Kitchen Counter Tops

[captras]

Really getting sidetracked from jetboats....but do you have any trouble opening your fridge door with it so close to the wall? We are remodeling and I have the same situation.

We thought we might but it is not a problem. Door will open past 90 degrees. If for some reason I needed to open farther the fridge does pull out with almost no effort. However, up to this point that has not been necessary.

 

[Julian]

We have granite in the kitchen and bathrooms (although one bathroom has a cool slate tile too) ....happy with it. What is this "sealing" you refer to on granite. All I've been doing is using a "granite cleaner" spray bottle (which in all likelyhood could be a bottle of water aimed at idiots like me)......

 

[Robconn]

Yeah, I feel your pain. Had 95% of remodel done with in one week. The remaining 5% was much longer once covid hit. We are especially happy with Granite installer. They were able to map out granite and place the most eye pleasing section for the island.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@Robconn That looks great. I enjoy the different edge on the island.

 

[jamesk]

Something to consider because I am trying to pick a countertop as well.
I love the look of the granite and quartz, problem is I also like lots of under cabinet lights.
The lights tend to reflect off the shiny countertops and it looks like the lights are in the countertops, you can see that in several of the pictures posted.
Now we are looking at honed and leather finishes but the color does not "pop" like it does when they have a high shine to them so that is one of the downsides.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@jamesk Why do you want to throw shit in game?? LOL Just kidding. Now you have my OCD going. Family does want under the counter lighting. I am thinking I should just let sleeping dogs lay and bring it up after the fact. Maybe I don't have to put under the cabinet lighting in. Would rather be putting LED's through out the Boat

Good catch, never even thought of that! Or they do have directional LED's, bars and strips, which could be an option.

 

[Julian]

@jamesk Why do you want to throw shit in game?? LOL Just kidding. Now you have my OCD going. Family does want under the counter lighting. I am thinking I should just let sleeping dogs lay and bring it up after the fact. Maybe I don't have to put under the cabinet lighting in. Would rather be putting LED's through out the Boat

Good catch, never even thought of that! Or they do have directional LED's, bars and strips, which could be an option.

Just don't go too nuts on the under cabinet lights and you'll be fine. I have them and love it.

 

[jdkaeser]

I'm getting ready to do a kitchen remodel as well and we are going with Quartz. It is almost indestructible and is not porous like granite. I have granite now and it's not bad but can stain and needs to be sealed occasionally.

 

[zipper]

When I wired the kitchen, I wired in a couple extra outlets, up high, just under the cabinets on a switched circuit. This was 19 years ago and I mounted these compact flourescent tube fixtures under the cabinets. It is about time for an upgrade to LED's. They are the lights we usually have on in the kitchen as indirect lighting in the evening.



Bought them at Home Depot a long time ago. Easy install.



Please excuse the lack of a backsplash, the subway tile has been sitting on the floor, a Winter project for the last couple of Winters.
Boat projects took priority. We took the diffusers off years ago.

 

[crazy4life]

Just a heads up . When i did my kitchen i went to the stone factory to pick the placement of all the templates. Had 3 different countertops plus the island. I was able to move all the templates around and the they outlined them before cutting the stone. I wanted to make sure any blemishes were not in plane view. This allowed me to pick the perfect placement of the island since that was right in the middle of the kitchen. If you don't go to the place they will decide were to make the cuts and they may not be as attuned to the placement of any blemishes.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@crazy4life That is excellent advice. They already mentioned that we could come in and view the template cuts if we would like to. We plan on going.

 

[robby76]

This is a GREAT thread with a topic where it’s supposed to be. No one is hijacking a thread. I feel this is great information along with documentation.
Keep it going and continue posting your pictures, I enjoy seeing all the different avenues.

 

[crazy4life]

Also I paid like 50 bucks a windowsill and I think it looks a lot better then white wood.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Here is where I am at as of tonight, screwing with routing a heat duct under one of the cabinets. They are coming to measure for countertops for tomorrow so I am finishing the last couple cabinets as well.

