“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.”
Mixed countertop with stainless steel and granite.
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.
Endura Wood’s maple butcher block.
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.
RESOURCES
Endura Wood Products
1303 SE 6th Ave., Portland, OR 97214
503-233-7090
www.endurawood.com
Nu-Art
503-452-7642
Toll free: 866-894-7642
www.nu-art.us
Paolo Design Group
Paul Scardina
1031 NW 11th Ave., Portland, OR 97209
503-222-1757
www.paolodesigngroup.com
Eleek, Inc.
2326 N Flint Ave, Portland, OR 97227
503-232-5526
www.eleekinc.com
