My sister just got a new kitchen, and it looks so good! She was on a budget and used laminate countertops...and they actually look really good!
I think they are HD laminate...anyway, they have the high shine and a nice bevelled edge, and the look of stone although you can tell they aren't but still...they dont look like a cheap imitation they look really nice!
I had my heart set on using a solid surface counter when we do our renovation, but I think actually I'd be happy with laminate if that is how nice new laminate is! I know that for the age of our house/neighborhood/resale etc. we wouldn't see a good return on splurging for high end countertops. The one thing I didn't love was that is is still a thinner surface. I think it would look amazing if you could get it in a thicker profile, like real stone is.
Anyone know if you can get laminate countertops done "thicker" I feel dumb asking this....but that was the one real giveaway that they weren't a solid surface/high end...just that they were still the 1 inch or whatever thickness.
I don't believe you can. The factories that make this stuff are major operations that understandably have limited capabilities to keep costs down. I installed HD laminate with a special edge in this house, and yes it's awesome, and yes it fools many non D&R types.
I have HD laminate to (Wilsonart..and I get so many compliments on it) Mine is solid and black but has reflective pieces and a depth that makes it look like stone.
It's also easy care and affordable. I never did get the hate for laminate on here for that very reason. Then again, whether people want to admit it or not there's some godawful ugly solid surface granite and the like out there too.
My first countertop was regular, generic, no name laminate and it was crap..but did make it seven years. I wasn't expecting much though..it came with the house in the contract. My Wilsonart is much thicker and sturdier than that ever was.
It's like anything else. There's really cheap, cheap, decent, good quality and great.
So Dairy are yours thicker than the cheap standard laminate??? Can I see a pic? I would love a thick, chunky profile without paying the price for stone
So Dairy are yours thicker than the cheap standard laminate??? Can I see a pic? I would love a thick, chunky profile without paying the price for stone
Yeah..My Wilsonart is thicker than my old stuff for sure! However, my old stuff wasn't formica or the popular lineup. It was some in house contracted out stuff for the purposes of our builder. It was awful quality so who the hell knows. It was glued on the thinnest sheet of plywood ever. My Mom and MIL have regular Formica and there's was much thicker than mine. My Wilsonart looks thicker because it now has more overhang and the edges are beveled. The edging options are what really makes or breaks it for me.
I'm at work, so I don't have a pic on here. Just google images of Wilsonart and you can see it. Mine is called Luna Night I believe. It's really dark black. Their website also shows it pretty true to life in my eyes.
I also have the Wilsonart HD laminate and I love it. I actually had a fight with a repairman who was trying to tell me that it was granite and I just "didn't understand these types of things" until he got close to it and saw that it was actually laminate. Mines decently thick, but I usually think of stone tops as being on the thin side. I'll snap a picture of it when I get home so that you can see the size.
We just got premium Formica in a white with gray veining for our basement and it looks awesome! I think it depends on where you get it. We got ours through Lowes and just ordered the sizes we needed, but you can purchase Formica and Wilsonart on the roll and do your own laminate countertops. In that case, you could use any thickness. Although, ours are standard thickness and I think they look great!
Hey, I just measured for you and my counter is 1.5 inches thick if that helps you at all. I have a 1 inch overhang on the work side and 14 inch over hang on the eating side. My overhang on the eating side is more than standard "bar" overhang on purpose. H didn't want to keep kicking the counter every time we sat down.
I know this renovation is a few years off still but I am always dreaming and planning. I want to be sure of exactly what I want when we do get to do this!
How expensive is HD laminate? We really need to do our kitchen over - new cabinets and counters but just can't afford it. H was laid off for 4.5 years (2 5-6 month contracts during that time) and just started a permanent, great paying job about 6 weeks ago so we can't afford to do the kitchen. We have a very large island, we were quoted 7k for granite just for the island alone. I would go with new laminate counter tops as a stop gap for the next few years, possibly painting the cabinets we now have if the price was right on them. Since we haven't had money to do any of this type of stuff I haven't even been looking and have never heard of HD laminate.
Post by kristilynnmy on Jan 2, 2013 19:46:34 GMT -5
I can't answer your question but we have those counter tops because of budget restraints and they are really nice. We have one section that's bumpy because Hubby didn't glue it down enough and one where I left small bag of garbage on it over night and it leaked and ruined the edging but we fixed it. It drives me crazy but we've had them for a year now and they are good! I'd still rather soapstone or something real/natural.
Ooh..that's pretty Em. I like your edging too. Mine is just edged on the actual counter, no wood trim.
To the PP who asked for cost..mine ran a little less than 4K when said and done including install fees. I have a massive amount of counter though. I can't remember off the top of my head how many sq. ft. it is but the estimate guy at the lumberyard literally said, "Did I measure right? Do you reall have this much counter?" It's a huge U shape and wider than avg in places so that added to the cost.
Post by emoflamingo on Jan 2, 2013 22:43:58 GMT -5
Mine was a small amount, with sink hole cut, no installation but also added a sink and faucet for around $500. It wasn't much more than regular laminate.
Mine was rolled into the build cost as a standard item, if I went with non-hd it would have been $1200 cheaper but I also have a ridiculous amount of counterspace. I have a huge U with one side being double width with an over hang and then another wall with counter above two cabinets and a desk.
I really love it and wouldn't trade for granite at all the wood trim was a nice touch but the builder didn't stain it well. I wish I would have caught it sooner but they put the little backsplash piece and I would have rather it been left off
We just got premium Formica in a white with gray veining for our basement and it looks awesome! I think it depends on where you get it. We got ours through Lowes and just ordered the sizes we needed, but you can purchase Formica and Wilsonart on the roll and do your own laminate countertops. In that case, you could use any thickness. Although, ours are standard thickness and I think they look great!
I was just going to say this. You can make it as thick as you want, but you just won't be able to have a fancy edge if you do it yourself I don't think. This Old House has a video on how to do it.
Yes, they can be made to appear thicker - buy adding another board underneath and then custom edging. You can buy laminate in premade counters or in sheets --- it would require using the sheets of laminate and having it cut, then glued. Not something you would DIY. The labor runs up the cost, but still inexpensive. SOme of the new laminates are great looking and practical.
So Dairy are yours thicker than the cheap standard laminate??? Can I see a pic? I would love a thick, chunky profile without paying the price for stone
Yeah..My Wilsonart is thicker than my old stuff for sure! However, my old stuff wasn't formica or the popular lineup. It was some in house contracted out stuff for the purposes of our builder. It was awful quality so who the hell knows. It was glued on the thinnest sheet of plywood ever. My Mom and MIL have regular Formica and there's was much thicker than mine. My Wilsonart looks thicker because it now has more overhang and the edges are beveled. The edging options are what really makes or breaks it for me.
I'm at work, so I don't have a pic on here. Just google images of Wilsonart and you can see it. Mine is called Luna Night I believe. It's really dark black. Their website also shows it pretty true to life in my eyes.
That's one of the two I'm decided between right now. I have a huge swatch hanging in the kitchen with that one and another topping my list.