paperstone countertops – anybody out there used it?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Learn more about the benefits and compliance details for the DOE's new water heater energy-efficiency standards.
Featured Video
Video: Build a Fireplace, Brick by BrickHighlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
I put them in on a project last summer. We used them on the backsplashes, a desk top and another countertop in a mudroom. This is some tough stuff. When one of my carpenters tried to drill a hole the desk top he discovered he could not do it with a standard hole saw. He used a diamond hole saw. It's heavy, and while it's early, it appears to be holding up well. The homeowner (and architect) selected Enviro Glass for the countertops.
I did a cabinet modification / paperstone counter about 2 months ago, And I was fairly impressed with the stuff. It was a small kitchen, and the run of existing cabinets where the sink was located was about 3" shallower than "standard" due to the neccessary location of a doorway.
Anyway, before my client had purchased the house, someone had hacked out the doors and drawers to the right of the sink and installed a dishwasher, which stuck out beyond the countertop about 2".
First we did some work to the cabinets ... we added a built out faceframe to surround the dishwasher, and modified the depth of the doors directly beneath the sink (they had been recessed, but we needed the space for the undermount sink). With a router, a kreg pocket hole jig, and a fein multimaster, you can do some pretty clean modifications to existing built in cabinets.
We started with a 3/4" paperstone slab, with the intention of cutting off a straight piece to use for the backsplash, and making a 2-depth countertop slab with a undermount sink. All the fabrication was done on site with a skillsaw, a 3HP router, a colt router, a jigsaw, and belt sander. (all carbide tipped blades of course) Oh, yea...the transition in the depths of the countertop was going to be a nice "S" curve, and the sink was a double basin model with 2 different depths, to make room for the faucet. The basin transition needed to have a nice curve to it as well.
I found it pretty easy to work with...especially for my first time fabricating a counter top of any complexity. I'm proud to say, that even though I would know any slight imperfections intimately because I was working so closely with it, I thought it looked showroom quality.
If anyone wants, I can go though the process for us, how we made templates for the sink, etc. let me know. It was definitely strong, and wasn't easy to abuse during the fabrication process. Whether it's a good product 20 yrs. out? Time will tell.
tanx, eh. What kinda price for the slab? My initial pricing in Ottawa (ontario), ranges from 48 to 80 bucks per square foot. I can get marble or granite for that, but sure can't work those myself.
It was a 30" x 96" x 3/4" slab, and I think it ended up costing about $800.00
what is paperstone?"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
See the web site for details.http://www.bettencourtwood.com/products_paperstone.html
Well duh! It's aptly named. Only good to 350* that would make it about as good as formica for a countertop."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt