galley countertops, new formica or?

[deniseO30]

As much as I love end grain teak I could buy another boat for the cost!
of course any end grain block would swell fantastically in a closed up humid boat anyway.

Just wondering what some of you have used for yours. Mine of course has the 80s butcher block formica.

[billyruffn]

Our galley has formica tops and they've lasted amost 15 years. They now need replacement and I've been debating re-surfacing with formica or upgrading to Corian or similar type surface. I'd stay away from a natural wood surface as it will be hard to keep clean and appearance will degrade with age much faster than plastics.

[Sailormann]

We have Corian. It's good.

[hellosailor]

Denise, how's your galley laid out and how much countertop is there?

If the Refit Faerie came and slapped me, I'd ask for thin (1/4" or a smite less) granite countertops. Partly because I like it as a kitchen work surface (no burns, no cuts, etc) and partly because I'd LOVE to appeal a PHRF rating based on carrying xxx pounds of granite that high up in the boat. (Oh wait, that must have been the Refit Pixie that just slapped me!)

I guess growing up with Formica and seeing it age gracelessly just turns me off to it. But really, how much countertop, laid out how?

[mitiempo]

I just put white Formica on my current boat's countertops, but in the early 90's I used ash with teak bungs, clearcoated with epoxy (3 coats) and then about 4 coats of Epifanes varnish. They look good even today - this picture is about a year old. And yes the boat has been used - Victoria to Australia and return. The table was done the same way. I didn't use veneer but 3/16 to 1/4" strips in the galley and 1/4" bookmatch teak on the table. Rather than inlay on the table for the black edging I mixed ink black with west epoxy and it worked out well.
Brian