You need to do some homework. Every material has it's pros and cons, and it all comes down to what you are willing to live with. "Best" is completely subjective. Frankly, if my DH had not felt so strongly about our using a "higher end" counter top (we ended up with engineered quartz) I would have done a laminate. They are durable, warm, soft, and very inexpensive. Completely low-maintenance if you are not careless about using them. Our quartz will be fine, and looks fantastic, but we spent nearly three times what we could have spent on a high-end laminate. IKEA has some DIY laminate for incredibly little cost if you are willing to put in the effort and will buy you plenty of time to do some research on your countertop options. Here is a link that might be useful: IKEA wood and laminate countertops

thx nancy! that gives me positive hope - not just my 'wishful' hope. he was fine when we were doing the dirt pad out front - or seemed to be his regular 'ol self! we noticed a few changes when we moved his pen (now called 'man cave'). I attributed that to several things - the change, he was then away from his sister on her trips out to potty (they were within ft of each other before) and I was out there each time and walked over to give him hugs etc. and he was penned in so I thought he just didn't like that! after about 2 wks I started cabling him again on the outer side of the man cave - he could go in...or out. I did that for several hrs in the evening hoping it would help him adjust. and of course, the heat here now! ugh! and he took to flipping his pool over so water would go all over the ground and then he'd lie in the mud. I didn't like that (he'd never been so dirty!) but figured if it cooled him I'd deal with it. prior to the pen change he was as active and ornery as he was when he was a pup. my sister said the same thing last night - that she didn't think he was ever gonna age and then boom! he is acting more alert today. not getting up tho. he did try to get up and bark at a worker - it was a sad sounding bark! I'm gonna spend some time tonight raking some of the stones in there over to the sides so he doesn't have to sleep on a bed of stone.

Yea, the counters aren't in bad shape at all. Except there's some water damage around that wood trim. Which is also the part I hate the most. That trim! And with wanting to paint the cabs white, I can't leave that and I don't like the look of that part painted, either. You know how you walk in the room, and something just stands out and as eye sore, making you not like the entire room. That's what these counters do for me. I really wouldn't mind the kitchen at all, if it weren't for those. Heck..I'd probably not even paint the cabs, (a whole other fear there). But, the green with the red paint kills me. If we don't get them done in the next six months, we're painting the kitchen again. Just to get rid of the red and green. It's funny, one of the reasons we bought this house a yr ago over some of the others, was because of the counters. I was so sick of seeing the same granite everywhere, this was a nice change. I think if I could go to a granite yard, pick out a beautiful slab I'd consider doing granite. But, I'm really just tired of seeing it in every single house I go to. High end homes, to middle of the road ones like mine. I have no choice but to do something cheaper, from a box store. And I just can't see doing the thin, little granite slabs all the builders and flippers do around here.

There can be two reasons you're not receiving the emails: You didn't check the "Check here if you would like copies of follow-ups to your message emailed to you." box when you created/started the post You don't have the email option turned on in your profile. To turn the email option on: Go to "Your Profile" (see top of page, above GardenWeb banner) You will have to log in again Check to be sure the email address entered is the correct one Scroll down to bottom to shaded area. Check the box that says...Allow other users to send you email via forms at our site. Click the "Save Your Member Profile" button You're done! I don't know if it's retroactive for current posts, but all future posts should have replies emailed to you....assuming you checked the "Check here if you would like copies of follow-ups to your message emailed to you." box when you create a new post.