Al Carrell: Earlier, Michael took us on a tour of a workshop where they fabricate solid surface countertops. Now, we're installing some of the countertops that we saw being prepared to go into this kitchen remodeling project. New countertops like these are a great way to take an existing kitchen and make it look brand new. You can see how easily this whole installation is going in. As long as the measurements are correct, it's a relatively simple and easy process. But the material is so easy to work with, it's also pretty easy to make little corrections on site where they're necessary.
Solid surface countertops are making a wonderful difference in this kitchen and the cook of the house is really going to enjoy it. Because liquids can't penetrate the Corian, it's very easy to clean. And because there are no pores or seams like you find in tile, granite or marble, there's no place for bacteria or mold to take root. So when these solid surface countertops look clean, you know they really are. And speaking of looks, these countertops will keep looking good for decades. Because it's so easy to repair the inevitable nicks and scratches, there's virtually no reason they can't keep looking like new year after year.
There's a lot of countertop surface in this kitchen, so it all couldn't be carried in in one piece. Back in the fabrication stage, we saw how seams can be made invisible to the eye. The countertop color and a catalyst heat up when they're combined. Now this mixture is put into the opening of the seam where it melds the two pieces together. This seam is being filled in and it will eventually be buffed out so that no one will even know that it's there. Not even the home owner won't be able to find where it is when we're through here.
Solid surface countertops range from a medium cost for simple installations to much more expensive for sophisticated custom jobs. Added touches like inlayed designs and solid surface sinks will add to the costs, but they'll also add to the value of your home. And whether you install solid surface countertops on a budget or let your imagination run wild, this renewable surface is well worth the investment in your new house.
Episode 47 1996 - 97 Season
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