Corian Style Counters: A Do-it-Yourself Project?

If you’re planning to renovate your kitchen, buying new appliances is a proverbial piece of cake. Painting? A no-brainer. But replacing your countertops may give you pause – especially if you’re looking to upgrade to Corian style counters. Traditionally, manufacturers and distributors have held the reins on Corian style counters, insisting on professional installation that can cost up to $80 per square foot. Now, however, Corian style counters – known more generically as solid surface counters or solid surface kitchen tops – are available in relatively easy do-it-yourself kits.

Why Corian Style Counters?

Corian solid surface counters have a number of advantages. First, they last seemingly forever. Second, Corian counters are solid surface sheets, meaning that the Corian colors go all the way through. Plastic laminate countertops, by contrast, have only one layer of color, so the surface can be permanently marred by knife cuts, lose color in areas of heavy use, and sometimes even peel back. If a solid surface counter becomes marred, you can just sand it down and retain the beauty of the material. Third, Corian style counters are more...