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Laminate counter top

9 years ago

Wilsonart blackstar laminate is what i would like. At one home store, the salesman told me it was not suitable for a kitchen counter{{gwi:807}} because it was high gloss and would show scratches right away. At a cabinet store, the salesman said he had had it on his desk for 10 years sliding heavy sample books across it and it had no issues. I tried scratching the sample with a steak knife{{gwi:807}} and it showed. But i dont cut right on the counter. This is a vacation rental though...

Anyone have any practical experience with this in a kitchen? Any alternate suggestions in a black granite looking laminate? Thanks.

This post was edited by myrtle_59 on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 20:17

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Comments (8)

PRO
Taylor's Cabinets & Interiors
9 years ago
The hi gloss finishes will show scratches a little more. But if you like the color, get it.

If you do manage to scratch it to where it shows white, hit it with a black sharpie.
myrtle_59
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the sharpie tip!
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That isn't a DIY job. Post formed counters use both heat and vacuum to get the laminate to conform to a curve, If the laminate has to cover a 90 corner, then a separate edge piece is applied and the excess trimmed off. If you build the counter from scratch with all 90 edges, then you can DIY the whole thing. Dealing with curved edges is best done by ordering a factory produced piece. And laminate counnters are cheap enough that you can easily replce them and take the opportunity to go with another color or edge.
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You absolutely don't want grout there for a reason - when the plane shifts and expands, as it will, grout would crack open. That's why you use a colored silicon caulk that matches your grout (all grout companies make it). Don't use grout and cover it with caulk as this defeats the purpose and you'll just have a caulk-coated crack. Hang the bottom row of tile the same distance above the counter as your grout joints, and that joint will just look like another grout line: I'd agree re. the quarter-round trim - I'd fear wood would get wet too often in that area, discolor and ultimately rot away, or else hide wipedown crud underneath it as it loosens over time. :-/
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I think Joe was just advocating painting the front edge , not the entire top ? Filling/painting the front edge would be easier and cheaper than replacing the whole top for a DIYer , though replacement isn't a terribly complex undertaking. If looking for a cheap and fast fix, the edge repair is way less than replacing all the tops. Replacement may be a good value, but not faster or cheaper for the DIYer.
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I am actually relieved to learn someone else has this problem I thought I was losing my mind!! Help, I have this exact same problem, no salami cause, but I can't figure out why my laminate countertop in my 20 year old home has been smelling of salami for 3 weeks now. I can't stand it! Why does it stink and how can I fix it? Anybody solve the problem effectively?
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myrtle_59
Original Author
9 years ago
Dup post

This post was edited by myrtle_59 on Fri, Jan 16, 15 at 21:56
User
9 years ago
If you want a glossy laminate, go Wilsonart instead of Formica. They have a much more durable finish. Either their Aeon or HD finishes will wear much better. I had an old display of Blackstar that was pretty horribly scratched up. It was where the stone countertop samples landed all the time because it had the best under cabinet lighting for viewing.
ci_lantro
9 years ago
because this is a vacation rental property--with numerous different tenants who probably don't really care what the laminate looks like next week or next year--i would steer away from high gloss laminate finishes.
Fori
9 years ago
I'd worry about it in a rental. For your own home or even a bathroom in a rental it'd be fine, but never trust a renter to think, especially when they're on vacation drinking! :)
myrtle_59
Original Author
9 years ago
Any suggestions on a dark one that would look good with white cabinets but is not high gloss?
PRO
Taylor's Cabinets & Interiors
9 years ago
You are over thinking it.

4551 (blackstar granite) should be available in a matte finish (60 instead of 01)

It doesn't look as good though.

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