@crazy4life Going to do that I think. Great Idea.

 

[captras]

We have granite in the kitchen and bathrooms (although one bathroom has a cool slate tile too) ....happy with it. What is this "sealing" you refer to on granite. All I've been doing is using a "granite cleaner" spray bottle (which in all likelyhood could be a bottle of water aimed at idiots like me)......

I had heard about sealing granite also. When it was installed, the granite guy did use a sealant. I asked about it and he said that as long as you use a good quality granite cleaner/polish, periodic sealing was not really necessary. We have had granite in our bathrooms for about 5 years and had no problems....just quality cleaner/polish!!!

 

[GiddYupJoe]

@HangOutdoors just curious. Where did you get your cabs from? Local? I went With cliq studious And I have been impressed so far. Love the black BTW.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Oddly enough I went with Menard's after looking from custom to exotic to big box for many months. We got a mid range cabinet, I believe by Cardell. Wood. The cabinets are Midnight Blue, they may not show up in the picture the right color. Was going to get the exact same cabinets from a local kitchen shop for 19k +. The ones you are seeing, and there is still a floor to ceiling height pantry and a beverage center with space for wine refrigerator and glass door uppers, that I need to finish installing. Through Menard's I paid 10k OTD, with 11% back and I received a store credit for $1100. I have lazy susan's in the corners, full pull out spice rack, pull out large pan, wine racks, soft close doors, all ball bearings, organizers, solid wood, hinges swing in on themselves so they make a perfect 90 degrees without bumping. Also have toe kick, and crown, but the crown won't be used and I will be using a scribe since we raised up the cabinet uppers which are 39". Pretty surprised and pleased at the quality. Many, Many years ago I was working as a finish carpenter, so installing isn't a big deal, but I do them by myself, so they are cumbersome.

At Menard's they sat and designed it out, and the woman we met when we started really seemed to know her stuff. We really didn't expect to buy them there, but we were just browsing and had a conversation with her. Next thing you know she designed the kitchen, gave us the price and color, which the Admiral loved and they were on order. I did look at Cliq Studios and was going to take that further but it just worked out the way we went.

Finally, when we did the original plan, I had a couple of walls which I didn't know what was in them so we did the plans considering they were not going to move or be removed. We ordered the full set of cabinets. They came in before we started demo. Once we did the demo and I moved HVAC, and a ton of plumbing and electrical and determined that they were not structural in any way, we extended the counter and made the peninsula. Menards took back the smaller cabinets and just ordered us the longer ones with no restocking.

 

[AmesJainchill]

I had heard about sealing granite also. When it was installed, the granite guy did use a sealant. I asked about it and he said that as long as you use a good quality granite cleaner/polish, periodic sealing was not really necessary. We have had granite in our bathrooms for about 5 years and had no problems....just quality cleaner/polish!!!

This is what we were told as well on our installation/renovation back in 2016. Sealing necessity depends on the density of the granite or how porous it is - similar to the advice given here. Ours is gloss polished Bianco Antico on which we only use Cleaner/Polish combo from Granite Gold. Still looks like it did when it was installed.

I really enjoyed the selection process walking through the warehouse (yes we avoided any accidents) and looking at all the different slabs and types of granite and other materials out there (marble/onyx/quartz/quartzite/silestone, etc.). So much variety. Some of the exotics were crazy looking and had some translucency in them where we were told some customers had put lighting underneath the countertops which pretty much made them glow! Totally over the top for our modest application, but cool to see pictures.

 

[HangOutdoors]

@AmesJainchill We actually went to that warehouse early in the selection process, when we were just kicking tires. Took the kids and one was touching a Granite slab and the woman who was showing it to us yelled at her and explained what had happened. Chilling.

Porcelain is used a lot, so I understand, if you want to put lights under it. We saw some examples. Now there is discussion to do this in the bathrooms. Famous last words that I felt I should of not said....... "Hey guys come here look how cool this bathroom is"........ dumb.

 

[robby76]

Midnight Blue, wow...excellent!!!