# Kitchen countertops



## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

We needed new counter tops but after looking at granite. My wife said she likes them and loves them at everyone else's house but she just would not be comfortable with them at our house. She spent the first 25 years of her career at Dow as an analytical chemist and their benches were all granite. She said I want to feel like I am cooking not mixing chemicals. After looking at the options I redid the Laminate yesterday. Just got done putting everything back together. It has been a long since I have done kitchen. Since she retired my wife loves to cook and put up food. The cost to redo the laminate was about what the tax on the granite would of been.


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## droptine989 (Oct 14, 2012)

Very nice. I did some counteracts not to long ago. Used 3/4 oak ply wood and 3/4 boards. 4 inch back splash that I routered and a 1.5 inch piece around the front and side to hide the end grain that I also routered. Turned out really nice imo. Don't have any pics of the finish but it was stained ebony and a really thick bar top clear coat.


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## stockrex (Apr 29, 2009)

Great job
I was thinking of doing a butcher block top
I could done all the work myself and save a bundle


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## buggs (Jan 21, 2011)

can laminate "tears" or rips be repaired?


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## Mags (Apr 10, 2002)

How does the price of something like Corian or Wilsonart(sp) compare to granite as a solid -surface material?


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## 2508speed (Jan 6, 2011)

droptine989 said:


> Very nice. I did some counteracts not to long ago. Used 3/4 oak ply wood and 3/4 boards. 4 inch back splash that I routered and a 1.5 inch piece around the front and side to hide the end grain that I also routered. Turned out really nice imo. Don't have any pics of the finish but it was stained ebony and a really thick bar top clear coat.


Bar Top clear coat? I'm assuming an epoxy?


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## spartannation (Jan 14, 2016)

Hey Buggs what do you mean by rips?


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

plugger said:


> We needed new counter tops but after looking at granite. My wife said she likes them and loves them at everyone else's house but she just would not be comfortable with them at our house. She spent the first 25 years of her career at Dow as an analytical chemist and their benches were all granite. She said I want to feel like I am cooking not mixing chemicals. After looking at the options I redid the Laminate yesterday. Just got done putting everything back together. It has been a long since I have done kitchen. Since she retired my wife loves to cook and put up food. The cost to redo the laminate was about what the tax on the granite would of been.
> View attachment 237168
> View attachment 237169


 The cutting board in the center was made by my Dad who passed in 08. It was originally made for another house I built. We moved it when we built this house. My wife says we are stuck with it forever, but its a good thing.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

buggs said:


> can laminate "tears" or rips be repaired?


 I have seen burns, wear, stains and cut marks on laminate but never rips or tears. We use our counters hard and they lasted twenty years.


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## Buckbaker (Aug 3, 2015)

plugger said:


> We needed new counter tops but after looking at granite. My wife said she likes them and loves them at everyone else's house but she just would not be comfortable with them at our house. She spent the first 25 years of her career at Dow as an analytical chemist and their benches were all granite. She said I want to feel like I am cooking not mixing chemicals. After looking at the options I redid the Laminate yesterday. Just got done putting everything back together. It has been a long since I have done kitchen. Since she retired my wife loves to cook and put up food. The cost to redo the laminate was about what the tax on the granite would of been.
> View attachment 237168
> View attachment 237169


Looks great. One of these days I'm going to redo our kitchen. The plan is for laminate or another inexpensive option. I could probably refinish the cabinets, get the laminate, and new appliances for the price of granite.
With the savings, New fishing gear for me and the wife...everyone's happy.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Butcher block is always classy IMO. When we get to the point of remodeling our kitchen (10-15 yrs) I am thinking of doing the entire island in butcher block, or at least a large part of the wall countertop/

We went with formica HD laminate for our kitchen and bath countertops and they look absolutely stunning. One of the best features of our new place. 

Yours look really nice. The HD laminates look great and you have tons of options.


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## mdad (Dec 4, 2007)

Mags said:


> How does the price of something like Corian or Wilsonart(sp) compare to granite as a solid -surface material?


Granite has such a wide range of pricing that it is difficult to give an absolute answer. The lower priced granites( some times referred to as commodity granites) generally are very competitive to Corian pricing or beat it out right. Not sure on the price of Wilsonart.


