Two things-I just put the Ikea butcherblock in a couple months ago and it's pretty decent. i've got it laid out so there is only one seam. it's nice and modern, it's no concrete but then again it's not 50's formica/laminate. Another option may be LG HiMacs, it's an alternative to the stones and i think it's about $40/sq. they sell it at Lowes, i'd check it out.

A friend of mine got trailer truck flooring. Sanded it down and rubbed in whatever kind of oil you use for food surfaces. It's just like butcher block but it was dirt cheap and has more character.
~mike

I put in a new kitchen in our house on a very tight budget. We spent about two months researching countertop materials and ended up going with a maple end grain top. It was the best deal for the money. Granite was just to expensive and concrete is a LOT of work if you do it yourself and not to mention time consuming. We got our rock maple countertops from Lumber Liquidators for a very reasonable price. As for a finish we used a salad bowl finish over mineral oil. The salad bowl finish requires less maintenence and looks really nice, especially if you do a bit of wet sanding. For the money and th amount of work required on the install, you can't beat this. Plus it has a beautiful organic look to it.

Fireslate vs. Richlite?

Can anybody comment on Fireslate vs. Richlite in terms of durability and maintenance? Also, what are the prices for Richlite? Fireslate prices are easily available but it's a maze getting details about Richlite.

In response to tzdons' post, please see my earlier posting on this thread.

Concrete countertops are as, or often even more expensive than granite countertops. You are paying for a fully custom, handmade piece, created by an artisan.

To save money with concrete countertops the only option is to create them yourself. It takes years to master this medium, but a diy'er can accelerate the learning curve by attending a hands-on workshop. There are several companies that offer training; Cheng, Buddy Rhodes, CCI and ourselves included. Below are images of previous DIY'er workshops we have held in our studio as well as a piece created by a class. For more information about our classes, please visit our website at http://www.goredesignco.com

[IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/brandongore/WW1Training3-5.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/brandongore/WW1Training3-2.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/brandongore/WW1Training2-2.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f161/brandongore/WW1classcountertop2.jpg[/IMG]