Ron Hazelton's Kitchen Makeover: Countertops

Feb. 27 -- Today, Good Morning America Home Improvement Editor Ron Hazelton continues his kitchen makeover, tackling countertops.

Of all the choices you make about your kitchen, the material you select for the countertop must work the hardest. No other surface — not even the floor — gets the constant use and abuse: hot pots and pans, liquid spills, scrubbing and cleaning, abrasion from dishes, you name it.

Here are pros and cons of five of the most popular choices, plus a new material we are trying out on our kitchen makeover in Tampa, Fla.:

Plastic laminate: This super-tough material is made of several layers of resin-impregnated paper bonded to a colorful top layer of paper and then covered with clear melamine plastic. This is then bonded to a particleboard core. Many pre-made laminate-covered particleboard countertops incorporate a 4-inch-high vertical lip (or backsplash) at the rear of the countertop to protect the wall behind the countertop from drips and splashes. These aretechnically referred to as "post-formed" countertops.

Plastic laminate's well-deserved reputation for durability combined with low cost and easy cleanup make this an excellent choice for makeovers on a tight budget. The downside to plastic laminate occurs when you need to join several pieces Together. It's a real challenge to make the seams invisible. Pros know how to do this, but it's a tough task for the average homeowner. Also, the dark resin-impregnated paper behind the colorful top layer of most laminates will show at the seams and edges — especially on the lighter colored varieties.

Solid surface materials: Solid surface material is almost perfect for countertops. It's made from acrylic resins and mineral fillers that are formed into ½-inch thick sheets for countertops. You can even get sinks made out of this stuff, and when bonded to the countertop, no seams will show. Solid surface countertops are easy to clean, water resistant and, unlike thin laminate, you can sand out blemishes. On the downside, this material does stain more readily than plastic laminate, it's expensive, and usually requires professional installation.