Help with rough, ugly laminate counter edges
Elizabeth Loparco
9 years ago
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laminate counter - straight edge
Comments (10)I just wanted to weight in here on a reality that we are facing with our laminate edge. We ordered two pieces for our L shaped kitchen. They come together at an angle in the corner. We are doing the install ourselves because DH (dear as he is) thinks he can do anything. It is proving to be more than difficult to make that seam look reasonable. Through all of this it has occurred to me that the better way to do this would have been for us to make the counter in place and then pay a fabricator to laminate it. We could have put the seam in the underlay in the corner (so as to give more support to the sink and the cooktop, which are each in the middle of a leg of the L) but then laminate with the seam going thru the middle of either cooktop or sink to minimize the amount of seam showing. We did have the self-face and that could still meet at the corner, which is the best place for the seam on the front. We did the laminate because we couldn't justify the cost of the higher-priced countertops and found a Wilsonart laminate "sunstone" that we really loved. I'm sure after much fussing around, it will be fine but as with most of the project (all DIY) we could have done it better if we had a little experience or helpful advice....See MoreSeams/edges in post form laminate counters
Comments (11)In case anyone else is interested in this topic, I sent an email with a description and diagram to the guy that I have gotten counters from in the past. He said they should be able to do what I want but I'll have to reduce my cabinet run by an inch or so or he'll have to do something weird to get a piece in the corner. Mitering and joining the counters of two different widths was not a problem (at least their saw could handle up to the 42" width). The problem is that I have a 12' run of cabinets and the maximum length of laminate is 12' so I have no room for the overhang. 12' was long enough for my current counter because I had the wood edge and the cabinet sides were a little narrower than the face frame so I had just enough overhang to work. Ahh...the devil is in the details! I hate losing any cabinet space but I'm probably going to gain three inches by going with a single sink and a 33" cabinet. OY. Now I can't order my cabinets until I decide on my sink and counters! Scoutfinch just posted pictures or her counters with a similar situation and they look great. Here is a link that might be useful: scoutfinch's Wilsonart HD counters...See MoreHelp! Ugly Unfinished Underside of Cambria Quartz Countertop Solution?
Comments (74)I am a fabricator. A plywood underlayment for 2CM is typically complemented by a 4CM drop edge which masks the underlayment on the edge. the plywood is really just a spacer as it does not contribute significantly to the structural integrity of the overhang. For 3CM quartz a "fussy" fab shop will grind the underside of the overhang to remove the printed Logo's from the OEM. If requested the fabricator can polish the underside but the fab shop polish will not be of the same quality as the surface. However, it will be good enough to look finished on the underside. Polishing the underside is NOT an option typically offered by the fabricator. In my business we've learned to ask the question when the layout of the room, and particularly the stairway location, means the underside will be readily visible on a regular basis and not just when someone is on the floor looking up. Another option is to make the overhang "double thick" where 2 pieces of the engineered stone are mated back to back so a factory finish is on both sides. This is an easy option for 4CM assuming corbels are used or the double thickness is extended back over the cabinet. Finally, some natural stones that are crack prone have a fiberglass matting epoxied on to the back of the stone to help it hold together during transport, fabrication, and install. A competent fab shop will remove this backing as a matter of course. I am always annoyed at the poor quality evidenced by a job where the backing can be felt and seen on an island overhang and even on the narrow countertop overhangs. If you really want a great looking underside the best way is to double up the material back to back. It's an expensive way to do it for a variety of reasons....See Moreraising a laminate edge marble counter to accommodate drawers
Comments (5)The cabinets are semi custom and designed fine. I have to add a buildup as the style I chose has drawer and door facing that goes all the way to the top of the base to cover the rail. I like the look. I am installing a 3cm marble with a laminated edge on the island so I'm not worried about distance from upper cabinetry. However, the island is large and houses drawers down one side and doors around the other, plus a set of under counter refrigerator drawers... so the double edge will definitel obstruct the opening. My stone fabricator has informed me that they don't do the buildup and that it needs to be in place with the proper opening for the cutouts. They suggested building a frame with cross bars. I didn't think about the knotting of the wood so to me plywood makes more sense, but I've not had to consider this before....See Morelam702
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