So, Mom wants her 40 yr old, metal edged lam. countertop replaced…but Mom’s in her eighties…If she could get exactly what she has now, she’d be overjoyed…but I doubt they make the same p-lam style anymore, & though (thanks to all who responded) I might be able to find metal edging,I have my doubts…
So we go to the local big orange box, & she starts showing some interest in Corian/silestone….now, she’s already told me she loves her sink & wants to save it & reuse….to which I said, hey, it’s a standard builders grade self rimming stainless model; I show her the same at the big box, around $60….(this is while we are looking at the very limited stock post formed top selection)
Once she begins to look at solid surface tops, we go back & look at undermout sinks….$350 for the same size & gauge, & when you think about it there is less material & less machining in the undermount (no faucet deck & holes, the lip doesn’t need as much finishing detail as a drop in…
Which brings me to my rant/question…why the XXX@@@
# is the undermount so much more expensive, & is there any reason you couldn’t use a drop in sink in a solid surface top?
Before you tell me undermount is much easier to clean, I know that…but hey, it’s my mom, she raised me, she wants to be picky & eccentric, she earned it (from me, anyway)
Replies
The flange on the undermount is flat so it lets the top sit evenly and fully on the cabs. The self-rimming has a bit of a rise to it. If you were to cut a slight relief in the underside of the top to make room for the humped rim, it would work. You would need to be careful with the caulk also.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
Thanks Ed & Don....I was actually asking if there was any reason not to use a self rimming sink on top of a solid surface top...hadn't considered using a deck mount as an under-mount...but I see from your replies that it's been done...
did the drop-in you used have the faucet deck on ii, or did you find a top mount without the faucet deck?
did the drop-in you used have the faucet deck on ii, or did you find a top mount without the faucet deck?
Sure they come in both flavors. You can of course mount a self-rimming on top of a solid surface countertop, but when you go thru the trouble and expense of soild surface you may as well get the sink undermounted.
I'm right with you, but d****m'd if I'll pay the premium for the undermount sink, so if I want to do it I'll have to undermount a drop-in myself,.....& that's only if I can sneak it by my mom....LOL
Sure it can be done. The problem you will run into is that most top installers, and certainly almost every plumber, wants to do it "like we always do it" so he can get in, get out, and get the money. You can do it yourself if you think it through and take your time.
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
I did it in my wifes summer kitchen , SS self rim mounted under a maple counter top. Well really I mounted the sink on the cab and then fitted the top over that.
I'll bet you could find the same laminate. I've seen in stores the exact same 1950's white with the pink and gray boomerangs we had when I was a kid. A store that displays the full line of Formica should have chips.
They are in the store already? Those are the new re-introductions.
Finally I can get a Sub-Zero panel to match my countertop.
""I've seen in stores the exact same 1950's white with the pink and gray boomerangs we had when I was a kid.""
Yes, I remember those, mine was black with pink and white boomerangs when we brought our first house. Wife thinks that countertop was the best one that last too long! Yep I have seen the sample of them somewhere.
she starts showing some interest in Corian/silestone....now, she's already told me she loves her sink & wants to save it & reuse"
She's going to be dropping at the least a few C notes on that counter top. IMO I'd try to talk her into a deep Corian molded one. Only advantage to Corian is that it can be made seemless.
FWIW, Granite is cheaper, so if she wants a drop in sink.....go with that.
WSJ
Well, maybe..it's only one 10' straight run, so even Corian should be reasonable, whatever that is these days....
It's really kind of an PITA, the side walls on each side of the top are narrower than the top, by 5" on one side & 1" on the other...the old stainless edging returned around the sides & looked nice, whereas, IMHO, exposed sided on post formed look like doo-doo....otherwise there'd be no hassel, $150 piece of postformed off the rack & in place in a coupl'a hours....sigh
$15.00 a linear foot Corian WOW. Who's your supplier.
WSJ
---"$150 piece of postformed off the rack"---
But shoot, Corian ought'a be cheaper than it is.....It ain't like there's anything hard about working with it....
