Hello
Have a 8-9 year old tile countertop with 5 or 6 cracked tiles and they are now at a point where silicone sealant alone is not going to be sufficient. They are the 13x13 tiles. Unfortunately Lowes and Home Depot only carry 12x12 and I cannot find the exact color (there are some that are very very close) There were 2 spares in the basement at the time of move-in and i need a few more. HOA and builder say the tile color/mold is probably too old and cannot be sourced. Called a couple wholesalers who basically said the same thing. Too old tile

Any options? Don't want to redo the whole counter if I don't have to. It will probably be the difference between a few hundred bucks and at least a couple thousand?

How much does a new counter generally cost - I know they vary , but something reasonable..easy to maintain, .stain resistant is important. ..nothing too fancy. And how long do they take to install? I pretty much live , eat, do my computer work etc etc etc in my kitchen so speed is important too.

Have been putting this off for too long. Any advice?

 

13" tiles are common - try a Google search.

 

Thank you. Saw some online on wayfair etc etc. Will contact them. matching color will probably be a challenge doing it online...

If I decide to replace the whole countertop (without new cabinet etc) what would the approx cost be? I think the area is around 36 sq feet. what are good durable affordable stain resistant options? concrete is good? or maybe redo the whole thing in tile again as it seems the cheapest option...but probably takes the longest,,,,

 

The cost of a countertop depends mostly on what material is used. A high end granite or quartz countertop installed might be 10K or more. Formica is probably the most reasonably priced and it's DIY friendly but it is also less durable.

Tile is also DIY friendly. If you decide to go with tile you should first determine why your existing tiles cracked. It sounds like they might be inadequately supported. If you can't match the existing tiles you could redo the entire countertop for a few hundred dollars.

 

Crack was due to me banging it too may times with cast iron pots etc etc. Going to be more careful.
I don't have the tools etc or the skills so might just hire someone local to do it for me. Want to learn it some day but just don't have the time at the moment. Was trying to find out how long it would take for someone to do it for me. It is approx 36-40 sq feet. Probably someone local who has the tools etc...

 

I would not even attempt a match - get close but not exact and it will stand out. Find something complementary instead and make it a design.

 

I'm not a huge fan of tile countertops. When DIY, they are inexpensive, but tend to succumb to the issues you've mentioned.

If you want to stick with tile, you're probably looking at a few hundred dollars in materials. The existing tile can likely be demoed and the new tiles installed either DIY or by a handyman type person.

I much prefer quartz countertops. For a small kitchen, the price tag is worth it and there are economical choices.