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New kitchen - laminate or stone worktop? can't decide!

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We are in the final stages of arranging to have our kitchen done, chosen almost everything but we cannot make our minds up what worktop to have. Totally stuck and keep changing my mind! Its a choice between laminate or stone/quartz.

 

Have been looking at Silestone quartz, which would add an extra 50% on top of what we are paying for units sink tap etc, but would look very lovely and hopefully last for a long long time. We can just about afford this option but it seems like alot of money, even if it would look great.

 

or laminate which would make for a much much cheaper overall cost, but i have never looked at any laminate and thought it looks nice. it does its job though...

 

has anyone had the same dilemma?

What did you choose in the end?

any regrets about the choice you made?

Is stone actually practical? (don't want to spend my whole life polishing smears and marks of it!)

 

any opinions or info to help me make up my mind would be much appreciated, thank you.

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i would go for the quartz option,if you go to the right supplier there shouldn't be that much difference in price compared to granite.

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examine what your choice of stone is vulnerable to - eg some stones will disintegrate if they come into contact with lemon juice - then decide if it's practical for the way you live your life/cook

 

I agree, most laminates look tacky, but get the right one with the right appliances, and it sets the kitchen off but is much less hassle to live with than stone alternatives, and when that colour goes out of fashion, you don't feel obliged to keep it due to the cost of installation (and you have taken into account the installation cost and not just the material cost, haven't you?)

 

Ps, we opted for a nice matt finish white mottled laminate (didn't like the gloss ones) with a very square profile edge rather than a corian style faced board, and have absolutely made the right decision

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thanks, thats helpful - i think part of my dilemma is that quartz (cost plus fitting) is so much more than laminate that if i get it wrong (ie they fit it and i am not keen on the colour) it will be an expensive mistake.

 

I guess i need to look again at both options. will definite look at the profile of the laminate aswell, hadn't really thought of that but i guess it will make a big difference to the overall look.

 

Hmmmm

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In my last property we had axium which is a granite lookalike and not bad either a little more expensive than plain worktop but in the house I am in now we have Uba tuba solid granite and it looks awsome would never go back to standard worktop even it it did cost £7000

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thanks paulas - i think we are veering towards stone worktop (and its nowhere near 7000!). is it easy to live with though, or do you have to polish it all the time?

 

thanks.

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I prefer wooden worktops to granite ... I bounce too many dishes around the kitchen :D

 

I hate laminate, but with it being so much cheaper you could replace it every couple of years if you wanted to update the look of your kitchen.

 

The advantage for us with wood is that we can sand down every year and reoil. I love it. Not for everyone though.

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Ours has been in 3 years and all I need to clean it is a spray of surface cleaner and wipe, I tend to avoid cream cleaners as they are abrasive and it looks just as good as the day it went in

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the onlt thing I would be cautious of is the Silestone with sparkly bits in, these can sometimes peel or lift from the surface. For me it would either be Corian or granite. Have you sourced your kitchen yet? If not I would gladly take a look at it for you. You can look at some of my work on facebook page sheffield interiors. thanks Scott

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Im having same dilema about my kitchen floor ... resl wood, laminate or tiles. I have real wood worktop, some work in getting ready but looks fab !

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Have you considered Maia worktops (search interweb for their site). I supply and install them and they are a good composite product that are cheaper than granite. Lots of colours to choose from. Ring if you want a quote.

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Im having same dilema about my kitchen floor ... resl wood, laminate or tiles. I have real wood worktop, some work in getting ready but looks fab !
deffo not tiles!

 

grout is a pain to get food spills out of, plus ANYTHING dropped on the floor is a gonner immediately, and glass shards travel for miles on it

 

Kitchens are prone to leaks, so if you're having wood, it needs to be up the walls, sealed, and coated in yacht varnish. My mum had a leak in a kitchen with laminate in, and the damaged section was able to be replaced. Laminate can be noisy though

 

I'm a fan of the right style, good quality vinyl for kitchen floors just for practicality

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