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Choosing Kitchen Countertops: The Maintenance Factor

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Choosing Kitchen Countertops: The Maintenance Factor

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. To help you wade through the sea of choices for new kitchen countertops, take a long, hard look at how they compare for durability and maintenance. Having a clear idea of the amount of work you re willing to do to maintain and protect your new investment will make the decision less complex. Take stone, for example. After millions of years in the Earth, granite, marble and travertine are naturally hard and beautiful and for $50 to $100 per square foot, they can grace your kitchen. But they re also naturally porous, so you ll have to seal them every few years with a non-toxic sealer. Some kinds of natural stone can stain with acidic foods and can even crack if you put a very hot pot directly on them. Some, like slate long used for laboratory countertops are better than others at taking the heat and acids, but oils can darken them and they are prone to scratching. Engineered quartz stone, at the same price point, has solved some of the maintenance problems of natural stone. It s non-porous, twice as strong and tough to scratch or crack. Like anything else, though, even high-end countertops are only as good as their installation, so check references on whoever is going to do the work to make sure you start off with the best finish possible. Wood countertops require mineral oil treatments and occasional sanding for stains. Solid surfaces don t require treatment and scratches can be buffed away easily. But using trivets or pads under hot pots is important to avoid damaging any wood or plastic surface. Regardless of your budget, think about the way you cook and clean and how much extra work you re willing to do before you choose a material. Your new countertop should fit the way you live, not the other way around. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

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Budget Kitchen Remodeling Ideas

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. If your kitchen s begging for a facelift but your budget begs to differ, try focusing on some key details instead of a major overhaul. If the cabinets are still in good shape, you can change the look of your kitchen just by changing the color of the walls and re-surfacing or re-painting the cabinets. Cabinet re-facing, which involves replacing the veneers, is more expensive but still saves 50 percent over a complete remodel. As long as your cabinets aren t laminate or melamine, you can re-paint them yourself. De-grease them with a citrus oil-based household cleaner, remove the doors and hardware, and apply a primer-sealer first though you might still have to sand them down before painting. New drawer and door pulls will make a huge difference as well. In rethinking your colors, go for a 60-30-10 color scheme, which means 60 percent of a main color, 30 percent of a complementary color and 10 percent for an accent color like a backsplash or a trim detail. Recommended kitchen colors often include shades of tan, peach, yellow and all the many off-whites. Keep the big-ticket items like cabinets on the neutral side and accent with easily interchangeable elements like wall paint, window treatments and small appliances. That way, changing the look of your kitchen in another few years won t have to be a major investment. Florescent under-cabinet lighting strips are an easy and inexpensive way to brighten up. And since you use it so often, spending a couple hundred dollars to upgrade the kitchen sink or even just the faucet can also go a long way for short money. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Choosing Your Kitchen Sink

Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. Kitchen sinks have come a long way from the wash basins of yesteryear. With so many to choose from, how do you decide which one is right for you? First, consider your countertop material. With laminate countertops, you ll need a top-mount or drop-in sink. If you re installing stone, composite or solid surface countertops, you could consider an undermount sink for a sleeker look and easy cleaning. Most solid surface manufacturers offer flush-mounted or integral kitchen sinks in the same material as their countertops for a seamless transition and a clean, modern look. Once you ve determined how you ll mount the sink, decide what it should be made of. To coordinate with appliances, stainless steel is a very popular and durable option. Cast-iron sinks glazed in porcelain offer a variety of colors to go with your d cor. Acrylic sinks also come in colors and are very affordable and easy to install, but they can be damaged by hot pans or boiling water. Solid surface sinks are great for durability with a modern aesthetic. For a more historic patina, consider a farmhouse or apron sink or invest in copper, zinc or soapstone. How big should you buy? Measure the width of your sink cabinet. If you have the room, consider a three-bowl sink of varying depths. It s very handy to have separate spaces for food prep, dishes and the garbage disposal. Be sure you factor in holes for all the accessories that will make your sink a more useful tool: strainers, cutting boards and dispensers for soap and filtered water. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Kitchen Countertop Options by Price

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Countertops are such a big part of any major kitchen remodel and there are so many new options, deciding on the best choice can seem a little daunting. Starting with the budget can make the decision easier. Countertop materials range widely in price, anywhere from $11 to $200 per square foot installed. Generally speaking, while high-end countertops can boost your kitchen s look, you don t want them too far out of sync with the price point of your cabinets and appliances. Heavier materials like concrete and natural stone can also require added support, so cabinet and countertop quality should be consistent. Once you ve decided what you can spend, you can narrow your countertop options. For smaller budgets, get creative with ceramic tile at $11 to $30 per square foot. Or, check out some of the new high-tech options in laminate, which can be fabricated and installed at $36 to $45 per linear foot. Solid surface countertops offer lots of creative color options from $40 to $60 per square foot installed, and an integral solid surface sink is a great easy-care feature. In the $50 to $100 range, there are many choices. Among them are wood and butcher block with its warm beauty and natural antimicrobial properties; natural stone like slate, soapstone, marble, travertine and granite with all the quirks of nature built in; and engineered quartz countertops with a wide color range and more consistent patterns. Stainless-steel and concrete countertops are generally the most expensive at around $100 on up per square foot. But they can also be fabricated with integral sinks and they re great if you re going for that restaurant or industrial look. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

New Kitchen

One of the best ways to increase the value of your home is to remodel and update the kitchen. With a minimum of effort and expense, you can reface your existing cabinets... and update the flooring to give your kitchen a facelift. If your kitchen could stand a complete makeover, consider incorporating new cabinetry, energy efficient appliances, and a convenient home office.