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## Josh R (Dec 4, 2010)

plugger said:


> We needed new counter tops but after looking at granite. My wife said she likes them and loves them at everyone else's house but she just would not be comfortable with them at our house. She spent the first 25 years of her career at Dow as an analytical chemist and their benches were all granite. She said I want to feel like I am cooking not mixing chemicals. After looking at the options I redid the Laminate yesterday. Just got done putting everything back together. It has been a long since I have done kitchen. Since she retired my wife loves to cook and put up food. The cost to redo the laminate was about what the tax on the granite would of been.
> View attachment 237168
> View attachment 237169


We have the same laminate on our countertops, it hides a lot of marks and scratches!


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## Jimbos (Nov 21, 2000)

plugger said:


> We needed new counter tops but after looking at granite. My wife said she likes them and loves them at everyone else's house but she just would not be comfortable with them at our house. She spent the first 25 years of her career at Dow as an analytical chemist and their benches were all granite. She said I want to feel like I am cooking not mixing chemicals. After looking at the options I redid the Laminate yesterday. Just got done putting everything back together. It has been a long since I have done kitchen. Since she retired my wife loves to cook and put up food. The cost to redo the laminate was about what the tax on the granite would of been.
> View attachment 237168
> View attachment 237169


You want to come do mine next?

How do you get the old laminate off? I have the same look with pretty much the same cabinets tone and the oak edge, then the laminate.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Jimbos said:


> You want to come do mine next?
> 
> How do you get the old laminate off? I have the same look with pretty much the same cabinets tone and the oak edge, then the laminate.


 Lacquer thinner in a spray bottle and a 4" knife.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Looks nice plugger. We have laminate, and I have thought about granite. But with the nice work you did I am leaning toward laminate. Did you re-use the oak edging? We have oak edging and it would probably best be replaced if I replace the laminate.


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## sNeAkYpEtE11 (Feb 7, 2011)

plugger said:


> Lacquer thinner in a spray bottle and a 4" knife.


Nice work Plugger. Looks like you know what you're doing. 
Did you use that to get the glue off once you removed the laminate? I think that's what you are saying... If so, this is not necessary. The glue reactivates when new glue is added for the new laminate. If there are areas where the old glue pooled up, just use a belt sander and buzz over it quick. 
Jimbos all you need is a heat gun and small pry bar. Heat will reactivate the glue and it will let go. Might fight you, but eventually you will succeed. If you have plywood decks try your best to avoid ripping up big chunks.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

sNeAkYpEtE11 said:


> Nice work Plugger. Looks like you know what you're doing.
> Did you use that to get the glue off once you removed the laminate? I think that's what you are saying... If so, this is not necessary. The glue reactivates when new glue is added for the new laminate. If there are areas where the old glue pooled up, just use a belt sander and buzz over it quick.
> Jimbos all you need is a heat gun and small pry bar. Heat will reactivate the glue and it will let go. Might fight you, but eventually you will succeed. If you have plywood decks try your best to avoid ripping up big chunks.


 Using a solvent lets you peel the laminate up easily with no tears ect. If you set a piece wrong you can take new laminate up and reset it using acetone or lacquer thinner to release the glue. Except for small pieces I have always bid with starting over and replacing the base but since this was my own and I wanted to salvage the oak edge ect I decided to try this. Normally when you get around to replacing laminate there is at least some water damage. This had been well caulked and well cared for so the base was 100%. I would not bid a job replacing just the laminate. Some guys that do commercial seem to be having good luck scuffing old laminate, if it's solid and laminating over the top. This would not of been an option for me because the bevel edge would show the double thickness.


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Here are our new Formica hd laminate kitchen and bath countertops






































Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## sNeAkYpEtE11 (Feb 7, 2011)

plugger said:


> Using a solvent lets you peel the laminate up easily with no tears ect. If you set a piece wrong you can take new laminate up and reset it using acetone or lacquer thinner to release the glue. Except for small pieces I have always bid with starting over and replacing the base but since this was my own and I wanted to salvage the oak edge ect I decided to try this. Normally when you get around to replacing laminate there is at least some water damage. This had been well caulked and well cared for so the base was 100%. I would not bid a job replacing just the laminate. Some guys that do commercial seem to be having good luck scuffing old laminate, if it's solid and laminating over the top. This would not of been an option for me because the bevel edge would show the double thickness.


Yeah you had no choice but to remove that laminate. I have just never heard anyone using solvents to remove it. I have done hundreds of residential countertops in my days and my dad has done thousands and we have always heated and removed without using chemicals. Learn something new everyday I guess. If it is a flat lay job with no backs we can usually go right over the existing, like you mentioned, with no water damage. Anyway, you did a nice job on those tops. DRek yours look great too, I've installed that same laminate countless times. It will be going in my new house in the spring. Great patterns


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