Homeowners who would rather give their laminate counters a simple treatment can simply paint over them without any special designs being necessary. You'll need to sand the surface beforehand and use countertop coating, which is a special product that can be purchased at your local home improvement store.
Transform your laminate countertops using paint — the ultimate DIYer's friend. Faux granite is one of the most forgiving of all decorative painting projects — the mottled look is easy to get using sponges and a dabbing motion, and you can just keep going until it looks right.
Laminate countertops can be covered to refresh the look. 'Contact paper is a great short-term solution to cover outdated laminate countertops,' says Erin Dunlap. For a longer term fix? 'An epoxy countertop paint product is a much better option if you want your DIY effort to last more than a year or two,' she says.
A professional will thoroughly clean the surface, repair knife cuts and chips, apply a special bonding agent, and then apply several coats of a high tech acrylic enamel. A properly refinished laminate countertop will last for many years with everyday use and normal care and cleaning.
A: We don't typically recommend laminating over laminate – but you can do it if you're willing to put some elbow grease into it. You need to sand the old surface down to the brown core in order to make sure the adhesive sticks and stays stuck.
Use a Countertop Refinishing Kit
Countertop resurfacing kits are like paint on steroids. These kits include epoxy-like paint and decorative stone chips to create the look of natural stone. Most kits are designed for making over old laminate counter surfaces.
Painting Countertops
This is possibly the least expensive way to cover up old countertops, especially old wood or linoleum countertops. It's very easy to paint your countertops yourself. Just sand, prime and then paint. You can use a pad sander, but sanding by hand will work just fine.
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.
Although laminate countertops have decent impact resistance, they're vulnerable to heat damage and scratch easily. Moisture can penetrate seams and cause delamination. Not repairable. Small scratches can be touched up with designated resin paint, but deep scratches and chips aren't fixable.
Laminate, Formica®, and Wilsonart® are all essentially the same thing; laminate is the substance, and Formica® and Wilsonart® are the brand names. Both types are widely marketed for kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, and bar counters and available in a variety of colors and designs.
If you want to make a big impact in your kitchen without a big investment, consider priming and painting your laminate countertops. Your local paint store can supply you with the best type of paint to use in this project. Many recommend a water-based acrylic primer, paint and top coat.
There are a few cheap ways to redo kitchen countertops. For example, you can paint them, cover them with contact paper, or sand them and stain them with a wood finish. These options are suitable for wood, linoleum, or laminate countertops.
Quartz Countertops
Quartz is one of the strongest materials you can use, making it one of the best-value countertops available. Both scratch- and stain-resistant, quartz countertops can look brand new for years even after withstanding heavy usage.
Made popular by Joanna Gaines, concrete countertops are a wonderful way to elevate a farmhouse chic kitchen or add a special touch to an industrial, modern kitchen.
To give you an idea of quality and longevity, most warranties max out at about five years. However, if the countertops are in a high-traffic space you'll likely see signs of wear much sooner than that, even with a higher quality product.
Don't use harsh abrasive cleansers. These will dull the laminate finish. Don't use steel wool or scrubbing tools containing steel wool, they too will scratch and dull the finish. Don't use a laminate countertop as a cutting board.
Whether you love the classic look of square white tiles or want an affordable way to get the look of granite, tile is a great solution for covering dated laminate. If you aren't starting with a particleboard base, first install a sheet of thin cement board over your existing laminate counter.
Use polyurethane as a top coat.
Even if this won't take care of the gaps between the planks, a polyurethane top coats will protect the floorboards. It is important to note that laminate flooring has a thin resin layer which the polyurethane might not adhere well with.
Cost to re-laminate countertops
Re-laminating countertops costs $5 to $15 per square foot and includes putting a fresh sheet of laminate over an existing countertop. Re-laminating costs 75% to 80% less than a full replacement.