"easiest" kitchen worktop

IvorBiggun

Getting the kitchen redone. Our current kitchen is 30ish years old and has laminate worktops which we like for the ability to take abuse. Apparently in the old days they made the laminate nice and thick and you could put hot pans on it and abuse it without any problems. I has had a load of abuse over the years and still looks fine.

These days however laminate is apparently much thinner and cannot take this sort of abuse. Granite too apparently has to be treated nicely. Engineered quartz I have heard good things about.

Which is the best worktop for a kitchen for taking abuse? Money is not a major factor as we don't intend to redo the kitchen for at least another 20 years.

Thanks in advance.

phill99

I fit kitchens and still think laminate is the most durable, however, you need to get a good quality one such as Duropal or Axiom. The sheds own laminates tend to be of a much poorer quality, which maybe what you are eluding to.

missbiggles1

You could always consider fitting bog standard laminate and changing it a couple of times in the next 20 years. That might be cheaper and give you fresher looks than paying top wack and putting up with the same thing for all that time.

suisidevw

Silestone Quartz. Highly recommend so far and expect it to look perfect (unless someone drops le creuset stuff on it!) for a long long time!

Furts

missbiggles1 wrote: »

You could always consider fitting bog standard laminate and changing it a couple of times in the next 20 years. That might be cheaper and give you fresher looks than paying top wack and putting up with the same thing for all that time.

But this approach would not gain any gongs from the green groups and the sustainable groups. It does not Reduce, it does not Reuse - there is little likelihood of people wanting old worktops, but it may Recycle - provided it is disposed of with care and does not end up in land fill.

It is accepted that the design life of a home should be 60 years. The kitchen should last 20 of these years. Indeed, I know of a large Housing Association that does not renew kitchens until 25 years old. This is the scheduled life - but if the tenant has abused the kitchen it will be replaced sooner. Then it is just a matter of who is paying for this...

DirectDebacle

It is accepted that the design life of a home should be 60 years.

What does this mean? Links to the info please.

The kitchen should last 20 of these years. Indeed, I know of a large Housing Association that does not renew kitchens until 25 years old. This is the scheduled life - but if the tenant has abused the kitchen it will be replaced sooner. Then it is just a matter of who is paying for this...

Shows what poor value for money chipboard kitchens are.

DirectDebacle

missbiggles1 wrote: »

You could always consider fitting bog standard laminate and changing it a couple of times in the next 20 years. That might be cheaper and give you fresher looks than paying top wack and putting up with the same thing for all that time.

Agree with this. Laminate or wood worktops are likely to put up with the abuse you describe far better than most others and will be much easier and cheaper to repair or replace.

missbiggles1

Furts wrote: »

But this approach would not gain any gongs from the green groups and the sustainable groups. It does not Reduce, it does not Reuse - there is little likelihood of people wanting old worktops, but it may Recycle - provided it is disposed of with care and does not end up in land fill.

It is accepted that the design life of a home should be 60 years. The kitchen should last 20 of these years. Indeed, I know of a large Housing Association that does not renew kitchens until 25 years old. This is the scheduled life - but if the tenant has abused the kitchen it will be replaced sooner. Then it is just a matter of who is paying for this...

I don't see why people might not want used worktops for free if they're not completely wrecked but then I've just fitted a friend's old units and worktop in my utility area, neither have I seen anything to suggest that the OP's particularly interested in the kitchen being green or recyclable.

Given the way fashions in kitchens (in terms of layout, not cabinet style) change, I fail to see how "the design life of a home should be 60 years" and who says that this "should" be the case anyway? I doubt very much that anybody these days would want to live with a typical layout from the 1950s or how they could fit in items like dishwashers and fridge freezers that were uncommon at the time.

pelirocco

I have granite not a mark on it and have had it nearly 15 years .

babe-ruth

Granite for me every time. I do tend to look after stuff though so if I had laminate I would get a pan stand, chopping board & USE them!

DirectDebacle

^^^^^^
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