What do you look for in a new countertop?

Brooks Custom
by Brooks Custom
Hey everyone. We're discussing our concrete countertop line at Brooks Custom, and deciding what traits do homeowners look for the most. Aside from price point, what's the most important thing FOR YOU when choosing a countertop: style, durability, food prep, versatility, etc.?
We're re-launching our Verdicrete (engineered concrete) line, and it will have a more traditional sealed-and-oiled finish. This is different from our previous finish that was stain-proof. This will bring the cost down, but still offer an artistic option for concrete countertops, and we'd love to hear opinions!
One of our Verdicrete tops.
  11 answers
  • Sue G Sue G on Oct 01, 2012
    Personally, I Love how it looks. Durability, Versatility, and Style all are Key essentials..And Stain proof.. I would never chop food on any counter top, so this would not matter to me...I think everyone owns a chopping board of some sort...
  • Sharron W Sharron W on Oct 01, 2012
    This is a beautiful look, but i have to know that it will stand up to use for food prep, and be germ free when I wash it down with soap. I have a cutting board, but I also have a husband and kid that use my counter as a cutting board...if I EVER get to change out the ratty mess that I have...I'd like to know it could survive their abuse...oh. and hot pans...they also set hot pans on it and burned it...
  • Brooks Custom Brooks Custom on Oct 01, 2012
    Thanks guys! @Sue G ...You would think that everybody owns a chopping board, but we get calls all the time for cuts on tops from food prep. We like to refer to them as "charming." :)
  • Sharron W Sharron W on Oct 01, 2012
    Yeah.....welllll my cooking teenager still thinks he knows EVERYTHING and there is nothing you can tell him...until he messes up....then it's too late...Hence the reason I haven't already changed them out...he's currently at college and I'm hoping by the second semester he'll have gotten used to the fact that he Doesn't know everything and I can safely change out the counter tops....
  • Gail Salminen Gail Salminen on Oct 01, 2012
    While hubby and I are the primary food prep people in our kitchen we often have others looking after the house and the dog when we are away - would want something that could with stand hot pots miss placed because they thought the concrete surface could withstand the heat as well as misplaced chopping - just one slice won't make a difference one too many times can make a mess of a counter - have one to prove it LOL
  • Z Z on Oct 01, 2012
    I've think I've pounded into my family that cutting boards were meant for cutting so no worries there for me, but I can imagine by the comments above that over all it's very important. For me it's worth paying extra for something that's going to last a lifetime when it comes to the bones of our home so I'd want it all. Classic style, and durability.
  • Sue G Sue G on Oct 02, 2012
    WELL,, I totally LOVE this for a countertop ; )... It is beautiful!!
  • Jeanine Wester Jeanine Wester on Oct 03, 2012
    That's really good looking and I love the concrete counter tops as opposed to granite (not a huge fan actually). I would worry a little about it not being stain proof. How easy does it stain? What if you accidentally spill something on it? I never cut on the counter so that wouldn't bother me.
  • Susan Lewis Susan Lewis on Oct 03, 2012
    It looks great. Would love to have.
  • Brooks Custom Brooks Custom on Oct 03, 2012
    @Jeanine Wester -- It is stain-resistant, but not proof. We don't recommend letting any liquid sit on it for an extended period of time. We like working with it, because it's a very artistic material, when done properly. Definitely has a more unique look than the run-of-the-mill granite tops.
  • TRD Designs Ltd. TRD Designs Ltd. on Oct 03, 2012
    Wow, I wish I new you guys were around the corner from me. we just finished off kitchen renovation and I would have loved to do something different with the countertops than typical granite.