New Laminates.

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Yes i know " real" wood/stone/metal is preferable.
But we have a tight budget and I have seen some laminates that I think look really good.
( Ive given up trying to decorate my house in period specific fixtures, Im just going for what I like!)
Ive been looking at the Wilsonart HD laminate & 180fx Formica for the counters in the kitchen & bathroom. ( I thought about tile, but too many choices and too much work)
H installed Formica in the kitchen years ago & it would still look good, if I would use a cutting board:o
But I want something more stylish anyway.
I see that they come in different widths, which is confusing, I would think it would be like fabric & standardized.
Any one have any comments?
[Kitchen</a> High End Countertops Formica Design, Pictures, Remodel, Decor and Ideas](<a href=“High End Countertops Formica ]Kitchen - Photos & Ideas | Houzz”>High End Countertops Formica - Photos & Ideas | Houzz)</p>

2

<p>I’ve had clients who used Formica because of tight budgets. It looks pretty good. The sizes as far as I can tell are so that they can fit on long stretches of counter versus double wide islands. You want as few seams as possible. Also pay attention to the edge detail - that’s where laminates are most likely to look round. </p>

<p>I don’t know that real stone is preferable. I love the way Paperstone looks for example: [PaperStone</a> | The Countertop With a Conscience](<a href=“http://paperstoneproducts.com/products-panels-slate.php]PaperStone”>http://paperstoneproducts.com/products-panels-slate.php) It looks like leather, but you can carve built in drain boards into it. Unfortunately it’s not cheap!</p>

3

<p>My neighbor has paperstone and it does look nice, but it would be nice if there was something we could get at Lowes with Hs gift cards from work.</p>

<p>Our kitchen cupboards are original to house & shallow, but until we start to relocate doorways, that is what we have to work with.( the counter is 10’ x23")
Wilsonart comes in 30" but the Formica is 48")</p>

<p>I accumulated lots of recycled glass tile intending to do the bathroom counter but the squares aren’t square and I decided to save it for a tabletop, instead of putting all that work into it & have the next person rip it out ( after asking for advice on CC of course)</p>

4

<p>We chose Formica’s “travertine” in the honed finish for a second home in a market where laminate counters were the norm. It was new (at least for that builder) and considered an upgrade, even with a bullnose edge. I just looked at the newer ogee edge and prefer it over the one we had. When we sold that house, the counters got mostly positive feedback (the exceptions being a couple of buyers who would have preferred cheap granite over a nice laminate.) </p>

<p>Having lived with Corian (& similar products) as well as several grades of granite, the only thing I prefer about those counters vs. the laminate is their water impervious nature. Dh tends to be very sloppy when rinsing/washing dishes and leaves water all over the counter. With laminate counters and a surface mounted sink, I was concerned about moisture problems and continually wiping up after him. On the other hand, I like how laminate is more forgiving of fumbles (I never broke glass or other fragile items on my Formica counters the way I have on granite.) The Formica was also easier to clean and maintain since it didn’t require special cleaning products or periodic sealing.</p>

<p>We’ve given up on selling our current home until dh retires, but we still talk (& debate) our choices for our next - and final - house. I’d be quite happy with a '60s inspired kitchen complete with Formica counters. Dh prefers stone and it’s likely that we’ll end up with quartz.</p>

<p>I think you can find a Formica color/pattern and finish that you like very much and save quite a bit over other counter choices. One way to dress up your kitchen would be to skip the 4 inch “backsplash” attached to the counter and run tile from the counter to the bottom of your upper cabinets. You can find some great deals for porcelain and glass tiles online and it’s very easy to install yourself.</p>

