How to Choose a Countertop | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey helps a homeowner select a new countertop. (See steps below.)

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Richard presents options for countertop materials. Richard showed options for laminate colors, which were provided by Formica [https://www.formica.com/en-us/]. Richard also discussed wood, engineered stone, and natural stone. The kitchen showroom belongs to Right Angle Kitchens & Design [https://rightanglekitchens.com/]. The natural stone showroom where homeowners can select their own slab and also provides factory sealing is Stone Decor Galleria [https://pickyourslab.net/].

Steps for How to Choose a Countertop
1. Visit a showroom that has full-scale kitchens on displays. There you’ll see various countertop materials in realistic kitchen settings.
2. Laminate counters are composed of thin sheets of plastic laminate glued to a particleboard substrate.
3. Plastic laminate comes in a wide range of solid colors and patterns, including ones that resemble stone.
4. Wood counters are available in several hardwood species, including teak and maple.
5. Don’t use wood counters near sinks or other wet areas.
6. Natural stone counters are cut from granite, marble, soapstone, limestone, sandstone, and slate, to name a few.
7. Note that natural stone is porous, so it must be sealed regularly to prevent staining.
8. An alternative to natural stone is an engineered product called quartz composite. It’s extremely hard and more stain-resistant that natural stone.
9. If you’re interested in a natural stone counter, visit a stone fabrication yard and view the full-size slabs in person.
10. Marble is a popular countertop material, but because it’s calcium-based, it’s softer and less scratch-resistant than granite. Marble must also be sealed more often.
11. Marble can be factory-sealed prior to fabrication, which dramatically increases its stain resistance.
12. The marble slab is placed in an oven and warmed to open up its pores.
13. Next, liquid penetrating sealer is sprayed onto the warm surface, and then buffing wheels evenly distribute the sealer and force it deep into the surface of the marble.

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Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Choose a Countertop | Ask This Old House
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