Laminate countertops have a particle board, or MDF, base with a decorative layer of printed papers to give a wood or stone appearance on top of that, covered with a melamine-resin layer.
Plan for ROUGHLY $40-$50 per square foot for laminate countertops plus the cost of labor. With laminate most of the price for fabrication comes with mitered corners, sinks, special edges, etc. Most average kitchens have $1-2k laminate price tags.
Laminate has a shorter life span in a home due mainly to its porosity. Although there are times it lasts many years, a lot of times laminate will last for 3-7 years.
As long as the product you are looking for is a stock color and edge, your countertop should be delivered to Klingbeils 6 days from the upcoming Thursday.
Laminate has many standard edge profiles to choose from. An applied edge is also available but may take up to 4 weeks longer to fabricate.
While the laminate itself is fairly non-porous, the MDF underneath is wood and will absorb water sometimes causing surface bubbles near seams or edges of the top if wet.
Laminate is usually fairly scratch, heat, and UV resistant. Some styles and brands are more susceptible to each. Usually darker surfaces will show scratches easier than light surfaces.
Laminate is fairly low maintenance. It doesn't need to be buffed or re-sealed.
The wood portion of the top is recyclable, but the resin makes laminate a less environmentally friendly option.
Laminate is relatively easy to install. Some homeowners may try to DIY the project, while others may want to hire a local contractor. We have some great names to refer you to!
Many people will select an undermount sink with their laminate top to lessen the risk of water penetrating the sink/laminate seam. Our vendor has a number of sink options in the undermount style.
You may hear people refer to laminate tops as "Formica Tops". Formica was a pioneer of the laminate industry and people commonly call all laminate "formica" (think tissue and Kleenex). Formica is still a leader in the industry, and is joined by WilsonArt, and Arborite.
We get it! There is a newer product that has just the paper and melamine material of a laminate countertop. It behaves and installs in a very similar way to traditional laminate but is THINNER. Meet- Thinscape by WilsonArt. Instead of $2-3K for an average, this has closer to a $3-4K price tag. There are 15 or so color options, instead of the thousands available in laminate.
This image shows the layers of each laminate top edge profile. You can see the MDF bottom, thin layer of paper, and melamine surface.
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1261 North 8th Street, Medford, Wisconsin 54451, United States
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Sat | 10:00 am – 02:00 pm | |
Sun | By Appointment |