Funny that you guys started to discuss this just when I am about to start this same project myself. Here are my findings. First off, if you plan of putting a counter on top of the new 3.8 cu ft FL, good luck, and have your pocket book ready. You see, the deepest "standard" counters are those for kitchens, at 25 1/8". Assuming that one leaves around 5" of clearance behind those newer FL machines for vents, air circulation, heat, etc, then you are looking at about 30"-35" of depth, depending on how flush you want the counter to come to the front of the machine. Having said that, there are 3 prices for laminate counters in the stores (like Home Depot). The counters you see in the store in stock are the cheapest, and will cost around $10 li ft. If you need to pick a finish that matches say the sink counter top in your bathroom where the machines are also located, then that is considered a custom order, even if it is a standard depth. This will easily double the price to $20 li ft. Now if you want to order a non-standard depth so that it goes from the back of the wall to the front of your new FL, then you are looking at $35-$50 li ft, depending on type of finish like rounded vs sqaure front edge, back ledge or no ledge, etc... Keep this in mind when shopping for a counter top. I would like my counter to cover the machines completely, so I might have to bite the bullet and order the more expensive counter top.... Again, I am talking about a laminate counter top, no fancy materials here.... I am from Canada, and here is what the local Home Depot quoted me in Canadian dollars for the 3 options.. 1) In-Store counter (limited finishes) 25 1/8" (standard depth) X 6 feet = $68 CAD Custom order counter (you choose the finish) 25 1/8" (standard depth) X 6 feet = $132 - $150 CAD 30 Csutom order counter (you choose the finish) 30-35" (non standard depth) X 6 feet = $222 CAD I believe the last option of non-standard depth only allows for a square front edge finish. If you want a rounder edge in front, like that found on your kitchen counter, the price jumps to $500 CAD, since the guy said that they have to charge for a full 4X8 sheet, and then cut the custom size from there, in order to get the rounded front edge... One other option you can do, which my brother did very nicely is lay down 2 sheets of plywood (for extra thickness), and tile the top and sides, looks really nice, but is a lot more work...

My sink run is 14 ft long, I have an Ikea oak butcherblock countertop and we seamed it at the sink. They tell you not to do that, but so far ours has been fine (1 year and a couple months). My sink is a Kohler Vault, which has a wide flat rim at the back. The rim covers most of the wood seam and honestly the seam gets less water/wear there than it would if it were across the middle of my prep area. My countertop was put in by my cabinet installers, who had lots of experience with Ikea products (and did an excellent job overall) but were not trained carpenters; a decorative seam would have been more than they would have wanted to tackle and I doubt they would have had the tools to do it correctly. If your mom is hiring a carpenter to do the countertop, she may have different options. But for my kitchen I elected to keep it inexpensive and simple and put the seam under a topmounted sink. The installers screwed the countertop down tight at the sink (also something you aren't supposed to do but I haven't noticed any problems yet, and we do have humidity swings). The seam wasn't perfectly abutted so I filled it with matching wood filler and finished the whole top with many coats of Ikea's Behandla oil, which produces a hard film (I know because of the hard film it left on the wall :) -- it comes off with rubbing alcohol so no worries). You can see the seam at the front edge but it's not at all noticeable at the back. No problems at all with my topmount sink, by the way. Our old one was cast iron topmounted with silicone caulk, and the caulk had mildew spots (granted it had been there about 25 yrs). I am not sure what my plumber used for our sinks but he chose the sealer specifically because of the wood top, and he said it wouldn't mildew like the other one did. And it hasn't so far (so little is visible I'd probably never know anyway). Our second sink is the round topmounted stainless one from Ikea. No problems with it either. Not on topic but in case your mom asks: I like the looks and function of the Vault very much, would definitely recommend the low divide for anyone who likes double sinks as I do, but wouldn't choose a square-cornered sink again if I had another good option (I wanted a flat-rimmed stainless sink and the Vault was the only one with a low divide that I could find at the time). The round Ikea sink is much easier to clean inside. Here is a link that might be useful: Kohler Vault

Hello Have a look this article from here you can get the idea about the countertop surface with under mount sinks along with their cost. Might be it help you choose countertops. Through this article you can also get the info about granite, quartz, cement, Tile and etc. type of countertops. I hope it helps you. http://porch.com/advice/countertops-101/

I hate my laminate. It's not been abused, but it's all scratched up. It wasn't even particularly cheap. I like the look of butcher block and would definitely consider it ... if you don't have a water source in this area. My mom has tile, which is terribly "outdated" (the horror!), but they aren't the bug-a-boo to keep clean that people claim. However, if you're going to roll out dough, their uneven surface is a problem. My personal opinion: I'd rather roll out dough on a big cutting board that can go to the sink for easy cleaning. Have you considered one of those BIG boards with a lip that overhangs the countertop? Something like this: https://www.build.com/kohler-k-5917/s562841?uid=227747&source=gg-gba-pla_227747!c1062603550!a53675689858!dc!ng&cvosrc=pla.google.227747&cvo_cid=1062603550&cvo_crid251705093028=&=&cvo_adgroup=53675689858&cvo_uniqueid=227747&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-OXBrPS-2gIVEInICh0WPwpLEAQYBCABEgJh3PD_BwE