Community Forums

Roamin Mike · 01-19-2016, 01:26 PM

I'm buying a used rig and a couple of the countertops are broken and will need to be replaced. I'm wondering what is the most common material for replacement? Do people usually just go back with Corian or similar solid surface material? I'll obviously stay away from granite due to the weight. And I can't really embrace laminate - even the new "nicer" styles. I much prefer solid surface. Anyway, let me know what you like or what you've used for your replacement tops. Appreciate ya!

BFlinn181 · 01-19-2016, 01:59 PM

Corian is a Dupont product and very durable and repairable as a counter surface. The issue is the nature of an RV. It moves, Shakes, Shifts. Corian doesn't take to movement, either do other countertop materials. The places yours is broken are the places it's trying to move. If I was replacing a countertop, I'd want to make sure the base is solidly anchored. I'd also think about mounting the Corian on a plywood base to absorb the movement.

I started out by saying Corian is repairable. A good shop can epoxy cracks in the countertop that will become as strong as the original and invisible. Burns and other marks can often be buffed out of the surface. Before tossing the old, you might have a shop give you an estimate for repairs.

UAV · 01-19-2016, 02:00 PM

I just did a major remodel on my coach and just went with a very nice (IMHO) Corian solid surface.

But now that I think about it, I am not sure if the guy who did the install did any sort of plywood base and I will now go and have a look-see.

So far so good, however.

mojoracing · 01-19-2016, 09:26 PM

I would go with one of the new "thin" granites. They save a lot of weight and use an edging made of granite as well that gives it the look of a full thickness granite. Its the same idea they use on the solid surface counters they use. The counters in my Bounder are made by LG and are similar to corian but are very thin with a wide edge to make them look like regular counters but save weight. If I ever replace mine, its granite all the way!

Wobster · 01-19-2016, 09:43 PM

What about the new quartz countertops...They are bound in a resin...I wonder if they are more fracture resistant. I also don't know if they come in thinner/lighter configurations. The advantage would be heat resistance...I don't know that it would burn/scorch like Corian. That said my Corian is in good shape after 76k miles.

breenw · 08-01-2017, 05:08 AM

We had corian in our 2007 Gulfstream and never had any problems with it. Now we have a 2016 Thor and I hate the countertops. The pattern (I think) is horrible looking and I'd like to replace the countertops in the kitchen area and the booth area. I was wondering if anyone had ever tried the Rustoleum Countertop Transformation product???? We used the Rustoleum product on our kitchen cabinets in a previous home which turned out great, but we installed granite at that time so didn't try the countertop product. Considering the kits run about $40-100, that's considerably cheaper than using full replacement of Corian, Granite, etc.

Any feedback??????

Gary RVRoamer · 08-01-2017, 01:55 PM

Whatever you like. A well-built cabinet will support the countertop and neither solid-surface (e.g. Corian) or stone will crack. But a lower quality structure might.

Take a look at a luxury grade of mica laminate, e.g. the premium-grade lines from Formica or Wilsonart brands. You probably think laminate is cheap-looking because you've never seen the good stuff. It is fabulous! I've seen laminate that is all but indistinguishable from marble or slate or quartz, and others that imitate real wood.

nothermark · 08-01-2017, 02:17 PM

I'd go with high grade laminate over a real plywood base. It does not get any stronger or lighter.

marjoa · 08-01-2017, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Whatever you like. A well-built cabinet will support the countertop and neither solid-surface (e.g. Corian) or stone will crack. But a lower quality structure might.

Take a look at a luxury grade of mica laminate, e.g. the premium-grade lines from Formica or Wilsonart brands. You probably think laminate is cheap-looking because you've never seen the good stuff. It is fabulous! I've seen laminate that is all but indistinguishable from marble or slate or quartz, and others that imitate real wood.

X2.

I agree with the Nice Formica or Wilsonart brands. I remodeled my S&B studio a couple of years ago and had custom cabinets & counter tops built & installed. We did the table tops in a real nice high end Formica. During this decision making process, I learned that even though all the fancy, high end materials like Corian, Marble, Granite, Resign based materials like SileStone or the like, only account for 20% of all countertops installed in the US. They are also expensive, heavy and turn around time to have them made is slow. The above stats include residential & commercial installs. 80% of all installs still use a Formica type product. Why? Because they come in 100's of colors & patterns, they are heat resistant, can have just about any face put on the edge, easy to install and handle and the weight & cost are a fraction of all the others mentioned above.

However...
There was a guy here on this forum back in Feb. or so who had his coach stored for the winter and he drove up to check on the coach. He lived up North somewhere. I don't recall where. But I do remember it was a fairly new coach and his wife really like the Corian countertops they upgraded to. Anyway, he opened the door and walked into the coach and saw that his Corian countertops had cracked in 2 places. Pretty big cracks too. Not hairline cracks. One at the corner of the double basin sink, towards the front edge and another one a couple of feet away @ the back splash area near the cook top running at about a 45 degree angle for a couple of feet. He posted pics and it wasn't pretty. Several people commented in that post that YES, Corian will do that when it gets down below freezing. That happened to him—while the coach was just sitting there.

BFlinn181 · 08-01-2017, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Whatever you like. A well-built cabinet will support the countertop and neither solid-surface (e.g. Corian) or stone will crack. But a lower quality structure might.

Take a look at a luxury grade of mica laminate, e.g. the premium-grade lines from Formica or Wilsonart brands. You probably think laminate is cheap-looking because you've never seen the good stuff. It is fabulous! I've seen laminate that is all but indistinguishable from marble or slate or quartz, and others that imitate real wood.

I agree, I'd suggest a laminate with a wood trim edge. Looks much better than either curved laminate or a separate edging of laminate.

mpierce · 08-01-2017, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marjoa

X2.

However...
There was a guy here on this forum back in Feb. or so who had his coach stored for the winter and he drove up to check on the coach. He lived up North somewhere. I don't recall where. But I do remember it was a fairly new coach and his wife really like the Corian countertops they upgraded to. Anyway, he opened the door and walked into the coach and saw that his Corian countertops had cracked in 2 places. Pretty big cracks too. Not hairline cracks. One at the corner of the double basin sink, towards the front edge and another one a couple of feet away @ the back splash area near the cook top running at about a 45 degree angle for a couple of feet. He posted pics and it wasn't pretty. Several people commented in that post that YES, Corian will do that when it gets down below freezing. That happened to him—while the coach was just sitting there.

I live in ND. My Bluebird has Corian. It has been outside three winters now. Temps have dropped to -30F on several occasions. No cracks added! I would bet that this guys were not on a very good base.

TechWriter · 08-01-2017, 07:49 PM

I have Corian (countertop) & a Corian "knock off" (desktop) in my RV.

While the countertop is original, I used the knock off material on I desktop I had installed because it was much cheaper than Corian.

They're both holding up very well.

09 harley · 08-01-2017, 08:48 PM

I just replaced my counter tops and table with handmade red oak that is 3/4" thick. I was a custom furniture designer and builder and they turned out great. I built up the panels to the required width and length and then finished with Welles Sutherland finish. Almost zero worry about water damage and the are beautiful.

breenw · 08-02-2017, 06:19 AM

Thanks for all the feedback. I think we should look at all the Formica and upgraded laminates out there before making a decision. I think the next part is trying to figure out where to go to get this done. I've read from others that the big box stores like Home Depot won't do this because they don't consider the jobs big enough. Living here in Indiana, we are not that far from the Elkhart area where so many of the MH's are built. Not sure how to find a place locally that would install these products.