Kitchen worktop help

[davidc1075]

I am looking for some help to find a manufacturer or large distributer of kitchen worktops for a kitchen fit that I am doing. I use Howdens and magnet but the customer doesn't like any from their range, nor do I want to get one from one of the sheds as I don't like the quality. Can anyone who is in the trade or has had dealings with a supplier that have a good range of products point me in the right direction please.

 

[Colin C]

Here comes Scrit to the rescue again

 

[Duncan]

Try these - have a nationwide delivery service

F G Chambers Co Ltd

Etruscan Street
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 5PG
Tel: 01782 202122

can't find a web site for them though

 

[Marky]

Hi David

Try these

Tops Service Ltd
Unit C6 Harlow Seed Bed Centre, Cold Harbour Road
Harlow
CM19 5AF
Essex
Tel: 01279 435929
Fax: 01279 450282
Internet: www.topsservice.co.uk

Not far from you either (thats of course why I suggested it)

They do supply worktops and have quite a large range if I remember, not just the refurbishment as mentioned on their website.

Marky

 

[davidc1075]

Thanks for your help looking into the corrian worktop might just be the right choice depending on price, the wife wants to try a mosaic worktop and see how that turns out as we have enough tiles left over.

 

[jasonB]

Corian is going to be expensive you could have granite forthe same sort of money. Although I've done several kitchens and bathrooms with Corian, to me it just looks what it is - plastic.

Mosaic will be a pig of a job to keep the grout looking clean and hyginic even with epoxy grout.

Jason

 

[engineer one]

personally after years in my youth helping my dad use granite for fireplaces, and graves, i have never understood the use of it these days in kitchens.

whilst i agree that corian looks plastic, i cannot see the benefit of granite, it will stain, and can look crappy if not cared for.

i always think that the only reason to use stone is if you do a great deal of baking, it retains the cold for the pastry. otherwise you might as well make the top out of concrete :twisted:

paul :wink:

 

[paulm]

We've had granite worktops in the kitchen for years. Love them, look fantastic.

Don't need any special care as far as we know, just a wipe over with a damp cloth and perhaps a quick polish with a dry cloth every now and then. Definately don't stain.

Haven't heard of granite bieng used much for fireplaces Paul. Are you not thinking of marble which is very soft (relative to granite), very porous and stains easily and is often used for fireplaces as well as memorials ?

Could be wrong of course, just your comments don't stack with our experience of granite worktops over all these years.

Cheers, Paul.

 

[jasonB]

Granite WILL stain, oil is one of the worst culprits, strong tea, lemon juice etc and if the lady of the house rubs her hand overit with a big diamond ring you will get a scratch. Depends a lot on the colour what will actually show and how well it was sealed in the first place.

All surfaces have their plus and minus points and a lot depends on how well they are cared for by the end user.

Jason

 

[stairman]

what is resitant to big diamond ring scratching (a solid diamond worktop ?)

 

[engineer one]

well we all have different experiences. i have fitted granite fireplaces and no i do not mistake the two.

visit some older stone buildings and you are more likely to see granite fireplaces and mantles than marble.

remember in earlier times, marble was very expensive, and often came from Italy, carrera etc. it was generally used for statues whilst granite and portland stone were more likely to be used in houses unless you were really rich.

oh, the only way to stop the diamond scratching is not to buy them diamond rings :twisted: :roll: :lol:
paul :wink:

 

[Trumpet]

On a granite/worktop related issue - anybody tried the artificial granite type worktops like Smartstone?

They have thick laminations, have a novel fit and polish installation which seems to make it look as if an near-perfect finish is going to be easier to achieve.

Looking for info on durability and longer term performance mainly.

 

[Keith Smith]

Not all granites are the same, I got loads of samples of various granites and put a wet tea bag on each one and left it for a few days. Only one of the samples didn't stain or mark and that was Black India Supreme, the most expensive by a long way :roll:

All the others stained badly, even the other blacks showed a mark and no amount of cleaning would shift it.

Keith

 

[engineer one]

remember that ALL stone is kind of porous, otherwise in the ground water would stay on it, instead of moving slowly through it to create the water tables.

therefore as i have said, stone will always mark, however small. just check in the local cemetery :twisted:

paul :wink: