Last year, as part of our basement renovation, we added a 10-foot-long faux marble laminate top to the wet bar. We did the install ourselves and have been using it for a few months now. If you’re wondering if laminate countertop is the right fit for you, this blog post explains all the details. Including how we add it on top of IKEA cabinets with zero prior experience.
Watch it on YouTube
Why choose laminate countertop?
Laminate countertops are made of a decorative plastic layer that is glued onto particleboard using contact cement. They have a bad rap because oftentimes people think of them as cheap and ugly alternatives to natural stone.
Why did we choose it?
There are two main reasons.
For one thing, it’s hard to ignore the fact that laminate countertops are the most budget friendly option on the market. For around $200, we can get a 2 feet by 10 feet countertop with an integrated backsplash. If you do the math, that’s around $10 per square foot. Compared to the entry-level granite at $50 per square foot, it’s a fraction of the price.
Keep in mind, $50 per square foot is the base price. After factoring in the handling and delivery fee, the actual saving would be even higher.
Another reason is I was able to find the 10 feet laminate countertop in white marble at my local home improvement store. IKEA has a few styles in the EKBACKEN line that are quite beautiful. Unfortunately, the longest countertop IKEA carries is 98 inches. Not quite enough to cover the entire surface of the kitchen. Having a single-piece slab we could grab off the shelf that fits our space perfectly was a no-brainer.
Delivery
Since we don’t have a truck, our contractor delivered the countertop. Then we put on some snow boots, snow pants, and sunglasses, through a treacherous snow-covered side yard (it was January in Minnesota), carried it all the way into the basement through the window. It wasn’t super heavy—just awkward to maneuver.
Build up strips
We didn’t need to cut the laminate countertop. But because we were installing it on top of IKEA SEKTION cabinets. There was an extra step we had to take.
IKEA cabinets are frameless, while the doors are full overlay. With the countertop having an overhang that sticks out at the bottom, if we install it as is, the countertop would block the doors from opening.
There are kits (buildup kit) you can buy for this purpose.
I had some ¾” thick scrap wood in the garage. I rip it down to make build up strips.
We glued the strips at the bottom to raise up the countertop. This did three things: 1. it gave enough clearance for the door to open; 2. it gave the countertop more material to screw into, and 3. The countertop looked twice as thick as it actually was.
Scribing
In order to make the countertop fit our wavy wall tightly, we had to do some scribing.
The gaps were not too big. Instead of using a compass, I was able to use a pencil to scribe.
Simply ran the pencil along the wall to transfer the profile onto the backsplash. Then I sanded it down with an orbital sander. The good thing about laminate is it’s pretty easy to sand away. It only took a few tries to get a good fit.
Applying end caps
One big downside of laminate countertops is the rough edges. To cover them up you need to buy an end cap kit.
Note: this is different from end splash, which is used to put up against the wall as a backsplash.
I thought this would be an easy step. Just glue it on like edge banding. Oh boy, was I naïve.
I carefully lined up the end cap with the exposed edge of the countertop. Set the household iron at medium heat, started pressing it down to activate the glue.
To my dismay, as I was ironing the end cap, the other side started to peel away. I went back a few times to glue it back on, it just kept getting loose again and again.
I almost threw in the towel.
Ended up clamping the whole thing down to keep it in place. It was not the calmest moment of my life lol.
Later, I actually read the instructions and realized I was supposed to cool it down immediately with a damp towel after ironing.
I tried this trick on the other side, and it stuck a lot better.
After that, I was super nervous about messing up with the (delicate) endcap, and decided to ask hubs to trim off the excess.
He did it with a brilliant idea: using a router, raise up the roundover router bit slightly and run it along the edge. The router trimmed off the stuck-out laminate without chipping or burning the material. It was a pretty clean cut.
Clean up the residue with a high-grit sandpaper or a wood block.
Making Cutouts for Sinks
Next, it’s time to make a cutout for the sink. This step is similar to how you would normally cut out an opening for outlets or plumbing.
First, tape around the perimeter. There are two rectangles you want to mark. One for the outside of the sink; one for the inner bowl. Make sure to cut just enough for the sink to fit in, but not too much that the gap shows.
Then pre-drill with a large drill bit and cut along the inside rectangle using a circular saw. For tight spots, change to a jig saw.
Tip: screw in scrap wood to temporarily hold the cutout piece in place, so that it won’t fall and rip the laminate.
Securing the countertop
Our countertop had a slight bow, so we used a lot of clamps, and added weight (a.k.a. our son) to hold it down.
Then we screw through the top metal rail, the build up strip, into the bottom of the countertop.
For extra strength, we also added L shape brackets underneath.
Lastly, caulk the backsplash, around the sink, and between two slabs.
To hide the unsightly black seams, I tried two different methods: first, leftover white paint for cabinet and door, it did not provide enough coverage; then caulk, which left a bumpy, wiggly line. I ended up dapping white acrylic paint on top, which did the trick for me.
The seams blended in right away.
Pros and Cons: are laminate countertops worth it?
Now, this would be not a complete DIY tutorial, if I don’t give you an honest review.
The pros with laminate countertops are apparent. It’s low cost and DIY-friendly. You can easily cut and install it even as a beginner. And it has this smooth and matt finish that provides protection against stains and scratches.
However, the ugly black seams are hard to ignore. I tried my best to hide them, they are always going to be there and could peel or chip in the future. For a small kitchen that doesn’t get a lot of use, laminate makes a lot of sense. But you do want to think carefully about functionality overall if you’re picking something for a high-traffic area.
Overall, I’m pretty happy with how this turned out—especially for the price. Even if it breaks in the future, it is easy to replace with something new. Low replacement cost is probably the biggest benefit of laminate countertops!
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