tahnks PP, that is exactly what I was thinking of!

Wilsonart seems to be one of the more popular brands of laminate countertops. I've heard good things abouth their HD line which is supposed to mimic the look of granite. I believe it is carried at Home Depot. So, I would check it out for yourself.

Anonymous wrote:Soapstone is great but it's more expensive than granite, not less.

My contractor cut it himself for the kitchen island so we saved a lot of money. It's very soft and easy to work with.

I'm in the midst of planning a lower-budget renovation and have been surprised to find that granite is actually cheaper than just about every other option (including some hardwoods) == the only exceptions seem to be the Ikea butcher block (which gets great reviews from what I've seen) and laminate. There are evidently lots of cool laminates you can get nowadays that mimic any variety of stone. We have a small kitchen so we're going with granite, but if you end up with laminate, the plus is that you can always upgrade whenever it becomes financially feasible without ripping everything else out (unlike say cabinets - we're going cheaper there and what worries me is that we'll be stuck with them forever!) Good luck.

Soapstone is great but it's more expensive than granite, not less.

Anonymous wrote:What is the material from science classrooms?

Soapstone. I also hate granite so I went with a soapstone island and wood (from Ikea) for the rest. It looks beautiful and I don't find it at all difficult to maintain.

How about Corian?

OP here

My problem is not that I dont like granite, its that I have a big kitchen and its expensive. Is there anything cheaper than granite? Just laminate? If so, is there anyone with a good laminate recommendation?

I have looked at wood counters, but they are also expensive and difficult to maintain.

Anonymous wrote:When did granite countertops become so trendy? I personally really dislike them. I know I'm in the minority. I prefer wood, marble or even poured concrete to granite.

Lots of people still use granite but I wouldn't call it "trendy" anymore--particularly the polished (as opposed to honed) variety. These days fashionable kitchens are much more likely to use materials like marble, soapstone or quartz. For a modern look, concrete or stainless steel are also becoming more popular.

Old labs would have had soapstone, but modern ones are more likely to have some kind of laminate.

What is the material from science classrooms?

Hate granite! Try Silestone or composites. I also love the black counters they use in science classes. It looks very modern and they are functional.

how about silestone or some other solid surface. they look great and are easy to clean. not really cheaper than granit though

When did granite countertops become so trendy? I personally really dislike them. I know I'm in the minority. I prefer wood, marble or even poured concrete to granite.