That's a great thought really on the white countertops! I'm getting all white on the vanity tops and the the cabinets are the same color as the vanity. I just thought it would look real crisp/fresh in there with the white. It's Glacier White I recall.

I would consider a "coved" or integrated backsplash maybe for 2" or so. Particularly if you are putting a sink under that window and not on the island. That way water that spills around the sink is extremely easy to clean up and doesn't get into the grout of the tile I recommend for the rest of your backsplash after the 2". A different backsplash than your countertop material adds a different color and dimension to your kitchen to make it pop a bit and I recommend finding a beautiful tile that will fit your theme.

As far as color, I agree with Beth. I like Rain Cloud, but it could get lost if your cabinets are also gray. We have Glacier White and have really enjoyed the bright clean look it brings to our kitchen. We have a contemporary home which is different than your style, but you can see if it works for you here--note the waterfalls we did on either end of the island with the Corian. Another nice thing about Glacier White it is less costly than Rain Cloud. My Kitchen

And I know you said you are doing white Corian on your white vanities. While this may be quite lovely, I would encourage you to consider some contrasts. White cabinets may lend themselves to a bolder colored counter top and vice versa. You may not want to be too "matchy matchy" FWIW. Good luck!

Chrisinsd beautiful kitchen! Sorry for the confusion. My vanity is gray like the kitchen cabinets. I told him to do glacier ice for the top in the bathroom.

Ok he suggested a 2in backsplash but I've never heard of that & was a little scared of what it would look like. Would you do the 2in on the sides also? Would I tile the sides?

I'm so thankful for all of you for your help! I don't want to make the wrong decision.

I have a double bowl sink under the window & a prep sink on the island.

poshky, get a sample of each white and hold it to your cabinets to see. Glacier may very well work, but it could be with your kitchen, a slightly "quieter" version of white might work better. The Glacier looks great in Chris's kitchen, but it's also modern. The brightest whites look best in those, to me anyway. But I really do think a white counter in general would look sharp in your kitchen. ;)

Thanks Beth! The countertop guy was here yesterday with his samples. The glacier looked better than the cameo or any of the others we thought, but we were just talking about the sink. The others looked to creamy. My trim is Eider White around the windows. Selling my husband on solid white will be a challenge!

I've been searching 2in backsplash and I do not see anything! I've always loved those waterfall island tops, I didn't know how they would work with an L shaped island. Chris has a great one!

I think if he sees some kitchens with your combo, he will realize how nice it could look. Here's a thread I found searching "gray cabinet white counter". Pretty!

And if you saw the others and still thought the Glacier looked great, that could be the one. You can always look again to be sure.

Beth thanks I will check it out!

poshky, I had a thought about the whites. And really, this goes for any of the Corian samples. While you can get an idea of the white in the smaller samples, when you have whittled down to a choice or two, you really should try to see it in a counter size (or close). A great expanse of something is not the same as a 2 in. square, or a 10 inch piece, and will look different. ;)

Beth yes you are right! He did have the rain cloud in a 12x12 section, but the whites were small samples. I will try and see what I can find. Thanks again

Posh--re the 2" backsplash + tile I think DCWard on here did something like this with her Corian Witchhazel. I think this looked really smart--search this Kitchens forum her and you'll find the pics I think!

Here's a close up of dcward89's backsplash

dcward89 2" splash

I like the clean line between counter and wall. If I nit pick our last kitchen, I wasn't too keen on that grout line between quartz counter and tile backsplash.

Thanks for finding that for me! That does give me an idea of what it would look like with a 2in splash. I just don't know about it. I Think it looks good in her kitchen, but I don't know about how it would look in mine.

What kind of backsplash do you think I should be looking for? I kind of like the glass subway tiles.

posh, at this point I think you need to start a thread and make the title specifically asking for BS suggestions. You will get a ton more help that way than in here. People love helping on those! (including me) ;) Be sure and post pics too.

Thanks!

I was so excited to see someone mentioning my kitchen...never happened before!!! Poshky...here is another shot of our 2" back splash. It is most certainly not popular here but I am so glad DH talked me into it!

dcward89 that does look really good! I had never heard of people using 2in until yesterday. I like how it looks like you trimmed your backsplash with it.

The top is the raised bar...another thing we did that isn't popular here but it works for us. I love, love, love my Corian!!!

