Alternatives to Granite Countertops, Part II

Christina Ebbers says:

Wow what a cool ideabook! The onyx and copper counters are my favorite. Beautiful!

Paul Anater says:

Thanks! I've had a thing for zinc counters for ages.

Becky Harris says:

Wow, I am definitely bookmarking this ideabook as a valuable resource, I learned a ton from you!

Question: I visited someone with hammered copper counters once, and the one thing I did not like about it was the way the owner had wiped them with a sponge and you could see all the little water droplet stains all over it - is there a good way to keep the metal counters wiped clean?

Paul Anater says:

Copper is a reactive metal, just like zinc. It can't be kept looking pristine. You avoid droplet stains by drying the counter after you wipe it with a wet sponge or cloth.

otroyansky says:

Question - what do you think of Silestone, which is quartz. Good countertop?

Pat Lukes says:

I'm surprised quartz, like Caesarstone or Silestone weren't mentioned or shown, otroyansky. They are a great alternative to granite. They are a green material
and hugely popular these days and almost demand the same resale that granite
does.

kandy smith says:

Anyone have any experience with soapstone? I love the look of it and now there is a wax available so you don't have to use the messy mineral oil weekly.
I am considering using it for our new home.

Joan D says:

Kandy0629, I have a Brazilian soapstone countertop and I absolutely love it. It has a blue-green vein running through it and is in a matte finish that feels like leather. I don't oil or wax it as I prefer the matte look. It's a hard working, warm and beautiful stone. We use it in our 160 year old in-town stable converted into a home in a kitchen with antique French terra cotta floor tiles and a blue porcelain and copper la cornue stove but I believe soapstone would work equally well in an ultra modern application as in a traditional. Good luck with your new home! Joan

Paul Anater says:

otroyansky and patlukes: I mentioned quartz composites in my first Alternatives to Granite IdeaBook: http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/138308/list/

Quartz composites are a great counter surface and a couple of the manufacturers, Silestone and Caesarstone come to mind immediately) are starting to release materials with honed, embossed and textures finishes. They are a product category well worth investigating.

Kandy: The mineral oil used with soapstone is optional and with time, it oxidizes into a patina that no longer needs to have oil applied to it. I am unfamiliar with any waxes that function as an alternative to mineral oil. Do you have a link?

Joana: That matte finish is somewhat leather-like. I like how it has a warm appearance, especially when it's left with its un-oiled, matte finish. It too is a great surface and it's far more resilient than a lot of people realize.

The Welcome Home: Interior Design Solutions says:

For years I have assumed my countertops are stainless steel. Now I think they may be zinc. My home was built in 1958. Can you tell me how I can tell the difference between zinc and stainless steel? I am not sure I have ever seen zinc in person.

Shirley Corwin says:

Soapstone wasn't even mentioned. I have it in my new kitchen and I absolutly LOVE it!!!!

jensaint says:

Paul,
A mixture of walnut oil and carnuba wax is used for soapstone countertops. It lasts much longer than an application of mineral oil alone. Try this link: http://phillysoapstone.com/enhancer.htm

dalefluri says:

I had granite put in through out my new home. In the kitchen we had it honed, then treated for life with something, so we'll never have to treat it again! The island is a contrasting black which we left shiny. Love the contrast of the two styles!

Mary Habres says:

Loved this article because I'm trying to learn as much as I can about the diffrent types of countertops out there besides granite. Will be researching more about the Pyroclave counters since they are so beautiful and resiliant like granite.

Paul Anater says:

jillvaleri: Zinc is a soft, reactive metal. If your counters have a warm, powder-y glow to them then you have zinc. If you drip some lemon juice on your counter and it doesn't react then you have stainless.

Scorwin: This was a part two and I covered soapstone in the first Alternatives to Granite IdeaBook a few weeks ago. There's a link to it above.

Jen: Thanks for the link!

dalefluri: It sounds like you had your granite sealed with a nano sealer. They are worth every penny!

Mhabres: Pyrolave is an amazing surface. It's expensive but there's nothing else like it.

Sylvia Provenski says:

I love the different looks and styles shown with the different stone counter tops. For those who can't afford the stone counter tops could you show us some great looking alternatives like the Formica?

suz1023 says:

i too love zinc--any good ideas on how to source it in new england?

boula1 says:

I really like the counter tops from Pyrolave France. The glazed basalt looks beautiful. Is that available in the US ?

