Top It Off

Countertops are a great place to showcase style and sensibility. Here’s how to choose the right one.

Article by Merideth Kimble

Issue Date: February 2008

Pebble aqua Staron Covers the island and countertops, with pebble Swan Staron seamlessly intergrated as the backsplash. Kitchen design by Homeowners Design Center. Photo by Scott T. Kubo

The countertop is like the crowning jewel of the kitchen. It’s also where we work at home. We prepare meals, eat, pay bills and do homework here. It has to look good as well as stand up to every task.

For as many jobs as a countertop endures, there are just as many countertop materials to choose from: natural stones, quartz composites, acrylic surfaces, wood, concrete and more offer a wide range of choices. Each has advantages—durability, elegance, color options. And, each may have some drawbacks.

In the next few pages, we present them, side by side. See what’s available, and what will work best for each scenario. Peruse these options to get started, then follow up with the professionals to make that final decision.

Natural Stone

Product	Who has it?	What is it?	Pros	Cons	How is it available? color, sizes, etc.	Price per Square Foot
Granite	Atlantis Industry, Bella Pietra, Daltile, Selective Stone, 808 Stone Inc.	Granite is an igneous rock, composed of a mixture of feldspar and quartz. It is one of the toughest materials on Earth. It is formed by eons of pressure, with occassional explosions offering color variations and veining. Granite comes from all over the world, but current supplies are likely from Brazil and India.	Granite is the current countertop king. The stone’s variations offer one-of-a-kind pieces in a range of colors. “Everyone is trying to be granite,” says Randall Omoto of Homeowners Design Center. And it’s true—almost every other type of countertop surface offers granite like colors. Granite is durable—it takes a diamond blade to cut it. Granite is dense, so there is little heat transfer or staining.	Granite, like all other natural stones, should be sealed every six months.	Slabs	$30-$40 plus fabrication here in Hawaii
Prefabricated Granite	Selective Stone, 808 Stone Inc., Bella Pietra, LF International, Pacific Craftworks	See above.	All the benefits of granite, but fabricated before sale so it costs less.	Smaller selection of ready-to-go pieces.	Ready- to- go pieces.	$12-$22 before installation
Marble	Bella Pietra, Daltile, Selective Stone, 808 Stone Inc.	Marble is a metamorphic rock (created from another rock through heat and pressure), primarily created from limestone. Veins are the result of mineral impurities.	The original natural stone material used for sculpting and building, marble depicts grace and beauty.	Marble is softer than granite. It is also more porous, making it less useful in high-traffic areas. Needs lots of care.	Slabs, pre- fabricated	$25-$35 for slabs with local fabrication, $10-17 prefabricated. Prices are before installation.
Limestone	Atlantis Industry, Bella Pietra, Daltile, Selective Stone, 808 Stone Inc.	Limestone is a sedimentary rock, characterized by fossilization and other seawater deposits.	Interesting textures due to the fossilization.	Needs to be sealed, and requires a little extra care.	Slabs.	$7-$15 before installation.
Onyx	Bella Pietra, Daltile, Selective Stone, 808 Stone Inc.	Although composed of quartz, this stone is translucent and delicate.	Onyx is currently gaining popularity for decorative pieces, such as art niches and seldom-used counters, thanks to its shimmering qualities.	So delicate, it can be hard to fabricate. It is considered exotic, so it costs more. Low density means that it is easy to scratch.	Slabs. Colors range from white to tan to black, and sometimes red.	$20-$35 before installation.
Travertine	Atlantis Industry, Bella Pietra, Daltile, Selective Stone, 808 Stone Inc.	Travertine is a compact calcium carbonate, made rough from combustion. Its texture features holes that are filled during production. Many travertines have come from Italy; however, Turkey and Peru have recently brought many to the stone market.	Reasonably priced, great for bathrooms. Travertines come in neutral tones with many finish options, making them easy to work with.	Limited color options: basically just light, medium and dark browns.	Small to large format tiles, ranging in color from ivory, walnut and chocolate to gold.	$10-$17 before installation

This kitchen features prefabricated granite from Selective Stone.

