What’s
Cooking in Countertops
By Susan
Rich
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| Mixed
countertop with stainless steel and granite. |
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| Eleek’s
cast aluminum counter tiles. |
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| Endura
Wood’s maple butcher block. |
“There
was a day when people were afraid to put an unusual countertop in
their kitchen,” says Julie DeJardin, owner of DeJardin
Designs. “But now it’s common to use wood, soapstone,
granite, marble, or limestone.”
Watch
for: Engineered stone products made out of quartz, granite particulates,
and resin. Unlike the natural flaws in granite and marble, these slabs
are perfect, don’t require sealing, and come in a range of colors
and patterns that imitate nature.
Other
choices include Eco-Cem and Eco-Terr, the latest innovations in recycled
countertop materials, says Karla Martin, sales and marketing manager
for Nu-Art, a custom countertop
company.
Eco-Cem
is an environmentally friendly product that binds cement and recycled
wood pulp into a heat-and stain-resistant, non-combustible product.
It comes in six colors. Most popular are the gray hues that resemble
soapstone or slate.
Eco-Terr
is a durable, colorful tile that comes in 16” or 24” squares.
These are made of natural stone aggregate materials with a cement
binder. Installation can be a DIY project, Martin says.
Stainless
Steel
If it’s good enough for a restaurant, then it’s good enough
for the intrepid kitchen gourmand.
Covering
a custom kitchen island in sturdy stainless steel yields a work surface
that is almost as durable as good old granite, which remains the hands-down
winner in the durability and heat-resistance game.
The shiny
surface is easy-to-clean, anti-microbial, and impervious to most wear-and-tear.
Stainless steel can make the transition from work surface to eating
area, extending the island’s usefulness. Eventually the shiny
silver top does mar, but it’s a patina born of good food and
social pleasures, notes Paul Scardina, owner of Paolo
Design Group.
100%
Recycled Cast Aluminum Counter Tiles
Eleek’s cast metal tiles
are designed and manufactured here in Portland. They are made from
100% recycled aluminum (recycled bronze is also available) and are
finished with a clear powdercoat finish that is non-reactive, non-toxic,
stain proof, and amazingly durable. They are lighter than stone. Custom
artist-applied patinas or colored powdercoats are available.
The tile
shapes and sizes have been designed to fit most kitchen cabinets.
They can also be modified to fit around custom appliances and unusual
layouts. The tiles can be used on floors and walls as well, indoors
or outdoors.
The tiles
are 5/16” thick, including a corrugated backing that is part
of the casting. They are applied with tile adhesive (to wood) or mastic
(to tile backer) and should be grouted with silicon grout (the grout
line is about 1/16” when the tiles are placed adjacent to each
other).
Eleek
tiles run $80 per sq ft without installation, $100 per sq ft with
installation. Eleek, Inc. also offers lighting, sinks, and hardware
as well as custom design and manufacturing services.
Wood
Counters: Warming Trend
Beautiful, durable, and sustainable, wood countertops are becoming
a popular alternative to granite and manufactured stone. White oak,
maple, and madrone — a hardwood known for its reddish hue —
are top choices today.
Wood
has its own natural beauty, holding its own against surfaces with
colder colors and textures, explains Mary Mulcrone, sales and marketing
manager for Endura Wood Products.
While not as enduring as granite, wood requires the same level of
care as a laminate countertop, which means it is easy to clean. Wood
countertops can be re-sanded, so blemishes and stains can be removed.
Add more
visual texture by mixing and matching wood types, Mulcrone says. It’s
also possible to install butcher block, either as a permanent part
of the counter or a removable slab that can be easily cleaned and
reversed to extend its wear.
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