laminate instead of granite - budget cut
sprice5105
15 years ago
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rosie
15 years agoabbycat9990
15 years agoRelated Discussions
How to be budget-minded with granite
Comments (33)I went around to several granite yards. All had remnants, but most were small or just one slab or the less expensive granites. Then I got very lucky! One of the places had 5 slabs each of 2 different granites in their remnant yard for $25/sf installed. One of them was Costa Smeralda, one that DH and I had loved since we'd first seen it several years before, but never considered using because it's one of the priciest. All of the slabs were cracked 1/3 of the way over. The layout of our large kitchen was such that the slabs could be pieced together without showing the seams. For $25/sf and my favorite I can live with insignificant seams! They had lots of granite, marble, and onyx choices in their full price yard, some that I'd never seen before, so some of their smaller remnants were not the usual run-of-the-mill. They had only 2 framed letters of recommendation on the wall: one from the governor's husband regarding the granite they'd installed in the governor's mansion, and the other from a lawyer in one of our powerhouse firms who'd had his granite job screwed up by someone else, and then redone successfully by this place. So, look around if you have more time than money. You never know what you'll find! Anne...See MoreGranite to use instead of Lagos Blue?
Comments (11)Sorry I wasn't around yesterday--power was out for a good chunk of the day. (Big oak fell in a neighbor's yard and took out the power to the entire neighborhood.) Luckily my drywallers had extra lithium batteries and my kitchen has lots of natural light! hags00--thanks! I'll see what I can do with that. Either way--we are sticking with the lagos blue. DH is as in love with it as I am with my BS. EAM44--I hear you. I'm not messy in that stuff gets slung about...I'm messy in that things get set down/spilled on the counter. (Wine, olive oil,etc.) Will sealing the tile help? I really am in love. NO...truly. That color mix is EXACTLY what I've been dreaming about. For 15 years. And it matches my DR chairs: Bought that fabric n 2009...got enough to cover the seats and backs twice. (Found it on ebay...) I wanted the DR and kitchen to speak to one another--since there is a large pass through from the K to the DR. If sealing alone won't protect the grout...perhaps I should do stainless steel behind the range up to the hood... I'll talk to the tile guy about it. He seems to know his stuff. I love this board. Everyone is SO helpful!...See MoreCan you see the line where your granite laminate edge is located?
Comments (18)I talked to my GC today (he chastized me for not calling him on Saturday, as he did not want me freaked out all weekend long - how sweet!) and he tried to reassure me. He said these guys are great and that he has never had a problem with quality of their work. The only thing that has happened is that once they called the morning of install to say, "Oops, we dropped and broke the slab while loading it onto the truck," and they worked double time to get another one fabricated so as not to delay the job too much. He said he was going to be in the area where the fabricator's "showroom" is located and that he was going to stop by and check things out, but that they are in the process of renovating the space (thank goodness, because it was a wreck!). He said they have state of the art equipment and at times average about 60 kitchens a week. This is no small, fly-by-night fabricator. I'm still worried that I won't be happy, but now at least he knows that I am concerned. Noone can claim I wasn't upfront about my issues. As for the slabs, I did approve them, but they have not been cut (just picked up). I'm not sure what can be done at this point, but I am hoping to figure it out BEFORE they take a saw to the granite! :) I hope this makes sense. I have a cold and even though I reread it, I feel that cotton-headed feeling you get and I find myself rereading 3 times and am still not sure my sentences are complete! Anyway, I'll keep you posted....See MoreLaminate counters - can you cut the edge?
Comments (19)Maeve- I am in the same position. While I realize many are steering you towards just buying new, I realize it's multiple steps to get a new countertop. Hence the reason I am avoiding it. My fix is for 2 years until I get new cabinets (lower) with a granite counter installed. There are trim options, even in ceramic, to create a lip (a little hackish) between the edge of the counter once removed. You could also hack it with a a bit of round (be sure to reinforce the finish when painted for water contact. Do you plan to RE-finish the counter top? I would assume you will need to relaminate or cement it. I am using a heavier finish. I am using this: Daich Coatings Inc.spreadstone ($80+) for a slate look, I am hacking their technique (emailed them to make sure it would work). Once the back lip/splash is removed it's going to leave some attractive particle and maybe some uneven areas. I have seamfill and putty to bridge the gap. Is this cheaper than a new laminate counter, yes. Is the time worth it, maybe not. I'm not sure about refinishing the counter with wallpaper (meant to mimic a finish) or laminate look sheets. Some of those are inexpensive....See Morema-bookreader
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