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| Above: Almost
white natural stone tiles add an elegant touch to
a curved countertop. Matching white chair cushions
accentuate the clean design. Below: A
granite stab countertop typically is made with an
edging piece under the top piece. Once the pieces
are mortared in place, the joint between them is
ground and polished until it becomes almost invisible,
giving the appearance of a very thick stab. |
|
 |
Indoor
countertops are typically 24 inches deep, while outdoor countertops
are 30 inches or deeper. If the counter, top wilt be accessible
from both sides, you may want to make it 42 inches or more.
SUBSTRATE
If the countertop will be made of concrete or thick stabs
of stone, it will likely not need support other than the
counter's walls. However, most other finish materials will
need to rest on a solid subsurface that spans the counter
and extends 3 inches or so on either side. The most common
substrate options are a steel- reinforced concrete stab (see
pages 136-139), or two thicknesses of concrete backerboard
that are glued together with thinset mortar (see page 132).
FINISH MATERIALS
The kitchen's working surfaces, which may also be used
as dining surfaces, should be durable and easy to clean.
There are several finish materials that will achieve these
goals beautifully.
STONE TILE
Stone tiles of any sort can be used
on a countertop as long as they are protected with a coat
or two of acrylic seater. Some stone tiles that do fine on
a vertical surface may be unsuitable for countertop duty,
either because they are not strong enough or be, cause they
stain easily. See pages 22-23 for basic information on stone
tiles and pages 130-131 for installation. Consult a tile
dealer before making your choice.
GRANITE
Large, gleaming stabs of granite make
ideal countertops, both indoors and out. Granite is typically
speckled or flecked, and it comes in a wide variety of shades
ranging from very dark to very light. Cutting and installing
a granite slab is best left to professionals. Usually there
is no need for a substrate, since the granite slab is very
strong. Installers will measure your counter, cut the slab
or slabs at their shop, and set the counter. To achieve the
illusion of a very thick slab, they may attach a facing piece,
typically 2 inches wide, below the front edge of the slab,
then grind and polish the seam until you can barely see it
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