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To say that a kitchen
would not be complete without a countertop would be like saying that
a home would not be a home without windows. In other words the
countertop is as essential to a kitchen as is the plumbing or
electrical. Because without a countertop you would have to prepare
food on the kitchen table.
A Brief History of Countertops
Countertops have
transformed over the years since the building boom of the 1950's. The
post-War tops featured a new product called arborite which covered a
plywood surface in a large sheet. The edges were usually trimmed with
metal, which also helped hold the edges in place but the arborite was
usually glued down with contact cement.
Beginning around the
1960's countertops began to be manufactured with a backsplash and a
contoured lip which did away with metal edging. The design allowed
for better waterproofing and cleanup because there were less seams.
In addition the variety of colors and patterns increased and now you
can get a countertop that mimics almost any other surface including
wood.
Solid surfaces such as
marble and granite have been around for a long time but were very
expensive and extremely heavy. Unlike formica installing these
surfaces could not be performed by regular carpenters and handymen
and, with the cost of shipping, made these surfaces costly. With the
advent of composite materials the homeowner could get the look and
feel of real stone without the weight but the cost was still high.
In recent years the
kitchen and bathroom countertops have seen a plethora of new
products, especially the kitchen where the commercial-looking cooking
space has brought stainless steel and tile to the forefront.
Stainless steel countertops and backsplashes highlight many types of
wooded cabinets and specialty shops are producing copper, zinc and
pewter tops.
For the artistic
consumer concrete countertops have allowed the homeowner to add items
to the cement like fossils, patterns and metal for a personalized
touch.
It Started With Wood
When countertops became
a staple in the kitchen they were usually made from wooden planks
oiled to keep the water out. They also served as cutting boards and
food preparation areas. Now, with new surfacing techniques wood is
making a comeback and, like wood flooring, reused wood is in high
demand.
Unless you have a lot
of cash to pay for a large, single piece of wood countertops
normally come in pieces that are pressed and glued together then
planed smooth. There are three main types of pieces when looking to
buy a wood countertop:
Face Grain: wide
strips for a planking effect
Edge Grain: long
pieces placed on edge
End Grain: cut
ends showing the growth rings
You can get countertops in almost any type of wood or mixture of
woods depending on the effect you want. Special sealers keep the
surface looking new and waterproofed. Here are some points to
consider when researching wood countertops:
Pros:
1. Beautiful surface that gets richer with age
2. Food can be chopped and prepared without a special chopping block.
3. Blemishes can be sand out and refinished
Cons:
Can be marked and will show knife marks
Water can penetrate untreated knicks
Will discolor or burn of hot items are placed
on the surface.
Expensive
Difficult to match if you want to add on
later or replace a piece.
Expensive
Wood countertops are
not for the faint-of-heart but for those with discriminating tastes
it will definitely be the defining feature of your kitchen.
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