SFGate

Aja Mazin No pic.

Judy M do you want to cut directly on the counter for food prep? I would think the porcelain might dull knives very quickly. Good points, unlike older ceramic tile counters) the grout line would be thin and the grout would be darker. Could you make up a mock piece on backer board and use it for awhile as a cutting board to see if you like it?
I love those tiles, very realistic.

olldbobbi No pic, but here's a link to the company I got the samples from. I like the oak: http://www.builddirect.com/Result.aspx?Ne=27&N=4294967280+4294966291+4294966400&Selected=PriceLowtoHigh&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=Google&utm_campaign=BuildDirect%2BFlooring%2B-%2BCeramic%2BTile%2B-%2BTop&utm_content=Ceramic%2BWood%2BTile&gclid=CJ2Sz-jZ3bMCFcN_QgodWW0A4Q

olldbobbi judee, I just might do that. The samples are a generous size, about 10" x 10". Probably could just use it as a cutting board by itself. And no, I don't cut directly on the countertop, I have two cutting boards I use faithfully. Thanks!

creeser olldbob, ceramic tile countertops are used, so I don't see why you couldn't use the wood look tile as well. The only issue would be the texture and cleanliness. We did a ceramic tile countertop years ago and only had plywood underneath. Of course, I have no idea if we did it correctly, but it lasted until we decided to gut it for esthetic reasons. Esthetic meaning, we were tired of looking at our shoddy handiwork.

olldbobbi creeser, yes, they do have a texture to them but seem to be well sealed. I should do some practice with my samples. Good idea! Thanks!

Judy M some of the samples, I've seen have ridges that food might seep into, something to consider. I just had some samples, as I was considering it for bathroom floor and it had grooves/ridges tat I was worried dirt would seep into. In the end I am choosing something else but the ridges were not part of that decision. I would love to finish my basement floor in those tiles.

Unless you are very hard on your counters, I have a wood top on my kitchen island and I do baby it a bit. If I use it as a buffet or for appetizers, I add a thick quilted table runner down the middle for dishes and I always use a cutting board. Eight years now and it's looking good. Everyone comments on the wood top when they see my kitchen. Hope that helps.

creeser It's not as much them being sealed as gunk getting down in the grooves of the woodgrain and being hard to clean. I don't know how deep they are. I've picked up the tile and looked at it before (love them, btw), but never paid attention to how deep the graining is on them. If it's so deep that in order to keep them clean, you need use a scrub brush, that could be a deterrent.

lefty47 HI -- In Canada - tiles are not used on counter tops but if that's what you want then I think the wood look tiles would look fine . Yes , you will need to use a concrete backer board but get some advice on that from the tile store . I like wood counter tops - much better than tile and there is not much maintenance !!!

olldbobbi Thanks, Lefty!

Good point, creeser, I need to give that some thought.

olldbobbi Thanks, judym, the grooves in the tile are def something to consider. And I am hard on my countertops. Actually, not me, but hubby is. Every little thing that needs fixing gets worked on there. I wonder if different tiles have different "grooves".....

creeser They might olldbob. It would be worth requesting a sample of different colors and brands to see.

Aja Mazin Why can't I follow you?

creeser Aja, she's become a ninja. Unfollow-able..*L*

olldbobbi Aja, while I appreciate your faith in me I had to become unfollowable. There were a plentitude of nasty, cruel comments made about me on one of our OLLD posts (which have since been deleted). Stuff like my comments are all air and worthless and useless, and on, and on, and on. So to avoid dealing with my fan club I had to become unfollowable. But I love you for it!

olldbobbi I just checked my sample floor tiles and there are no grooves at all. All the texture is simulated. They are completely flat on top, which makes sense because what gets dirtier than a floor? And who wants to scrub a large floor on hands and knees with a scrub brush? Def not me!

lionnessone I am not a fan. My friend use these style tiles and in the process of replacing them, only after a year of use. Keep looking; there are many other options for your countertops.[houzz=Bonnie Bagley][houzz=austin kitchen][houzz=Remodel Isle of Palms B]

olldbobbi lionnessone, thanks very much for your input. May I ask why your friend feels they need to be replaced? She just didn't like them or she wanted something high end? This info would be most helpful!

Aja Mazin olldbob,

WOW!

Aja Mazin What happened?

olldbobbi Well, just basically what I said. The comments were intentionally cruel, we think it was the same person who opened four different Houzz accounts just for this purpose as there was no Houzz history behind their names. The comments were meant to be mean and cruel and very hurtful I don't know why ! But, on the bright side, I've never had a fan club before :)) And now the comments and Houzz accounts are gone, deleted, so it does confirm what we thought about the accounts being opened ONLY for this purpose. And we're pretty sure we know who did this.

Judy M The porcelain wood look tiles I had definitely had grooves. At least on the floor any dirt that might sink in would be same color as tile, but not a good choice for a counter!
Completely understand about husbands, I keep mine away from the island with wood top. :)

olldbobbi Yes, judym, last night hubby was soldering some bluetooth thingy that had broken, complete with flux and solder and soldering iron. Sigh.

Judy M Maybe you should consider concrete.

olldbobbi Probably would be a good idea, but I have no idea how to do concrete, or how to build a form. There is a concrete backerboard under my tiles now, maybe I should just remove the tiles? Polish up the backerboard and pretend?

Judy M I suspect husbands could even injure concrete.
I told mine I wish I could him his own bathroom, I would have it all in stainless steel with a big drain in the middle!

olldbobbi Aja, huh???

Aja Mazin Whoops!

lionnessone She had problems like grout staining, cracks, and food sticking in the groves. When a glass broke on the counter, tiny glass pieces would stick into the tiny groves. I have seen her take out a vacuum to clean-up, the broken pieces.
She said it reminded her of wood flooring.

olldbobbi lionnessone, thanks for explaining that! I think that could be a problem with any textured tile surface, no?

lionnessone Yes, it would be a problem on other textured surfaces. However, for a surface where food is being prepared, still not a fan. I wish you better luck than what my friend had. :)

olldbobbi Thank you!

lionnessone You're welcome! :)

Aja Mazin History repeats itself....