On This Page:
- How Does the Cost Compare?
- Pricing Per Sheet/Section
- Pros and Cons of Laminate
- Is This a DIY Project?
- Laminate Manufacturers & Styles
- Conclusion
Laminate countertops were once considered the ultra-modern look for your home. This, however, was back in the 1960’s and 70’s when the plastic look redefined edges and corners, making every surface look clean, modern, and malleable. Plastic, however, gained a reputation as being bad for the environment. When plastic fell out of vogue, laminate fell with it. There’s only one problem: laminate countertops aren’t plastic.
Laminate countertops are made of several layers, most of which are paper. The top layer is a protective melamine resin layer. All of these layers are sandwiched together to make a countertop surface that is light, cheap, and easy to work with while being aesthetically attractive. Modern materials have made them more durable than the ones found in your grandmother’s kitchen!
How Does the Cost Compare?
Laminate is the least expensive option for your kitchen. To compare the cost with other commonly used materials, let’s look at an average kitchen with 30 feet of countertop.
Material | 30 linear feet, installed |
Laminate | $1,575.00 |
Ceramic Tile | $1,850.00 |
Recycled Glass | $2,040.00 |
Solid Surface | $3,690.00 |
Granite Slab | $4,440.00 |
Carrera Marble | $4,620.00 |
Concrete | $5,310.00 |
As you can see, it is the least expensive material. If taken care of, laminate can last for 20 or 30 years. To keep it looking its best, don’t use it as a cutting board, don’t set hot pots or pans on it, and clean it with a non-abrasive cleanser.
Pricing Per Sheet/Section
Every countertop has a substrate. This substrate will be plywood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Each has its good and bad points. Plywood is strong and very stable, but hidden flaws can hamper its ability to adhere to the laminate. MDF is smooth and consistent, but it doesn’t do well around water unless you buy the expensive exterior-grade boards. Some people compromise and layer the substrate with plywood on the bottom for good, strong support and MDF on top for a smooth surface. As long as you build it up to about 1 ½ inches, you will have a good surface to apply the laminate.
Plywood costs about $6.00 to $11.00 for a standard 4x8 foot panel of ¾” with no alterations, finishes, or cuts. MDF for a good countertop upper substrate is about $32.00 for a 4x8 panel of ¾” thickness. Plywood, when cut, needs to be cut in matching grain when sections are being joined. This is to keep a consistent surface along the flat sides. This can result in a lot of waste. MDF, on the other hand, can be cut in any direction without such considerations. This results in less waste.
The laminate itself should be bought in sheets longer and wider than your substrate. Be sure you have enough to wrap around the edges. In general, depending on pattern and style, a 60x144” sheet costs from $100.00 to $300.00.
Pros and Cons of Laminate
Laminate is made up of layers. There are several layers not counting the substrate. These are:
- Melamine backing, the part that will be glued to the substrate.
- Core – a pressed layer saturated in resin.
- Kraft paper – a resin-saturated layer providing the smoothness or texture of the decorative layer.
- Print film – the decorative layer that has the pattern on it.
- Melamine wear layer – the topmost clear layer that protects the countertop.
Pros
- Inexpensive, but capable of mimicking even the most expensive stone
- Wide variety of textures and colors
- Doesn’t require any special chemicals to clean
- Generally durable for everyday use
- Easy to change the style instead of replacing the whole countertop
Cons
- Cuts and scratches easily when sharp implements are used
- Can be damaged by hot pots or pans
- Will turn dull if not cleaned and maintained
- Will not add value if you’re looking to sell your house
Is This a DIY Project?
Installing a laminate countertop is a moderate DIY job. It requires a bit of care and effort and a lot of measuring, but the good news is that if you take it easy, you should be able to do it in about a day or two. Home improvement stores sell prefabricated sections of laminate countertop for around $50.00 to $200.00 per section. They usually come in 4-foot, 8-foot, and corner sections. The price depends on factors such as manufacturer, color, and style. Installing the countertop yourself can save you around $1,000.00.
Supplemental materials and tools are things that you should already have on hand including silicone glue, a drill, a pencil to mark with, a straight edge of some sort, and mounting screws available at most hardware stores. The mounting screws, also called miter screws, sell for $12.00 to $20.00 for a set of four. The rest of the materials should cost another $20.00 to $40.00 if you don’t have any of them.
The only part of this project that should not be handled DIY is the delivery. Any countertop can break if transported incorrectly, so this should be left up to the professionals. The cost of the delivery will vary widely depending on who delivers it and how far they have to travel. When arranging delivery, find out if they deliver the countertop into your house. The difficulty of getting the countertop into your house will affect the price of delivery if they do.
Laminate Manufacturers and Styles
There are three major brands when it comes to the biggest names in laminate countertops. You might recognize one of them often used as a generic name, Formica.
- Formica – Long known for their boomerang patterns of the 50s and 60s, today Formica countertops look like granite, wood, and other textures. Formica has two top-selling lines that many people request: 180FX and PremiumFX. 180FX is a marble pattern and comes in larger sections than traditional laminates. PremiumFX is available in 5 premium finishes.
- Pionite – Pionite makes residential laminates in a wide array of styles and colors, but they also make specialty and custom designs as well. One of their most interesting styles is “Leatherlam”, a laminate with a sheet of genuine leather as its design surface. Other styles are offered under lines such as Abstracts, Solids, Wood, and Stone, each with its own distinct look.
- WilsonArt – One of the major players in the laminate countertop field, WilsonArt is known for its attention to detail in creating stone-like designs. They are also the leader in environmentally sustainable production. WilsonArt’s HD line offers dramatic designs and textures combined with a finish that is 5 times as durable as other laminates.
The patterns, colors, and edge styles vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, though some share industry standards (such as beveled edge, bullnose edge, ogee edge, etc.). Samples are cheap if not free, so get as many as catch your eye and see which one fits best with your design plan.
In Conclusion
Laminate countertops are not the dated look of days gone by. Manufacturers have kept up with the times and, as these countertops are made of waste material and recycled paper, they have even been ahead of the times. Take another look at this lightweight, inexpensive material and see what a valuable heavyweight it can be for your countertops!
