For the past thirty years of being in the cupboard manufacturing business, there have been plenty of remodeling jobs where we upgraded kitchen or bathroom plastic laminate countertops. In this article, we will be exploring four possible ways to transform an old top into something that looks like brand new. The following suggestions should be performed by a cabinetry or countertop specialist. These are not do-it-yourself projects.
Resurfacing Existing Counters With New Laminate
One of the most common questions people ask about this method of upgrading tops is; “does the old Formica have to be removed.” The answer is no. The new plastic gets glued right on top of the present surface. The existing laminate gets sanded down with coarse sandpaper and then contact glue is used to adhere the new material. This style of renovation is generally a very messy type of project that creates very fine dust particles in the air. There will also be some very strong odors that accompany the use of the contact adhesive and solvents. In most instances, recovering the old mica with new is cheaper than replacing the counters altogether. Depending upon how large or small your kitchen is it could take one to three days to complete the project. You can refer to the end of the article to read about when this renovation method cannot be used.
Adding Beveled Edge Molding Pieces
If you like the existing color of your plastic laminate counters, but would like to give them a richer look, adding beveled edge molding is a great way to improve upon your present design. You may also combine this accent if you decide to re-laminate your tops. The process involves removing the existing one and a half inch (1-1/2″) thick edge of plastic and then cutting the new beveled edge molding to size and gluing it on with yellow carpenters glue. When the new strip is applied it will eliminate the black line that is commonly seen on most laminate tops. The material can be ordered from any cupboard manufacturing supply company.
Attaching a Wood Edge
This plastic laminate countertop remodeling method is accomplished by adhering three quarters of an inch (3/4″) thick real-wood oak or maple to the edges of the tops. The existing laminate strips must be removed and then the new wood is attached with carpenters glue and finish nails. An alternative method of adhering the wood to the tops is by screwing the wood edges on and then plugging the holes.
Painting Formica Tops
There’s a company called Giani Granite Paints that has developed an entire system for resurfacing several different types of countertops, including Formica. All-in-all it takes about four days to complete the painting procedure. Basically, there are several steps in preparing the counters for the new paint, then several paint applications that must be applied. The system is easy to use, but has very detailed instructions that you can review by following the link in the authors resource box below.
The only limitations that people run into when considering having their Formica plastic laminate counters remodeled is when they have a rolled over edge style top. These particular types of countertops are called post-form tops. There is no way to resurface them with new plastic or change the edge style to beveled plastic or real wood. The only alternative is to use the specially designed paint system, previously mentioned, to change the post-form tops appearance with.
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