Photo by David Croxford

SOLID SURFACE

Solid surface consist of acrylic polymer mixed with natural materials and dyes. Because solid surfaces are consistent all the way through, they can be sanded and refinished if scratched. The nonporous material resists stains and doesn’t encourage bacteria or mold growth. When installing Corian, or any other solid surface, seams are sanded out so that the counter looks like one continuous piece. In addition to a smooth countertop, backsplashes and sinks can be integrated into the design. Solid surfaces can be used in almost any application, from counters anywhere in the house to vertical spaces, such as shower enclosures. They are heat and scratch resistant, and don’t need to be sealed. But they tend to scratch, so keep ceramic dishes away.

Product	Who has it?	What has it?	Pros	Price Per Square Foot
Corian	Superior Solid Surface, Hardware Hawaii, Homeowners Design Center, Encounters	Corian was first to the solid-surface party, and it comes with a limited warranty.	130 colors, ranging from Lilac to natural stone, such as Rainforest.	$35-$50 before installation
Gibraltar	Superior Solid Surface, Homeowners Design Center	Includes fire-retardant minerals. This surface is backed by a limited, 10-year warranty.	61 colors and patterns	Contact supplier.
LG Hi-Macs	Superior Solid Surface, Hardware Hawaii, Homeowners Design Center, Encounters	Hi-Macs come with a transferrable, 15-year warranty.	46 colors, plus an additional 14 called Hi-Macs Volcanics	Contact supplier.
Staron	Superior Solid Surface, Homeowners Design Center	Greenguard Certification for Indoor Air Quality (Staron is a low-emitting material). Greenguard even approved Staron for use in schools.	60 colors grouped according to the size of the aggregates mixed in, such as Quarry, Aspen and Sanded. Many mimic granite, with generous quartzlike deposits.	Contact supplier.

QUARTZ COMPOSITE SURFACES

93 percent quartz composite. The granite look without the granite price. Quartz is one of the toughest materials on Earth, so these surfaces are resistant to cracking, scratching and chipping. Under normal cooking conditions, they’ll also stand up to heat. Quartz composites are nonporous, stain resistant and don’t encourage bacteria. Plus, they don’t need to be sealed. All of these brands offer a 10-year warranty.

Product	Who has it?	What has it?	Price Per Square Foot
Silestone	Superior Solid Surface, Hardware Hawaii, Homeowners Design Center	60+ colors and natural-stone-like options.	$58-$74 with fabrication and installation.
OneQuartz	Daltile	Slab and tiles in 36 colors, in polished and honed finishes, some by special order only.	$17-$32
Zodiaq	Superior Solid Surface, Hardware Hawaii, Homeowners Design Center	45+ color choices in custom-made pieces.	Contact supplier.

