How to Choose a Countertop | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner select a new countertop. (See steps below.)
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Richard presents options for countertop materials. Richard showed options for laminate colors, which were provided by Formica [www.formica.co...]. Richard also discussed wood, engineered stone, and natural stone. The kitchen showroom belongs to Right Angle Kitchens & Design [rightanglekitc...]. The natural stone showroom where homeowners can select their own slab and also provides factory sealing is Stone Decor Galleria [pickyourslab.net/].
Steps for How to Choose a Countertop
1. Visit a showroom that has full-scale kitchens on displays. There you’ll see various countertop materials in realistic kitchen settings.
2. Laminate counters are composed of thin sheets of plastic laminate glued to a particleboard substrate.
3. Plastic laminate comes in a wide range of solid colors and patterns, including ones that resemble stone.
4. Wood counters are available in several hardwood species, including teak and maple.
5. Don’t use wood counters near sinks or other wet areas.
6. Natural stone counters are cut from granite, marble, soapstone, limestone, sandstone, and slate, to name a few.
7. Note that natural stone is porous, so it must be sealed regularly to prevent staining.
8. An alternative to natural stone is an engineered product called quartz composite. It’s extremely hard and more stain-resistant that natural stone.
9. If you’re interested in a natural stone counter, visit a stone fabrication yard and view the full-size slabs in person.
10. Marble is a popular countertop material, but because it’s calcium-based, it’s softer and less scratch-resistant than granite. Marble must also be sealed more often.
11. Marble can be factory-sealed prior to fabrication, which dramatically increases its stain resistance.
12. The marble slab is placed in an oven and warmed to open up its pores.
13. Next, liquid penetrating sealer is sprayed onto the warm surface, and then buffing wheels evenly distribute the sealer and force it deep into the surface of the marble.
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Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers-and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.
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How to Choose a Countertop | Ask This Old House
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[@neveenjo5398]

That white Marble slab!! OMG .. so beautiful.

[@johnpalermo2422]

The blue marble is incredible omg

[@CoasterCrazyy]

just a note of the wooden island he showed. There is maintenance that must be done to retain the beauty of that countertop especially if you use it as a cutting board.

[@meg-k-waldren]

3:44. That old school exit off camera still rocks.

[@dreamichelle7225]

2:19 that blue bayou is marvelous, my favorite that I’ll own someday💙

[@chazz256]

Blue Bahia

[@marutn.8481]

He just got her into paying more for that sealer. The marble will still need to be sealed 1-2 times a yr depending how much you use it. Even if its sealed, it doesn't mean the marble will not stain. Quartz, marble, granite, quartzite, etc will all stain if it's not maintained.

[@srd2725]

laminate really has a lot of advantages

[@towtruckaj]

@@srd2725 Laminate is the worst in most categories idk what you're talking about.

[@srd2725]

@@towtruckaj laminate is easy to clean, doesnt stain easily, doesn't require sealing like granite does you have to be careful about scratches, but thats easy if you just use a cutting board

[@towtruckaj]

@@srd2725 laminate is only stain and water resistant when the laminate isn’t cut, laminate often peels on the edges, it’s not scratch resistant, it’s not very hit resistant, it doesn’t resistant burns. On the flip there are countertops that don’t stain, don’t absorb water, take impacts well, don’t burn easily, etc and still don’t require sealing.

[@johnnypoppyhead4116]

learn about that expensive garnet kitchen tops . what my neighbor did..1. split wine -stain it..she had to pay extra $$$ for contractor to come back and put on a sealer ? 2. the color.. dark parts of the rock..she had mice droppings -MICE - poop and could not see it .

[@cfoster6804]

You post this on all the countertop videos. If she had mice it's a no brainer that she shouldn't go with black countertops. And if she kept up on the sealing she wouldn't have had that problem. Granite is not for lazy people.

[@chazz256]

@@cfoster6804 Yeahhh I'm more concerned with her having mice on her countertops. YIKES..

[@c0mputer]

Mark Alangelo, stone carver. and mason

[@johnsain]

Granite and Marble for natural beauty

[@nicholassmith82]

Now, look at this showroom. *You mean the kitchen remodeling department at Home Depot?

