The Old Folks Home

[pennyJo1960]

I want to put solid wood counters in. Did it in a home I had for years very small kitchen but even smaller counter area

 

[Alaskan]

I prefer Formica to granite counters. I guess it's all a matter of personal preference. I wouldn't want black, no matter what the counter material was.

Really?

Just the Formica is so easy to destroy, get water damage, cut, burn...... etc.....

Of course, it IS inexpensive!

 

[CapricornFarm]

At least granite has got to be better than Formica

Oh yes, I like stone.

 

[Perris]

At least granite has got to be better than Formica

what's wrong with formica?

 

[Perris]

posted the above before I got to subsequent postings but now we have

Just the Formica is so easy to destroy, get water damage, cut, burn...... etc.....

I think they changed the formula somewhere along the way. Old formica-topped tables are bomb-proof in my experience! Every type of worktop seems to have some drawback; I guess we choose the one that best suits our purposes - and budgets

 

[CSolis]

We have black granite countertops, it's like a black pit in the kitchen. Idk who put it in, but I am not a fan.

My kitchen is a galley type too and had dark cabinets, and a black and stainless gas stove and a stainless fridge. At least my counter tops are light in color, but in my previous house I had a mixed black/tan countertop that I loved. It doesn't show stains like the light countertop.

 

[microchick]

Morning everyone.

57 degrees here today! I haven't woke up to it being above freezing for so long I forgot how nice it is!

As for countertops, my dream one is granite. I'm a rock hound and there are some really gorgeous granites out there. SO if I had the opportunity to do a new build so I knew the floor would support the weight, I'd definitely go with Granite. But not black.

I have a friend who just HAD to have a black refrigerator. When we were looking for one about the same time the salesman told me not to go with black unless I had the time and desire to be constantly trying to get the finger smudges off of it. I went with white, warned my friend and a year later asked my friend how she was doing with her black fridge that she just had to have. She just said grumble grumble can't keep it clean grumble grumble hate it grumble grumble. Of course she didn't remember my warning about it. What is that old saying? When I'm right nobody remembers and when I'm wrong, nobody forgets?

 

[Perris]

When I'm right nobody remembers and when I'm wrong, nobody forgets?

so true!

 

[getaclue]

I agree with you Perris. My Formica countertops were/are pretty much bomb proof. I
only use a chopping mat, if I'm chopping small pieces (like onions). The mat folds, so I can transfer all the small pieces into the cooking pot, or container at one time. Otherwise, I cut things directly on my countertop, and to date, there are no cut marks.

I do put a hotpad, under pots that have come directly off the stove, but I would even do that with granite countertops.

I've never had water damage to my Formica. With 3 youngsters, plenty of various fluids have been spilled on my countertops, without any damage. They've even spilled grape juice on my counters. There was even the time that someone made coffee, and didn't put the lid on the coffee pot, so the button didn't get pushed for it to drain out of the basket. Yes, the counters were flooded with hot coffee. It only happened once, but still. When the kids spill, they don't typically wipe things up, so I get to be surprised the next time I go into the kitchen behind them. It's no surprise to find anything from grape juice to grape jelly on the counter, that they've failed to wipe up. To be fair, the 10 year old does try to clean a bit, if he spills.

Every once in awhile, I mix a strong bleach solution in a spray bottle, spray the counters down good, and let it set for a few minutes, then wipe. The bleach usually takes out any stains. If there is a stubborn stain, set a paper towel on the stain, then spray it with bleach water. The paper towel will keep the area moist longer, and can be re-moistened, if needed.

I use the same method with a wet paper towel, using water or soapy water, instead of bleach water, to soak a stubborn area on my stovetop too.

They may have changed the formula, and/or thickness of newer Formica, so it's not as durable as the older stuff was. Mine is about 15 years old, so I wouldn't know about the newer stuff. I can say that more things today, while costly, are being made more cheaply, and less durable.

 

[Perris]

it's not as durable as the older stuff was

that's what we were told by a worktop supplier - he said the old stuff was so good it was bad for the manufacturers - people bought it once and never needed to replace it, so growth depended on endlessly finding new customers.

I can say that more things today, while costly, are being made more cheaply, and less durable.

I think so too. Recent general manufacturing philosophy seems to be to build in premature obsolescence, via e.g. unreplaceable batteries, unreachable screws, refusal to supply important information or software updates (none of which relevant to worktops, of course, but to stuff under or on it).

The EU has either just passed or is about to pass legislation giving people a right to repair, to try and put a stop to this ridiculously wasteful practice. I hope the UK copies it, even though we don't need to now.