.

[Bob10]

Where are you I might be able to provide you a source for prefab granite at prices near the same cost as tile.  I can get it near me for less than tile.

[Phil Thien]

How much countertop do you have?  I see ads from time to time here with granite and quartz, soapstone, too.  Maybe just not enough for what you need.

OTOH, maybe enough to make a difference if you did some in butcher block you make yourself.

[CLETUS]

Why not go with new laminate? It's cheap and easy to do yourself.

I do like the butcher block idea though...

[Robert Adams]

Why not go with new laminate? It's cheap and easy to do yourself.

I do like the butcher block idea though...

          Good point. There are some pretty nice laminates available now and laminate is actually quite durable and doesn't need the extra care that natural stone does.

        I was looking a prefab granite counter tops and if it wasn't for having an inside corner I could do it.

[EricU]

huh, I thought the forum would display my location.  I'm in Centre County Pennsylvania.  New laminate is an idea I should have thought about.  I don't mind it, but the color is offensive to almost everyone.  Guy built our house on spec and he seemed to like it.  flooring is yellow too.

I'll try to post a pic of the kitchen tonight

[bottd]

Go to the BORG and look at the laminate samples. Color, pattern, textures, just about anything you want. I don't think you can beat it for a budget kitchen remodel.

[Robert Adams]

You have to go in and redo your profile to add the location etc. It was all lost in the merger. Probably databases that wouldn't merge with the new.