I thought that was what it looked like. We had our hearts set on a raised bar, but since our island is so big we decided not to. It's funny it seems like a lot of the things we like tend to not be liked on here. But oh well:)

As far as the expense of a full backsplash in solid surface, you have to look at the whole picture. On a renovation, the wall doesn't have to be repaired; you just cover over it. With a full splash, you can "bring the wall to the top" with shims, eliminating any wavy walls and eliminating scribing the top to the wall. You'd have to float the wall with mud to get the same effect with tile. When you're finished, you've got the most sanitary splash you can have with no grout lines. There is no chance of crooked or rough-cut tile either. Go big picture on this one.

I am in the middle of a total kitchen remodel. i am using dark cabinets (maple stained mahogany) with Corian counter tops (Bisque}. I debated having the little backsplash (3") but my fabricator told me he would make it & if I didn't like it before installation no problem . My sink is an under mount double bowl SS with drainboard. I went with a solid color counter top because I have tressazzo floors & didn't want them to compete. So glad that people here are in love with their Corian…makes me feel good about my decision. Thanks for all the positive feed back!

fldirt, your kitchen sounds very pretty! Please consider doing a reveal when it's done, I would love to see it. (as would all of us Corian lovers) :)

Thanks beth09, I will. I have posted some before pictures & working in progress.

Help, I just laid a pot down on my Corian counter top and it looks like I burned off the top layer. The spots are rough and lighter with no design. So upset. Has anyone ever heard of this. So stupid, can't believe I did this! :(

I'm not sure what you are asking. Yes, I am aware that Corian will burn or melt if you put a hot pot on it. Manufacturer is very clear that you should always use trivets or hot pads or such.

Sorry if I was not clear, I was asking if anyone heard this happening to anyone else, and what did they do?

Call a solid surface repair person. If you have a sink cutout glued under one of the cabinets as is customary, you'll have enough material to cut out the damage and put a new piece in it's place.

The damage is about two inches away from where the stainless sink begins. Thanks is your input.

Sometimes they can be sanded out, which is a less expensive repair than an insert, especially if you don't have repair material. This was a rental, so they weren't too fussy:

Look above the dishwasher.

Treb...you are simply amazing.

Thanks. I make my living at cost effectiveness. Helping customers make the right tradeoffs for the money spent. Would an insert repair have been more inconspicuous? Probably, for twice the money. In a rental where it could happen again, that doesn't make much sense.

Remember, all surfaces except the new sintered (Dekton, Neolith) require trivet use to protect from heat damage. Yes, "all" means granite.

Sorry, just saw this. We have had Corian and we have had Laminate. I am like you, Beth, I have no issue with Laminate in the kitchen and would probably get it now in the new house if Granite were not 'standard', because you cannot beat the cost and durability for that cost.

That being said, all things scratch when you are not careful. All things can have issues. the ONE reason I would choose Corian over laminate, if money were not a factor, is every laminate I have had, if I did not stay on top of sealing the edges, would "bubble up" at the seams if it got wet underneath.

You can't fix that, you can't cover it up. You can prevent it for only so long and it will, eventually, happen.

I would, in your shoes, not worry about the scratching...you already seem to be very meticulous and I am betting it won't be an issue in your home.

One downside.. if you don't post pictures of it all, all these folks will undoubtedly hunt you down :P

R

Joseph Corlett thank you so much for posting the pictures, I tried to post mine but I can't for whatever reason. I clicked on photo below and found the picture in my photos and it won't upload. Anyway I will try to find someone in my area and see if they can fix it. After seeing the pictures I have hope of a decent repair. THANK YOU!!!

Joseph are you in NJ? A girl can wish. lol

Weird about the bubbling and sealing, Russ. I have never had anything but laminate. Current kitchen's laminate counters were installed in 1971. We have a rental built in 1955 that we purchased in 1980 and we believe the laminate counters were original to the house. Another rental has laminate counters installed in 2002 and another with laminate installed just last year. None of this have had any sealing done and none have bubbled.

Yea, the last house we bought had bubbling.. it is the WOOD underneath that expands, not the laminate. If the laminate edges are not sealed, water gets under it and expands the wood.. pain in the neck.

We replaced the counters with granite before we sold it.

R

Joseph in the second picture you posted, that big solid white area is what, how it looks when it is first sanded??

chrisstack:

Correct. That is the result of a 4" x 21" belt sander with a very aggressive 50 grit belt. Yes, it made a dip, but the top was dipped over the dishwasher anyway. As you march up the grits, the finish returns.