.....It ain't like there's anything hard about working with it...."
Yes, but Dupont has a monopoly on the brand and distribution channels.
WSJ
Just finished a house where they used Zodic, a granite dust and chip composite...homogenous, but huge pieces with none of the granite care worries, and way nicer looking than Corian. Don't worry, we can fix that later!
Interesting material. Where do you buy it and what does it cost?
Jon
HO said all her counters cost around 8 grand, and thought she got a deal<G>. I saw where it goes from 150-250 a linear foot, but that can't be for those big slabs...they're something like 52x118"http://www.zodiaq.com/zodiaq/a/en/h/Home/index.html Don't worry, we can fix that later!
I paid ~$30,00 sq/ft (~$40.00 linear/ft for 5/4 Dakota granite.....delivered and installed with help.....friend price. Not a bad deal.
Jon
Silestone http://www.silestoneusa.com/ and Cambria http://www.cambriausa.com/
are the same type of quartz top as zodiaq if you're looking for options. We mostly use silestone which as far as I can tell has VERY similiar colors to the zodiaq samples I've seen.
Cambria has a better "look" in my opinion, then the other two, richer colors, more random pattern etc.
I'm not to big on Dupont
Cag,
What do you think of the Silestone overall?
I think it's a great product, you can't burn it, stain it, and it incredibly hard to scratch it. plus no maintenance. I like the look of Cambria better personally but silestone has some really nice colors.
The only advantage granite has over it is the natural graining and the uniqueness of each slab of granite.
Have you seen samples of either Silestone or Zodiaq?
Granite has to be cared for, something I've never cared for when it's that expensive. I'm just a trim sub in houses where this stuff gets put in, so I'm only spouting numbers I get 2nd hand. HO in this case looked at Silestone, and apparently wasn't impressed.You kinda bypassed the big advantage over granite...the composite stuff doesn't stain...a major factoid. And the size of composite slabs over granite is nothing to to slough off, unless you like seams...or yer stoned<G> Don't worry, we can fix that later!
I'm surprised I missed the lack of staining, It's part of my sales pitch for the stuff over granite or corian.
We never installed many granite tops, when we have, size has never been to much of issue in regard to seams, though I see how it could be.
Sqft prices are kind of bogus because of the different "categories", # of finished edges, and edge treatments etc. We just send the fabricator a print of the cabinets and they quote a price back, usually comes out between 45-60 a sqft installed, our cost. Upgrading from the standard eased edge to a round over, bullnose or chamfer is $$, ogee edges are just nuts.
From what I understand, never using Zodiaq before, it's almost the same product, though I'm sure a representative from either company could point out many.
I think the quartz composite tops are a great product, we haven't put a p-lam top in a kitchen, rental units excluded, in years.
I've seen both.
JUst finished up the paperwork for the Home equity loan and the new kitchen will follow soon. Nothing fancy but with three cats, two dogs and three kids I'm looking for something tough and, easily repairable.
How does it hold up in the long term?
I'm not so sure on the repairable part. I'd imagine if you put a small chip in it you could patch it reasonably well with colored epoxy, I'd also be surprised if you chipped it though.
As for durability, I can't speak of real long term, oldest I've seen is about 5 years. My boss had a piece, about 4" x 2' bouncing around the bed of his truck for over a year, it has a few minor scratches on it, other then that I'm amazed how well it held up.
'round here (s.w. IN ) you're looking at about $180-$200 per lineal foot for corian. drop-ins are cheaper because they require less precision and cheaper fastening technology. undermounts have to have a better upper surface to seal better and require stronger mounting system. wouldn't count on granite being cheaper than corian.
i say spray paint the thing while your mom's away and tell her it's all new!?! :D
personally i wouldn't have corian or granite in my kitchen. pretty is pretty, but neither are as functional as tile. i don't mind keeping the grout clean (it only costs about $300-$400 to have your corian tops rebuffed) and i like to actually USE my counters without worrying about heat or scratches.
don't know about concrete as far as heat and stuff.