Paul Anater says:

Sylden: I defend laminates like Formica and WilsonArt all the time. They are usually given a bad rap and it's unfair. They make a good surface. For some reason, there are very few shots of laminate counters in the Houzz archives and maybe including laminate in this IdeaBook will inspire some more people to upload some glamor shots. In the meantime, here are two kitchens from Formica.

Suz: I am in Florida and have a raft of trouble finding it here. It's a pretty traditional counter material so a quick Google search using terms like "Zinc+countertop+New England with bring you a raft of results.

Boula1: Yes, it is sold in the United States but as an import from France. So far as I know, no one in the US inventories it.

Joanne Cannell, CKD, CBD, CID says:

I would like to mention that if anyone is considering a honed countertop, they need to check on how that affects a number of things. In granite, honing can shift colors. It generally just makes the color softer, but in some cases, I have seen unexpected shifts in tone. The roughening of the surface can make fingerprints show, & it voids the warrantee on many quartz countertops. There are also different degrees of honing which can create finishes from a soft sheen to matt.

Paul Anater says:

joanneca: Great points, thanks for adding them. Honing granite shifts a lot of colors pretty profoundly so much so that run-of-the-mill patterns like Uba Tuba and Baltic Brown look like different stones all together. The fingerprint situation is most pronounced on darker colors and a kitchen I did in Caesarstone Raven honed comes to mind immediately. It was a beautiful counter but it didn't respond well to skin oil. It was easy to remedy with some Windex but it did add to its upkeep.

Saam Phelps says:

Thanks for all that really great information! I'm counter top shopping and was sure I did not want granite. I had my heart set on soap stone or marble....of course with two little kids granite is more practical so I found a wonderful granite while visiting Sandpoint Idaho called Idaho Smoked. It's black with white vein. reminds me of a combonation of marble and soap stone, perfect!!

kandy smith says:

Thank you to all who responded about soapstone!
I think it might be just what I am looking for.
Joanavalyn your kitchen sounds gorgeous!!!!
Scorwin your countertop is beautiful!
Now if I could just decide what to put on my island :)

Carolyn Zone9alady says:

I just adore copper, but the zinc I could live with too. That glazed basalt looked fabulous!

Paul Anater says:

Sweetmarguerite: You are welcome and the granite you found sounds beautiful though I'm unfamilair with it. Upload a photo if you get the chance. Thanks!

Kandy: I'm glad you got the responses you were looking for. I shouldn't be, but I'm always amazed at the generosity of the Houzz community. Now about that island...

Zone9alady: I'm in ag zone 9b, we're practically neighbors! That glazed basalt is one of the most distinctive counters available.

kurloon says:

Has anyone used glass for an island top before? Something thick and textured underneath....?

Paul Anater says:

I've specified glass counters from ThinkGlass before, they are spectacular-looking and extremely strong. http://www.thinkglass.com/

Joanne Cannell, CKD, CBD, CID says:

Paul: You are welcome. And your post had a number of good ideas. I'm a kitchen & bath designer, which is why I am aware of honing issues. The high sheen countertop in black Corian could also be problematic. Last time I checked, Corian scratches fairly easily, & the scratches look white. A granite or quartz work much better for a dark, shiny surface.

Cindy says:

Don't forget to oil or wax your soapstone! It will dry out and crack if left dried too long. Soapstone won't usually stain, but is soft so might chip.
Dido on the thinkglass.. it is amazing.

Paul Anater says:

Joanneca: I'm one of them too and I'm forever on the lookout for new counter materials. You're absolutely correct about high-gloss solid surface. That high-gloss finish is best left for trophy kitchens no one actually uses. It does photograph beautifully.

ckb0118: I have never seen or hear of soapstone cracking from drying out. That's one of the reasons it's so often used in fireboxes and wood stoves, it's doesn't crack. Can you please elaborate?

Jeff Smoler, ASID, ASFD says:

Have you tried engineers quartz? I have used milestone for several years. They come with a warranty. Granite does not.

Joanne Cannell, CKD, CBD, CID says:

Jsmoler: When I referred to quartz, I was talking about the engineered type: Silestone, Caesarstone, Zodiac, etc. Did you mean Silestone? I googled Milestone, & it actually is a counter material, but is made from concrete. As Paul mentioned, he talked more about quartz in his previous post on countertops. It's a great product - especially if you want a polished, consistant look.

