Tag Archives: laminate countertop tips

How Do You Cover Old Countertops?

If you don’t like the current look of your old bathroom or kitchen countertops and you don’t want to replace them, one of the ways to improve their look is by covering them.

How do you cover old countertops? Well, there are plenty of ways to go about it. Some of these ways include:

Place tiles over the countertops

Tiles are popular with covering floors, walls, and showers, but there is no reason you can’t use them to cover your old countertops.

While there are many types of tiles you can use, the best ones to go with are grazed ceramic and porcelain tiles. They are stain and heat-resistant. They also come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, so you have plenty of options to choose from.

Install the tiles directly on top of the old counters, provided they are flat and stable enough to not crack. If you have strong counters that can accommodate thicker tiles, start with a layer of ¼-inch cement board glued to the countertop, then lay the tile over it.

While tiles are extremely durable and easy to clean, they have grout joints prone to staining and collecting grime.

Thankfully, you can prevent them from coming about. One of the things to do is to seal the grout as soon as possible after installing the tile then reapply the sealer every few years.

Lay laminate over the countertop

If you have old laminate countertops with square edges, you can cover them with a layer of new laminate sold in sheets of up to 12 feet long and 5 feet wide.

If your laminate countertops have a waterfall edge, don’t cover them with laminate as it’s hard to get the new material to conform to the edge contours.

Covering the old countertops with laminate involves cutting the laminate sheets a little oversize and then gluing them with contact cement. You then trim the edges flush to the old counter with a laminate trimmer or router, and you have your new countertops.

Install modular granite

Sometimes known as granite or stone overlay, modular granite is a system of small, thin slabs of stone specially designed to cover old, beat-up countertops.

Instead of the standard 12-inch square stone tiles, and their many grout joints, modular pieces cover the entire front-to-back distance of the countertop.

The modular pieces are usually 16-18 inches wide, which means that they have fewer joints. As you can guess, this reduces the weak lines, reducing the chances of the countertops breaking.

Use a countertop refinishing kit.

Countertop refinishing kits are like paint on steroids. These kits usually include epoxy-like paint and decorative stone chips that look like a natural stones.

Refinishing kits come with everything you need to cover a standard-size countertop completely. From the front edge to the 4-inch backsplash, the countertop kit will help you cover it.

Although the installation process is straightforward and non-technical, it involves plenty of hard work, messy sanding, and careful attention to detail.

For the best outcome, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter.

Cover the countertops with a countertop film

A countertop film is a thicker, tougher version of contact paper with the self-adhesive backing sticking directly to the old countertop surface.

Although installing the countertop film is a little fussy, it’s not as complicated as applying contact paper, so you can easily do it even without the help of a professional.

To undertake the installation, layout the film, then trim it to rough size and align it to the countertop edges. Stick it down incrementally using a squeegee tool to remove all the bubbles that might be present.

Spray paint the countertop

The beauty of spray painting the countertop is that it’s fast and, at the same time, produces a smooth fish that brush or roller painting can’t match.

While spray painting is a highly effective way to cover the countertops, you should note that it doesn’t work on all surfaces—it often works on laminate countertops and other surfaces that can be scuffed down with sandpaper.

When choosing the paint, granite countertop installers Durham recommend you go for matte finish spray paint as glossy paint shows scratches.

What Are Laminate Countertops Made Of

Although laminate has been around for a long time, many people still don’t know much about them, so you will often hear them wondering what are laminate countertops made of. If you are one of the people asking this question, here are a few things you should know about the countertops:

What are the countertops made of?

The countertops were invented in the early 1900s by engineers from Westinghouse Company. They invented the product from phenolic resins that serve as an industrial insulator. The engineers later left Westinghouse and created the Formica Company that popularized the material.

The countertops are made by combining layers of resins and paper into a single, semi-rigid plastic sheet. The manufacturers use Brown Kraft paper for the bottom layers. The layers are pressed together while cooked, which forces all of the resins and papers to chemically bond into one plasticized sheet.

The countertops come in different grades, often referred to as “grades.” The most popular grades are: horizontal and vertical. The horizontal grade is the thickest type engineered for heavy use and high impact. Since it’s the thickest, it lasts for a long time. Unfortunately, it’s stiff hence difficult to form.

The vertical grade is often used for backsplashes and other areas that can’t withstand a lot of abuse as the other countertops.

Why should you buy a laminate?

Laminate comes with plenty of attractive features that make it a great choice. Some of these features include:

It’s affordable: If you are strapped for cash, laminate is one of the most affordable materials in the market that you can go for.

Elegant appeal: While the countertops materials are cheap, they resemble their more expensive, premium competitors such as granite and marble. This means you can give your home a high-end look at a meager price.

They are easy to install: Since the countertops are lightweight, they are easy to install. You can easily install them on your own without requiring the services of a professional.

Easy to clean: When you pour a potentially staining product on the countertops, getting rid of it is easy. You only need a clean, moist material. When cleaning, avoid using chemicals and abrasives as they can dull the surface or even destroy the resin.

Unlike marble and granite countertops, the countertops are practically maintenance-free as you don’t need to seal or oil them.

Stain-resistant: Since the countertops are made from plastic, they are waterproof. This means they easily repel stains, so you don’t have to worry about them getting stained and looking ugly.

Versatile: The countertops come in a wide range of colors, textures, and patterns. It’s all up to you to choose the ones that are ideal for you. The beauty of it is that you can even get the countertops customized to your liking.

Cons of the countertops

While the countertops are excellent for use in your home, they have several setbacks:

Easily get damaged: Since they are made from layers that are glued together, they easily get damaged when you aren’t cautious when handling them. When you place hot pans or a cigarette on them, you can easily melt them.

The top of the countertops is also highly susceptible to scratches from sharp knives and other items. Unfortunately, unlike other materials that you can easily repair, the countertops are difficult, so you have no option, other than to replace them.

Don’t have a huge impact on the resale value of the house: Compared to granite and marble countertops, laminate doesn’t add much resale value to the house. So you can’t invest in the countertops with the hope that you will recoup your money once you sell your house.

How do you take care of the countertops?

For you to prevent the countertops from getting damaged, you should take good care of them. As motioned above, when you are cleaning the countertops, always ensure that you don’t use abrasive cleaners. You also should avoid harsh chemicals such as bleach.

Since you can only hire countertop replacement NC professionals to replace the damaged countertops, you should be ultra-cautious what you place on the surfaces. As a rule of thumb, never place hot pans on the surfaces. You also should never place any hot material on the surfaces.