How To Laminate Kitchen Countertops

For many of us, the kitchen is the heart of the home, and the room in which we spend most of our time. Kitchen worktops and counters are used every day, and over time the surfaces can start to become scratched or discoloured. The budget busting option would be to rip out all of the units and replace them completely, but if this is not an option, then adding a layer of laminate on top of your existing countertops could be the perfect project.

Cost and Design

Laminate sheets for worktops or other flat surfaces are sold by major DIY chains, builders’ merchants as well as by a range of online retailers. Prices vary according to finish and manufacturer, so make sure you shop around before committing to buy. Laminate sheets, sometimes known as the brand name of Formica, come in all sorts of colours and designs, so whatever your taste and colour scheme in your kitchen, there will be something to suit.

As a rough indication of price, expect to pay anything between £40 and £100 for a sheet of laminate that's 3 metres by 1.5 metres. Measure the surface areas of the countertops which you want to replace, as well as any trim around the edges to work out how much you are going to need. It is always best to buy extra in case of cutting mistakes.

Cutting

Once your laminate sheets arrive at your home, take some time to plan how you are going to cut them. If your worktops are perfectly rectangular, it is simple to measure the length and width and cut a piece to fit. If you have curved or angled worksurfaces, the easiest way of cutting a piece of laminate which is exactly the right shape and size is to make a template with a large piece of paper or card. You can draw directly onto the laminate sheets with a pencil to give guidelines for cutting. 

A circular saw is the best tool for cutting laminate sheets, and if you do not own one, it’s worth hiring one from a tool hire place at a cost of about £40 for the weekend. Always remember the old saying of measuring twice and cutting once.

Fitting

Once you have cut your laminate sheets, check they fit properly before starting to think about gluing them down. Clean the existing kitchen surfaces with sugar soap or other cleaning products and allow them to dry completely to make sure they are dirt and grease free. You will need special glue to fix your laminate down – don't be tempted to make do with glue you already have in the house as it will simply not be strong enough. Look for glues specifically designed for use with laminate, such as industrial strength contact adhesive. 

Following the manufacturer’s instructions, spread the glue over the existing surface rather than trying to spread it on the underside of the new laminate sheet. Press it down firmly and leave it overnight, weighed down with heavy objects to make sure it sticks.

Finish and Trim

Once the main part of the worktop has been laid, the next job is to fix the little strips around the edges of the worktop. If you have chosen to use an exact match for your original laminate, you might get away with leaving the edge parts without replacing them. However the finish will be far better if everything is replaced at the same time.

Replacing the small edging strips is a fiddly job, and it is essential to take your time and measure and cut extremely carefully. Once the strips have been glued firmly in place and the glue has dried, use very fine sandpaper or an emery board to get rid of any sharp edges, taking care not to scratch the laminate itself.

Cupboard doors

As well as using laminate sheets to give your worktops a new lease of life, the same products can be used to replace kitchen cupboard doors too. This is a trickier job as it involves more cutting and shaping, and if the doors are contoured it can be very time consuming. It can be easier and cheaper to just buy new doors and screw them onto the existing carcasses.

Have you intending to or have recently laminated your kitchen worktops? Send us your pictures as we'd love to see them!