Knowledgeable about stainless countertop options?

13 years ago

Hello,

I have to make a couple of huge decisions in like NOW! My contractor suddenly asked for paint colors AND to pick our stainless countertop finish, and wants this info by this info by today...which obviously didn't happen. If I'd known we were that far in the process, I would have had my ducks in a row! I thought the countertop and paint came at the very end but nope! So I want to get it figured out by tomorrow (Friday) before he goes to another job!! ;)

I'm getting 14 gauge stainless steel. That much I know. It's tougher/harder than the standard which I think is 16 gauge so I feel okay about that. Now onto finishes...

I have a cheap, internet-ordered stainless-topped kitchen island. Cute little handy thing (spent about $450 or so on it). I would have NEVER expected to like having a stainless top as much as I have. It's so incredibly durable and cleans up and polishes up beautifully when I want it to shine...it changes color like a chameleon and is NOT cold and modern if in a period kitchen w/ wood floors (and the island itself looks sort of like an antique). My stainless top is so light in color and so soft and watery looking that it almost looks like zinc which I love! We've had it for about 8 years now and all the scratches have formed such a nice patina of sorts that you simply don't see them.

Here's the problem: today I went to a local metal fabricator and what they showed me looked darker and flatter, w/ a lot of little lines. Mine has lines too, but it never looked that way, even when brand new. It always seemed a bit lighter and glossier - almost mirror-like but no, it's not the #8 mirror kind. You can make out some details of my face in my reflection but w/ the sample they gave me, you see nothing. It's very flat and industrial looking...not that warm glossy look that mine has or that others have, e.g. in my inspiration picture which I'll include at the bottom of this post.

Does anyone here know what to ask for from a fabricator? My island top has what appear to be faint brush strokes...could that be the difference? The sample piece doesn't.

Thanks as always, cyber friends!! :)

Here is a link that might be useful: The stainless countertop that originally inspired me!

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Comments (2)

theresse
Original Author
13 years ago
Here's another inspiration picture...and this too looks just like my island top. :( Why can't I find it!!?

(and feel free to make either of these pics big, for all to see, if you know how and don't mind doing so - I haven't figured it out yet!!) ;)

Here is a link that might be useful:
Circus Peanut
13 years ago
hi Theresse,

I'm certainly no expert, but looked into steel when I was deciding on my own countertops. Could it be that the 14-gauge steel has less nickel content than 16-gauge? That would account for its relative darkness. 14-gauge is a fairly industrial grade, I believe. Looking it up, they recommend using 304 grade stainless for countertop use, which has more nickel in it. (Nickel gives it warmth, it has a yellowish cast to it and tones down the blue of the steel.)

So I'd look into the chemical content and not be too concerned with the exact gauge -- remember, your stainless sheet is going to be wrapped around a very solid, perfectly flat underlayment (probably mdf), so the actual thickness of the metal doesn't really affect anything in terms of durability. Unless you're going to be regularly chopping off roast boar's heads with a huge axe, of course. ;-)

Also, remember that the sheet you saw probably wasn't finished but raw. (Or was it finished?) There are a bunch of different ways to burnish the metal to create different effects. When I was polishing up my copper countertops I realized I could do just about anything to them with my orbital sander, then re-polish it again. (I hazily recall sanding my initials on them at some point ...)

I'd share my concerns about the color and finish with your metal fabricator guys, who will likely know exactly what you're talking about and be able to discuss the options with you. Just tell them you wanted a warmer tone than the one you saw.

Enjoy the hunt!
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