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thoughts on glass kitchen countertops?

2 years ago

is there anyone with glass countertops in their kitchen that can share what their experience has been with it ? went to look at quartz slabs today and saw beautiful glass ones so am thinking about glass now and need to find out the pros and cons from someone who has it in their home, not the salesperson.

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Comments (9)

PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
Bad idea. Looks cool initially, but the scratches show and it's not repairable. And if you think you're not going to chip it you're dreaming.
a n
Original Author
2 years ago
there's no glass strong enough? and isn't it great for heat and stains?
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I only got glass in the cabinetry by the dining table area. First, it separated the eating area from the prep area (our space is one big room). Second, my husband didn't want to eat by 'storage boxes' as he calls them. Third, I wanted to be able to show off my Mommom's wedding china and our wedding gifts that used to be on display in our hutch. Basically, I use the glass fronts only for display with the exception of my Mommom's china which is our 'everyday' dinnerware. We gave her our word that it would be used, never boxed and never, ever in the attic. Weirdly enough, every other set of dishes has received cracks, chips, or been shattered. Not a nick on hers. I got only clear glass rather than a patterned glass. The patterned glass was alot more expensive and you can't see thru it without a light behind it. Even then, the objects are obscured. For me, that would have been a waste of money. I don't put any 'junk' in the glass fronts, it is all hidden behind the solid doors.
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I looked into a lot of glass products and decided against it for the counters. The only one that seemed solid and strong enough yo compete with tile or stone is Bioglass. It's a recycled glass product made under pressure. It comes from Spain, I think, and it takes something like three years to make. It's gorgeous, and supposedly as strong as granite, but I don't think the energy that goes into making and shipping it is particularly environmentally friendly. And it's very expensive. I looked at locally made slab glass, both new and recycled. It's also very pretty, but it was way way too easy to nick mar and chip. There are a bunch of recycled glass terrazzos, with bits of glass suspended in concrete or resin. In concrete, it's like a traditional terrazzo. In resin, it has a fairly similar look, but handles more like quartz. The concrete ones can stain and etch like any other concrete product. I ended up with tile and stone, but you may find that one of these works for you. A lot depends on how hard you use your kitchen. I'd recommend against slab glass for the heavy working part of a kitchen. Quite a few GWers have put in sheet glass backsplashes and liked them. Just be aware that you'll have seams. If your cabinets change levels you'll want a seam at that point, for instance. In cuts in glass put too much strain on it and can lead to shattering. Oh! That green color? That's the natural color of clear glass. They also make a clear gray (white) glass that appears more colorless by using different chemicals.
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Comments (3)
I'd consider painting the walls white, painting the cabs a charcoal black, raising the uppers, getting shiny hardware and adding a shallow shelf below (unless the cooks are on the shorter side) like in the picture below. The black will blend in with your appliances and mask the tell-tale painted oak cabinet arch in the uppers. Black cabinets seem to be on trend right now, so may fizzle out in about five years if that sort of thing concerns you. If the tops are in good condition, I'd just leave them and do a simple tile backsplash. If they're worn or damaged, I think butcher block plays nicely with black and white kitchens. We're getting ready to install bamboo butcher block counters as recommended here and I'm hopeful that they turn out nicely; they're really pretty and affordable at $220 per 8 foot slab. ETA: I commented on my phone, so didn't see that you have a soffit above your uppers In this situation, I'd repaint in the same configuration you have: the lowers and fridge surround black and the uppers and soffit both the same white to create the illusion of height like crown molding would.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
2 years ago
It depends on the use and user. If you're a careful widow who never get visits from teenage grandchildren, you'll be fine.
millworkman
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
"there's no glass strong enough?"

All glass breaks and or scratches.
Chessie
2 years ago
Glass countertop?? That just sounds like a disaster.
M Miller
2 years ago
I’ve seen some that look cool. But they strike me as something that looks cool at first, but you can get tired of quickly. Especially if you have to be careful not to drag the cutting board across it and the like. If I think of e.g., marble counters, you have to be careful with those too. But marble is so gorgeous, and has been used as counters for a thousand years, so glass counters don’t fit that same test.
Fori
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Glass is more scratch resistant than almost anything else used on counters. I wouldn't use it, but like just about everyone, I don't have experience with it. :P
morz8 - Washington Coast
2 years ago
I don't have glass counters but neither would I consider them. I have a very pretty glass breakfast table - that I would probably toss if it was more than the two of us. It will scratch and be clanky loud if ever used without place mats. I have a walnut lazy susan in the middle that matches the base, but we still plate at the stove or peninsula when eating there. Fingerprints, minor spills, condensation from a glass....Windex daily. Non-streaking original formula only.
a n
Original Author
2 years ago
all fair points. quartz it is then, thank you

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