Galley countertops

[Gadagirl]

Decorative epoxy counter tops? Googling images show many beautiful examples. Not sure how/if they'd hold up over time though.

[DMF Sailing]

Having experienced butcher block in my dry old dirt home, I'd avoid it in the wet climes of a boat. Yes, it's elegant, yes, it's cheaper, and yes, on a boat it would increase cutting board area, but it's susceptible to water damage and, around the sink, rot.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by OceanFox

I hadn't thought of stainless steel...hmmm

Stainless steel is very practical.

[Sand crab]

Corian and the similar brands will show stains. In our house we had beige countertops with a white Corian sink which was always dirty looking. A good overnight application of TileX with bleach would clean it up nicely. That smell on an enclosed boat would knock you out.

[LittleWing77]

My only thought would be that if you're installing this on a sailboat, any weighty choice like granite, butcher block, tile - the material's weight needs to be taken into consideration.

Not only [the story above] of dropping an icebox lid on one's finger, but adding a disproportionate amount of weight on one side of a sailboat, depending on the boat and its design, may create a permanent list (off-centreline tilt creating long-term instability).

Angle of list:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angle_of_list

Please note also that boatpoker's pictures are from a gorgeous refit of his very comfortable cabin cruiser motoryacht, so while his galley does look quite posh, his countertops may not be appropriate for a sailboat for the reasons delineated above.

Fair winds,
LittleWing77

[OceanFox]

Originally Posted by noelex 77

Stainless steel is very practical.

Oh go on then, throw some oysters and a good single malt in the foreground...Someone is very good at sales!

[OceanFox]

Originally Posted by DMF Sailing

Having experienced butcher block in my dry old dirt home, I'd avoid it in the wet climes of a boat. Yes, it's elegant, yes, it's cheaper, and yes, on a boat it would increase cutting board area, but it's susceptible to water damage and, around the sink, rot.

That's my biggest concern, delamination and rot. I had butcher block in my cabin in Idaho and it was wonderful. Friends here in FL have had it in their house on a canal for close to 20 years and it still looks good. Stains and knife marks simply disappear with light sanding and some tung oil. But even a house on a canal isn't nearly as damp as a boat.

[OceanFox]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

My only thought would be that if you're installing this on a sailboat, any weighty choice like granite, butcher block, tile - the material's weight needs to be taken into consideration.

Not only [the story above] of dropping an icebox lid on one's finger, but adding a disproportionate amount of weight on one side of a sailboat, depending on the boat and its design, may create a permanent list (off-centreline tilt creating long-term instability).

Angle of list:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angle_of_list

Please note also that boatpoker's pictures are from a gorgeous refit of his very comfortable cabin cruiser motoryacht, so while his galley does look quite posh, his countertops may not be appropriate for a sailboat for the reasons delineated above.

Fair winds,
LittleWing77

Keeping her balanced is definitely a concern. However, I'm knee-deep in a full refit thanks to discovering all the bulkheads were poorly tabbed to the hull. So I'm rebuilding the galley, the head, and re-coring the decks. I'll be using the battery bank to redistribute and balance the weight.

[OceanFox]

Originally Posted by Gadagirl

Decorative epoxy counter tops? Googling images show many beautiful examples. Not sure how/if they'd hold up over time though.

I hadn't thought about that. We made those for Gusty's on Harbour Island 20 years ago, and they held up for quite a few years as bar tables. That could be a fun option, if I could ensure all the raw edges were sealed.

[danstanford]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

Corian and the similar brands will show stains. In our house we had beige countertops with a white Corian sink which was always dirty looking. A good overnight application of TileX with bleach would clean it up nicely. That smell on an enclosed boat would knock you out.

If the product really is Corian you just have to throw some Comet in there and spend a few minutes with a green scrubby pad. The stains are actually little scratches with stuff in them and a regular quick scrub with an abrasive cleanser will make it stain free forever.

[stormalong]

I used Hanex, a Corian equivalent to replace my countertops. It can be worked with a router. You can buy many of these products at solidsurface.com.

The refer lid is eight pounds and the wife was not happy. A gas strut supports the weight and prevents accidental drop on fingers.

I did an undermount sink in the galley. Regret not doing it in the head. It looks so much nicer than conventional mount.

Can be cleaned with a fine polishing compound.

[Pelican_38]

I have had formica (worked fine but didn't love it), wood (looked great and worked well, I'd do it again), Corian (worked fine and looked very good, but had to be professionally installed), and most recently stainless over marine ply.

I think the stainless has been my favorite. But my wife doesn't love it as much as I do. I like the light weight, durability, and looks. I'd do stainless again.

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by OceanFox

I have looked at getting the corian pre-cut. I'm just nervous about the accuracy of my template! I want a snug fit, but not so snug that there's no room for error.

Ha! Yes! So many things would be different on my boat if I either trusted myself or was willing to pay outrageous marine service fees.

Good luck!

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by Pelican_38

I have had formica (worked fine but didn't love it), wood (looked great and worked well, I'd do it again), Corian (worked fine and looked very good, but had to be professionally installed), and most recently stainless over marine ply.

I think the stainless has been my favorite. But my wife doesn't love it as much as I do. I like the light weight, durability, and looks. I'd do stainless again.

Corian does not have to be professionally installed. But it is a closed supply chain for DIYers. You need to learn where the holes are in that closed supply chain.

I bought a Hanex sheet (same as Corian) from a company in Chicago, my old hometown. They rough cut it for me, making it easier to transport. That was a dozen years ago. Now anyone can go to solid surface.com and pick from hundreds of color/pattern choices. It is not cheap but it is available.

It is a tough plastic and hard to work. I cut to within a 1/4 inch of the finished size with a jig saw and cut to exact size with a router, a ball bearing straight cutter and an aluminum angle iron as a guide. The hardest cut was square openings for refer and freezer doors. It was tricky and time consuming but the results were worth it. To do an undermount galley sink I made a full size template from MDF and again used the router for the exact final cuts.

Like any project, the more planning and effort that goes into it, the better the results.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Rob_P

You can get some really beautiful laminates if you want to dress up your galley. Check out your local cabinet-makers supply place for what they carry. It's inexpensive and bonds to ply with contact cement. There are a lot of videos that explain the process so you don't get bubbles.


For myself, I've never understood why people don't put SS countertops in the galley. Heat resistant, won't peel or chip, and scrubs clean easily.

Yes I'd look at off-cuts of laminates at the local cabinet makers.

The problem with Formica is that if it gets wet (say) at a join it will lift in time. It is best to have it held down mechanically with a fiddle or sink.

In my yacht I haven't gone for any fancy design: I have white Formica throughout the yacht.