[@cfoster6804]

😂

[@JohnR84]

But no Quartzite samples shown... This is real stone. “Quartz” is used to refer to the manufactured stone chips + epoxy countertops.

[@186bingo]

Yeah Quartzite is gorgeous

[@LuxuriousQuartzSlabs]

stone countertops installation is important

[@melanieaway]

um, bring a paint chip too. Otherwise those white undertones may clash...

[@dannersmyers]

3:01 who the hell is markelangelo? LMFAO!

[@traymuse3810]

Danny M Sicilian, he's part eggplant.

[@SaraPause]

I think he said Michael-Angelo

[@balajiLILG]

Danny M Michaelangelo's twin brother

[@ehsanulhaq4964]

I thought he said marbleangelo 😁

[@lostinmyspace4910]

@@traymuse3810 Part eggplant with a brain like mozzarella

[@VP411Designs]

What is the difference between cultured marble, stone resin, polymarble, solid surface and Acrylic composition? What can be considered major positives and negatives for each of these types of bathroom vanity counters with built in sinks integrated in one piece? Are these fabricated vanities durable long lasting, heat resistant, color change resistant, chip resistant and any other item to consider?

[@billytheweasel]

This was more of a sales vid for home owners than useful info...

[@auzblake69]

I install granite countertops everyday. Quartz/quartzite/marble/all of it. Maybe the vudeo rubbed me the wrong way, he didnt do a good job. Granite is my preferred choice.

[@whoeverwhoever400]

i'd like to order a 10' long diamond countertop please.

[@ksho8196]

So why not laminate? Seems more durable than all these stone materials.

[@johndavis6498]

what is that black counter in the beginning of this video?

[@neveenjo5398]

Quartz.

[@wave7707]

laminate for rental properties or low end flips

[@traymuse3810]

wave of people that can't afford anything else

[@Luckingsworth]

Laminate for everything! Natural stone counters are nice but they all too often get replaced and destroyed within 50 years anyway. We dont have an endless supply. Natural stone should only be used for smaller and less permanent pieces (a coffee table for instance) that dont need to be ruined when somebody decides they no long like the look anymore.

[@descargasdenia3161]

En España utilizamos la encimera de la cocina de este material

[@pragawa]

Thank you!

[@TheHeadlessHorseman]

2:00 he gets fresh!!

[@foxfiresidechats5227]

The Headless Horseman bruh same Richard is WILD Lmao

[@mrbreez33]

Marble Kitchen Ohh Yeah!!

[@CrowleysGraniteTV]

Great video.

[@andreakallfa2637]

Where is showroom located? Town, city?

[@rogermurph101]

So you pay for that sealer, which I’m going to bet is rather expensive, THEN they cut the stone to fit? No more sealer on all those cut surfaces.

[@Maxid1]

3:01 "Markelangelo"? Is he related at all to Michelangelo?

[@edgar4531]

Mikey Mike

[@jeanettekniebusch9532]

Not true sone me quartz they put vein in in to look like marble.I would never pick that quickly, men!

[@bryanorso711]

Hi, Quartz does come with veining and movement just like natural granite and marble. Quartz is a much better product then granite. 1. Granite is porous - Quartz is not 2. Granite is NOT food prep safety approved, Quartz is 3. Granite has NO warranty - Quartz has a 10 year warranty 4. Quartz is much stronger then Granite.

[@Arteolike]

Put a hot tray of cookies straight of the oven on quartz... in a small kitchen you need all the useable space you can get, and that means considering moving hot pans onto the counter.

[@cfoster6804]

@@Arteolike Put them on the floor

[@rogermurph101]

@@Arteolike I’ve put hot pans on my quartz countertops. Nothing happens. Is something supposed to happen?

[@SpellDreamsDOTCOM]

bet those seals are toxic too...

[@MrJoshcc600]

You dont eat it...

[@suran396]

This wasn't terribly helpful. I need a down and gritty pro's and cons

[@fbksfrank4]

Awful customer, get that job done fast.

[@kiminseattle3476]

She must have lot of dough but almost color blind and no taste.

[@descargasdenia3161]

En España utilizamos la encimera de la cocina de este material