Paul Anater says:

Joanne: Thanks again for lending you expertise around here. We need it! I just want to add that a quality granite fabricator will warranty granite. The warranties vary from fabricator to fabricator and an utter lack of a warranty is sign to take your business elsewhere.

Joanne Cannell, CKD, CBD, CID says:

You're welcome Paul. One further note: while a good fabricator will offer a warranty, it generally would be a warranty against defects in fabrication & installation & often doesn't cover the stone itself. A quartz countertop warranty would cover the material as well.

Paul Anater says:

It's good to have that made clear ahead of time

kuhlchick says:

I used a WilsonArt formica that has a rich texture and beautiful depth of color. Everyone asks me if it's granite - it's that beautiful! I've attached pictures. If you are on a tight budget and want that beautiful granite look, check out the WilsonArt samples.

Paul Anater says:

Beautiful kitchen, thank you for posting those photos! And look for an IdeaBook from me that will be all about laminates.

Bilton Design Group says:

There is another product that has not been mentioned and can be seen here in Houzz. If you look under professionals under the name Bilton Design Group you will see the product. It is called Richlite, it is a product used for making skate board ramps. This material is a composite wood which is used in professional kitchens for it's antibacterial properties. It is very durable and heat resistant and can be refinished as it is colored throughout. As this is a wood product it cannot be cut on, but most people use cutting boards anyway. This product Is available in several different colors but does have a limited color range. It has a matte finish and like most surfaces requires a sealer.

Paul Anater says:

Thanks Russ, I just bookmarked their website.

Stephanie Southwick says:

I've never used the glazed stone, though I have wanted to for years.
Great article, it's great to think outside of the granite box. :)

Some fabricators do warranty the stone, so be sure to check.

Also just to clarify a comment above, soapstone does not "dry out and crack" with lack of oil. Using mineral oil on soapstone is a cosmetic preference, it's not a must.

Paul Anater says:

Thanks for clearing that up Steph.

mousymiss says:

Soapstone fan here! I am another who would like to second the notion that soapstone is the perfect choice. I have used soapstone for both my first home's kitchen remodel and now my second home three years later. It looks and performs fantastically, and feels so great (dare I say sensuous?) under your fingertips. If you prefer to buy domestically whenever possible, the only quarry in the US is Alberene Soapstone in Schuyler, Virginia. It's where we had ours fabricated...wonderful material and wonderful people to deal with there. Photos show before & after soapstone.

Paul Anater says:

Thanks for the photos! And you're right about its texture, it is sensuous and it begs to be touched.

babcisue says:

I really love the look of the Corian. I've recently seen the new line called Private Collections and the fluid patterns, warm tones and subtle veining is gorgeous. You should check it out!

Paul Anater says:

I love it too, in fact that private collection was the lead image in my first IdeaBook on this topic a few weeks ago.

Blue Sound Construction, Inc. says:

Does anyone know anything about granite supposedly emitting radon? I personally don't favor it, but the honed black granite isn't bad. I had been leaning toward limestone, though I know it has problems (etching from acids, etc...) I do love the fossils in it. Would love to hear other's experiences with limestone.

Paul Anater says:

Gebs: I've researched it pretty extensively and wrote a series of articles about it with the help of a physicist.

Radon is a naturally-occurring byproduct that comes from the uranium that's scattered widely throughout the earth. Anything that's made from or spent any time in or on the ground has uranium in it, naturally. This means that things like granite and any stone, cinder blocks, drywall, brick, pottery and even things like potatoes have uranium in them and that uranium got there naturally.

Uranium degrades over time and one of the products of that degradation is a radioactive gas called radon. Radon is another substance that's widely occurring and a natural part of living on the earth. Radon also has the potential to cause harm if it's allowed to accumulate. For most people, this accumulation can only happen in a basement where there's a low rate of air exchange. But you can have accumulating radon in a basement whether or not there are any granite counters down there. That radon got there as it leached from the surrounding soil.

