While once popular and trendy in older homes, laminate countertops have been viewed more recently as outdated. However, like another retro design feature—wallpaper—laminate countertops could be experiencing a reemergence in popularity.
Laminate Countertops Are Not Out of Style.
The most prominent kitchen countertop trends for 2021 include quartz counters resembling marble. The grey, white, and other lighter colored variants have been trendy. Apart from this, it is also likely that you will get to see substances that closely look like natural stone in medium and darker shades of grey.
Plastic Laminate Won't Hurt Your Resale Value
Even if you bust the budget and purchase an expensive variety of granite, the person looking to buy your home may hate it, negating any resale value you were worried about when picking out your countertop.
Laminate is making a comeback and is being used more and more these days because of its improved design and style. Today's laminate looks more like natural stone and because of improved printing techniques and designers who are creating better recreations of stone, laminate has made a dramatic comeback.
In Corian, any scratch can be sanded and it can restore its original form. In laminate the scratches are permanent. Laminate can get chipped and becomes irrepairable while Corian is a very strong and durable material which is resistant to chipping. Corian is more expensive, stronger and more durable than laminate.
Quartz. Recently quartz or manufactured stone beat out granite as the most popular kitchen countertop material. While on the surface, natural stone may seem to offer more resale value, that might be changing! As of right now, granite, marble, travertine, soapstone, and so on will typically give you bigger resale value.
However, despite the latest fads, Formica (laminate) counters are still the most popular in homes. 70% of homes today still prefer laminate countertops due to their resiliency, easy maintenance, and of course, affordability.
Lifespan. With standard use, well taken care of laminate countertops will last about 15 years. After that, they'll show significant wear and fading. Heavy use will dramatically shorten their lifespan.
More specifically, light colored quartz is majorly trending and is currently the most popular style of countertop on the market. Silestone and Viatera are two of the top quartz countertop brands and both offer a wide array of different colors and patterns.
Honed and leather surfaces are the most common and can be applied to many different materials, such as granite, marble, and quartz. Even though polished is still the most popular, there are advantages to these two others. Honed finish is a matte finish with little to no shine.
Laminate that Looks Like Quartz
Synonymous with laminate countertops, Formica offers countless styles and colors. If you like the look of quartz, this Bottle Glass Quartz style from Formica may be what you're looking for. Make your countertops look like new with this unique refinishing process.
Laminate is the most affordable material for use in countertops. It comes in a wide variety of colors and styles, many of which are created to look like granite, marble or other high-end materials. Most laminate countertops are attractive and surprisingly durable.
The truth is, laminate, Formica®, and Wilsonart® are basically the same; laminate is the material while Formica® and Wilsonart® are the brand names. Both brands come in a wide range of colors and patterns and are widely marketed for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, and bar counters.
Overall, granite countertops are the better option for your home remodel. Granite is beautiful, durable, easy to care for, and will offer you many options when it comes to color, style and cost. Whether it is a kitchen remodel, bathroom remodel or any other area of the home, granite is one of your best options.
Laminate countertop installation costs anywhere from $40 to $80 per square foot. This includes both materials and labor. The countertops themselves cost $10 to $40 per square foot, but prices vary based on the manufacturer, color, and style.
But today's laminates are of considerably better quality than the classic Formica countertops of the 1960s. While they still may not have the prestige of quartz, natural stone, or composite materials, these latest high-pressure laminates (HPLs) are by no means inferior countertop materials.
Laminate countertops are the easiest kitchen countertop to maintain. Once installed, all you will need to do is clean them with mild soap and water. No additional maintenance is required.
Upgrading the countertops is never a bad idea. It is a low cost that ups the value of your house and attracts buyers. Replacing old, dated countertops and updating kitchen countertops with new granite, quartz or stone pieces adds instant appeal and pizazz. You really cannot lose.
If you're old countertops are a neutral color and in decent condition, it may not make sense to replace them ahead of putting your home on the market. However, if the countertops look dated, are stained or are in poor general condition, they can be a deterrent to selling your home.
Solid surfaces (aka “Corian”) and laminate are two of the most popular countertop materials on the market, along with engineered and natural stone surfaces like granite, quartz, and marble.
Conclusion. Corian is a branded name used in reference to solid surface countertops. These surfaces are a step up from laminate but still lack the durability and aesthetics that would allow them to compete with natural stone such as quartz.
When it comes to cleaning, vinegar can be a solid workhorse. Vinegar can clean laminate countertops, ceramic sinks and toilets, and sink drains—but it should not be used to clean everything.