Thanks! I did call someone and sent them a picture, they can't sand it. So happy I have a piece of the Corian the size of a normal size cutting board.

My dad put Corian Glacier White countertops in his custom built kitchen in his custom built house 40 years ago. They look the same now as they did when the house was built. Finally redoing my own kitchen, crappy Formica, think I'm gonna go with Corian. Probably Glacier White. Screams "sanitary" to me. Only thing I'd do different is curve the back into a short backsplash. I hate granite. Too hard, too shiney, too colorful. When we sell this house, 13 years from now, whoever buys it can put in granite or whatever she wants. We have a friend who put in granite before she sold her house, and the new buyer ripped it out and put in different granite.

Thought some more about this overnight. My dad was a dentist. Also built his own dental office. Corian everywhere. I have health issues, including a couple of surgeries. When you go to the doctor, or the hospital, Corian everywhere. Until I read this thread, I never really thought about why. I worked in a hospital 40 years ago, if I recall correctly, stainless steel was the thing then. It's all about keeping things clean. We have hard water, as do most people in the USA. Did not realize that hard water affects stone. I have never cut directly on a countertop, it will ruin your knives. I have never put a hot pot on a countertop and have no desire to do so. We do put hot pots in the sink, pour boiling water in the sink, so I am going to need a steel or enamel sink. Want a farmhouse sink anyway. This has been a very thought provoking discussion. Learned a lot.

Corian (bisque) with integrated double sink at our vacation rental condo on Maui. Installed 2001. Guests *will not* use cutting boards, so it's been sanded twice. I love that seamless counter/sink. Strong, clean, warm, quiet. No cracks in the sink or anywhere. I use Bon Ami on *everything*, including the Corian.

Costa Esmerelda granite (sort of a money green) at home w/porcelain undermount sinks, installed 2001. Never sealed. Has a few places I should use a poultice. (Where do you find material for that, anyway?) The granite is unforgiving as for breakage and is ice cold year round. Pretty. Shiny. I never dry mine. Noisy -- I find myself setting a plate or glass down on top of any nearby hand towel.

It's my understanding that the Formica I grew up with (1950's) is no longer made -- not as long-wearing today. (Maybe the old stuff was poisonous?)

"It's my understanding that the Formica I grew up with (1950's) is no longer made -- not as long-wearing today."

Myth. True, it's much thinner, but technology hasn't forgotten plastic laminate. A properly fabricated plastic laminate top remains a cost effective and long lasting solution for many. The high-def plastic laminates are amazing.

I installed Corian (Bisque) in my new kitchen remodel & so far I love it. It has a matt finish, it's quiet when sitting things down & warm. I do use a cutting board.

ilaine, glad you've enjoyed the thread. :)

fldirt, have you done a reveal yet? I didn't see anything except the sneak peak.

not yet still getting kitchen put back together & finishing up some small projects. but I can say the kitchen is functioning great!

Great, I will be watching!

I have had Corian Sahara since the late 90's and still love it. My only problem is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to see bread crumbs and oatmeal on the surface! I have to have the light just right to be sure it is perfectly clean. I love the feel of the Corian.Recently I spent a week cooking at my son's house with a granite counter top, and I missed the Corian.

In my countertops, the only scratch that we have not been able to buff out is where someone scooted a heavy cardboard with a protruding staple across the counter. I usually use a pad when I put hot pans down, always use a cutting board. Have not had trouble with hot water damage at the sink, but we live in a hot climate, so the sink doesn't have as much thermal shock as it might otherwise.

I am in a "forced" remodel due to water damage. The Corian is going back in.

I had Corian (earth color - quite dark) for four years. I may be a bit of a perfectionist, but I had them professionally refinished twice in those four years because I could see so many tiny scratches that drove me nuts! We just installed Cambria quartz a few days ago and I'm in the honeymoon phase. Hoping these countertops will stand the test of time better.

White Corian for 31 yrs - added integrated Corian single sink 13 years ago. It looks as good today as when it was installed! I like the clean look, simplicity and classic look. It's like a great white blouse. Scratches all blend together like on sterling silver flatware. Stains come off easily. No. I don't cut on it but wouldn't anyway - just not very sanitary. I've never set a hot pan on it either- guess my mother instilled that in me when she got Formica in the early 1950's. Do I pound on it? Yes, with a wooden cutting board under it.

White Corian is my favorite - it just had such a great classic look, and can go traditional or contemporary.