If you use granite as a counter material and if that granite has enough uranium in it to emit radon, that radon can't accumulate in areas where the air's disturbed. Just as uranium breaks down into radon, so radon breaks down into four other elements and radon doesn't stay radon for very long. By the time radon shows up in an an area like a kitchen, it starts to break down immediately and that breakdown combined with the air exchange prevents it from accumulating.

Keeping your home and your life free from radiation is impossible. That word, radiation, frightens a lot of people and it does so needlessly. You're surrounded by naturally-occurring radiation constantly and your body has mechanisms in place to deal with it. The problem, when there is a problem, come in when your exposure levels exceed the threshold where your body can't deal with it any more. Having granite counters in your home gets you no where near that threshold.

Granite counters pose no threat and whether or not to use them should be an aesthetic call not one based on fear and dubious science.

Does that make sense?

kandy smith says:

Lots of good information here. Paul I know you mentioned you loved the Carrera marble and I am considering it for my island while using the soapstone on the other counters. I went back and read your first countertop ideabook where you mentioned the "patina" was one thing you liked. Could you please explain exactly what that looks like and means exactly lol? Also can't you bleach the stains on marble? My husband's father had a terrazzo business years ago when it was so popular here in Florida and they used bleach all the time.
Thanks

Paul Anater says:

kandy: In the comments of that first idea book I talked about my experiences in Italy and it's in seeing how marble ages when it's in constant use for hundred of years that made me a marble lover. Some friends and I rented a 150 year old villa in Sorrento a couple of summers ago and I cooked the whole time on 150 year old marble kitchen counters. They were beautiful and they showed 150 years worth of wear and were all the more beautiful for it. The scratches I made on its surface when I diced tomatoes of sliced bread added to that counter's history and it made me feel like I was really there. Here's another photo of me standing at the sink. You can see the marble on the back splash and on the window sill.

Bear in mind that marble is unsealed and has been in constant use for a very long time. It will remain in use for a long time to come.

No one will ever mistake it for a solid surface counter but it has a warmth and a beauty all its own. It's marble's flaws and the patina it develops over time that make it beautiful.

You can bleach marble counters but it's not a very good idea. Liquid chlorine bleach shouldn't be used on anything that's made from calcium and marble's a calcium-based stone. So for that matter is concrete and terrazzo. It will work but it will shorten the lifespan of whatever's being bleached. I suppose that's only important if you want something around for a couple of hundred years though. :)

Paul Anater says:

Here's that photo:

Shannon Sadler says:

I love concrete counters. They are so versatile and can be made to mimic so many other types of counters. But like many other materials they have their limitations and draw backs. So many great ideas here!

Paul Anater says:

Thanks! I'm glad you're finding all this to be useful!

Clay Carson says:

While I love the look of several of these counters, I think some full disclosure is owed to shoppers. Onyx is gorgeous but scratches if you even though think sharp thoughts! Acidic food like lemonade, pickle juice, vinegar, wine, grapefruit, limes, and stuff that is sour in general will etch the shine off the surface... within seconds. I know because our company gets the call to refinish it. So maybe have it honed to begin with if you have to have it.
Never heard of the zinc, though. That sounds interesting. Would love to see it.

Good article!

Paul Anater says:

Thanks for the clarification Clay, I always stress to people that it's just called onyx, it's not really true onyx. It's banded calcite and as a calciferous stone, it's by definition pretty fragile stuff. I would never recommend it for a kitchen that's going to be used regularly though it does seem to fare a lot better in bathrooms.

Danielle says:

Ok Mr. expert, lol! I am building a modern/minimalist beach house in the Yucatan and need some advice on kitchen countertops. I want to use stainless on counters by the stove and want to complement it with another surface around the sink, fridge and on a large island. Don't want shiny, I use cutting boards, would like something with a subtle pattern and texture and the area is high humidity with a lot of salt in the air...what are my best options other than granite? Style of kitchen is modern/industrial: lots of stainless, open shelving, etc. Oh, and I am trying to be cost effective...:) I would love to hear your suggestions...thanks.

Danielle says:

Btw, I LOVED all three of these ideabooks...well done and please keep 'em coming!

Paul Anater says:

Thanks!

pgeiger says:

Great ideas. I am looking to redo the kitchen (one day) and I am tired of seeing granite everywhere (and stainless). This assures me that there are other options! Thank you

debbykatz says:

do the zinc countertops wear well? How they handle spills and acids like citrus, glass marks, grease etc.?