5

<p>You don’t have to buy the Formica in sheets. I had to go look at Lowe’s website to understand what you meant about the 48" because I haven’t helped fabricate a counter in over 25 years. Instead, you can get Lowe’s to order counters made to fit your kitchen’s measurements. Base cabinets are typically 24" deep, but I wouldn’t be surprised if many vary by a little bit. Most people seem to prefer an overhang of an inch +/- anyway.
Most Lowe’s stores, IME, will send someone to measure your counters for a nominal charge which will be credited against your purchase if you decide to go ahead with the project. It’s worth the cost and hassle; if there are any errors in measurement it’s on them to make things right.</p>

6

<p>You can get lots of information and advice in the Kitchen Renovation forum at thathomesite.com. I relied heavily on the Bathroom forum when I renovated 2.5 bathrooms.</p>

<p>I think that tile is a very bad choice for kitchen counters. I like Silpat’s idea of a tile backsplash.</p>

7

<p>I agree with NYMom about tile. The house we bought last year has a kitchen with tile counters and a large island. It was a high-end job, and goes very well with the style of the house (mediterranean), so it looks good, but it’s much more difficult to keep clean than something with a continuous surface. Since it’s just H and I most of the time it’s not a big deal, but I would have hated it when the kids were still living here. Trying to wipe crumbs off grout is a pain!</p>

8

<p>Pay attention to the surface of the laminate- I redid our old house in Travertine Formica (replaced my favored blue that was old and worn/damaged in places) and made sure I got a smooth surface, not honed. I dislike rough surfaces- want to be able to write on a single sheet of paper et al. Also chose the edging that rounded but did not go up to be spillproof- a flat project piec can hang over the edge and stay flat. There is still a place for laminate counters- softer, warmer, less expensive and many patterns more pleasing than some busy quartz or granite. I would not want any surface composed of many squares with grout lines, tile or granite- bumpy.</p>

9

<p>I redid our kitchen with tile counters…but not little tiles. BIG tiles, floor tiles in fact. 20" x 20" with very thin grout lines. I love it and it’s very easy to keep clean as most of the surface is solid. Stands up to hot pans and is very durable. I think I paid about $150 for materials and $150 for a handy friend to install the tile. Did the island too, but with 12x12 tile and two strips of small detail tile.</p>

<p>The old counters were tile but they were the 4x4 white ones with thick grout lines…I HATED that counter.</p>

<p><a href=“https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ba_ffOAEE1I/TQp486IblEI/AAAAAAAAJlc/_SuO2-0SUxE/s800/P1070962.JPG[/url]”>https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ba_ffOAEE1I/TQp486IblEI/AAAAAAAAJlc/_SuO2-0SUxE/s800/P1070962.JPG&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WbxE2EEGQfs/TQp4-asFrRI/AAAAAAAAJlc/Uu0SZqyoTZE/s800/P1070964.JPG[/url]”>https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WbxE2EEGQfs/TQp4-asFrRI/AAAAAAAAJlc/Uu0SZqyoTZE/s800/P1070964.JPG&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

10

<p>We do have a tile backsplash that runs from the counter to underneath the bottom cupboard. I suppose i could save time/money if I got a counter that could go with that instead of redoing it.
Its kind of boring though, caramel ceramic tiles with sienna grout- maybe I can bleach out the grout?( H just told me that actually the tile was installed on a board, so we can just take it out)
I also like some of the solid materials… I have to reassess my budget.
Since I am making H cut back the cupboard doors so that they are flush with the cabinets, maybe I will get one of the colors of countertop he likes that would go with the tile.
I like tile, but i like either the tiny slate squares or the huge ones. </p>

<p>But at least they aren’t teak counters like my great aunts, then I would never be able to change them!</p>

11

<p>I was recently at an estate sale where the kitchen was pristine maybe 1957-1960. The counters were perfect laminate with the classic swirly pattern that looks space age and it had ridged, metal banding around the edges. Very cool. </p>

<p>But our taste is odd. We have dark blue flecked counters with a stainless steel backsplash. We bought sheets of patterned stainless steel from some company in Brooklyn that mostly makes metal ceilings. The sheets had to be cut with roofing shears, but the total cost was under $200.</p>