Product	Who has it?	What is it?	Pros	Cons	How is it Available? Colors, sizes, etc.	Price per Square Foot
Richlite	Hardware Hawaii	Paper from managed forests, mixed with resin, then pressed and baked	Richlite has as many characteristics as its stone and solid surface countertop counterparts: stain, scratch and heat resistance. Richlite is considered a sustainable material. It offers a warm, woodlike appearance.	Lighter colored Richlite counters will darken with age and sun exposure. This material has not been tested for bathroom use.	Seven natural colors are available.	Contact supplier.
Concrete	Lokahi Stone, EnCounters	Cement mixed with aggregates and sand.	Versatility to the max. Concrete can be mixed with any color and poured to fit any shape, even vertical areas. Homeowners can add colorful aggregates during the mixing process. It is a renewable resource, and it can be made with recycled glass.	Concrete needs to be sealed, just like all of the natural stones. It can stain.	Any color can be mixed in, so use your imagination. Lokahi Stone will make it for you.	$175-200 per square foot installed
Nevamar	Pacific American Lumber	Nevamar is manufactured by pressing melamine resin impregnated decorative paper over layers of phenolic resin impregnated craft paper at pressures approximating 1,200 lbs. per square inch	Nevamar features an Armored Protection finish makes this laminate scratch resistant, plus it has Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification		200+ colors and patterns.	4 by 8-foot sheet $1.58-$2.05,
Ceramic & Porcelain Tile	Daltile	Baked clay with additivies. Porcelain is baked at higher temperatures.	Great for adding detail to backsplashes and in vertical spaces in the bathroom.	Grout! All the space in between the tile catches food, stains and needs to be sealed.	Too many colors to list here, with a range of finishes.	$1-10 per square foot
Wood	King & Zelko Hawaiian Woodworks	3/16-inch layer of koa or mango wood veneer, glued to maple plywood with a urethane or lacquer finish.	Rich, beautiful tones in distinctly Hawaiian woods. Custom-made pieces. Perfect for accent pieces, bar tops and buffets.	Serious sealants needed! This material doesn’t naturally stand up to food and other daily substances, so a hard finish is necessary.	King & Zelko can create custom counters from any tropical hardwood.	Market value of the lumber, plus customization.

Beautiful, rich granite from Bella Pietra. Photo courtesy of Bella Pietra

808 Stone Inc. president, Alex Kanamu, mans the laser-guided bridge saw while it cuts a piece of travertine. - Photo by David Croxford

Many homeowners begin their kitchen remodels with a beautiful piece of granite or quartz-composite countertop as their inspiration. But a giant slab of stone needs a lot of work and care before it can become the countertop of the homeowners’ dreams.
Getting the stone ready is where Hawaii’s expert fabricators come in. Pacific Craftworks supplies, fabricates and installs stone and composite countertops. The process begins with a template, says Pacific Craftworks’ Andy Pham. Then, the stone is cut, an edge is created and the stone is polished to a healthy shine. Once the design is ready and the stone is on hand, fabrication takes about a day, with another day for installation. But, be cautious about who you hire, Pham says, “(Stone is) a very hard product to install. You cannot make even a little mistake.”

808 Stone Inc. president Alex Kanamu agrees that professional installation is key. “Installation is critical—issues with stone breaking and cracking in the future come from excess handling or mishandling during installation,” he says. His company installs stone carefully, reducing future problems and creating a safer work environment for employees, he says. And 808 Stone knows the business, as it has specialized in stone fabrication and installation for four generations. Plus, the company’s warehouse is a fabrication machine, running 24 hours a day.

WHERE TO GET IT

808 Stone Inc.
621-2711

Atlantis Industry
686-9774
www.atlantisindustry.com

Bella Pietra, the beauty of stone
Gentry Pacific Design Center Showroom
536-9600
701 N Nimitz Hwy.
587-7779
www.bellapietra.com

Daltile
1200 N. Nimitz Hwy.
523-3660
www.daltileproducts.com

EnCounters
2829 Awaawaloa St. #G
833-8800

Hardware Hawaii
3 Locations on Oahu
& 1 Location on Kauai
Kailua Home Showroom
105 Oneawa St.
266-1009
www.hardwarehawaii.com

Homeowners Design Center
1030 Kohou Street, Suite 201
847-0216
www.homeownersdesign.com

King & Zelko Hawaiian Woodworks
201 Kapaa Quarry Road, Kailua
261-7239
www.kingandzelko.com

LF International Trading
2855 Kaihikapu St.
833-3825

Lokahi Stone
505 A Kamani St.
596-8833
www.lokahistone.com

Marblehaus Hawaii
2933 Koapaka St.
836-3449
www.marblehaus.com

Pacific American Lumber
142 Mokauea St.
845-8700
www.pacamlumber.com

Pacific Craftworks
2829 Awaawaloa St., Unit D
839-2345
www.pacifccraftworks.com

Selective Stone
2979 Koapaka St.
839-2979
www.selectivestone.net

Superior Solid Surface
1620 Hau St.
842-5556