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What metal for countertop surface on old hoosier?

Q. I have an old hoosier cabinet that I love, a hand-me-down from a friend who'd brought it with her to New York City from Georgia. The countertop is made of particleboard. I don't know if it was once covered with something (linoleum?) but it isn't anymore, it is just paint and particleboard and as you can imagine after years of use the particleboard has gotten wet in spots and swollen. It isn't very useful as a countertop anymore since I'm afraid to set anything on it that might get it wet, and it is kind of ugly.

We're about to move, which means it will get dismantled (it comes apart in three pieces, the top cabinet, the counter surface and the bottom cabinet) and I'd like to take the opportunity to either replace or resurface the counter. I've been imagining copper for a long time, though I've read some other forums here on brushed zinc and galvanized tin countertops:
www.finishing.com/55/92.shtml
www.finishing.com/401/94.shtml

Do you have suggestions about what is likely to be least expensive? Most wholesome? I don't plan to just pile chopped onions on it, but it will be in our kitchen so it should be food-safe and able to withstand the occasional not-as-dry-as-we-thought colander.

Is copper a terrible idea? What else could I consider for a metal countertop surface?

And ... can I do this myself?

Amanda Bee
July 20, 2008
future hobbyist - Brooklyn, New York


adv (affil link): Hoosier Cabinets on eBay

A. Hi, Amanda. Not knowing your handyperson skills or artistic skills or the tools you have, I really can't say whether you personally can do this yourself; but, yes, it is a do-it-yourself project for many people.

The most durable and stain-free material would be stainless steel, but some people dislike its "industrial look". Copper and zinc are both widely used, although both stain and neither is really 100% food-safe -- slicing tomatoes or other acidic food can dissolve a small amount of zinc or copper, if people actually slice food directly on it. Copper and zinc are micronutrients, not toxins, but overdoses are theoretically possible over the long term.

Tin is completely food-safe, but I think you will find it very hard to source either solid tin sheets or tin plated steel sheets. Please note that people often call steel sheet metal "tin", which confuses the issue; neither plain steel sheetmetal nor galvanized steel sheetmetal is tin. Tin is actually an element, like gold, silver, zinc, or copper.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
July 21, 2008